The Idea:
'izandla zethu' means in the isiXhosa language: 'our hands'.
​Our hands are made to move and create things.
This thought has inspired me to start a project that gives out-of-school youth in Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, South Africa the opportunity to learn crafting skills and thus, help them to make their own living by using their skills.
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The Project:
Together with masifunde | CHANGEMAKER ACADEMY, we realised that vision by building up a wonderful team and trained them in creating jewels out of corrugated iron...
Following our guiding principle 'reducing, reusing and recycling' materials, we work with material which is often being used by the residents of the township to build their huts.
So, it's already there... and - instead of throwing it away - we create ethical fashion... in one of the most sustainable ways.

The NonProfit Approach:
'izandla zethu - african jewellery' is a non profit project and thus help for self-help. Your purchase of izandla zethu jewellery helps to combat youth unemployment in South Africa because all sales turnover flows 100% to South Africa into the project.

The Vision:
The Crafts Education Academy . . .
If our idea continues to be so well received, we dream today of building a training center, where we also transfer other craft and entrepreneurial skills, providing interested youth a springboard into the world of work . . .
But until then there is still a lot to do . . . : )

- Michaela Römer