Woza Moya Upcycling is a key part of Woza Moya and the Hillcrest AIDS Centre trust and not only brings in well needed funds for the centre but is also playing a huge role in the recycling of unwanted waste that would otherwise go to landfill. Have a look at the amazing products these recycling masters create!

Woza Moya & Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust

In case you haven’t seen Part 1 of our Woza Moya post, here’s a quick rundown. Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust and Woza Moya are a lifeline of support and hope to hundreds, (thousands if you include their dependents), of otherwise desperate people. All whilst masquerading as a beautiful little craft shop. Although specialising in traditional beadwork, they also sell all types of African art and craft. This includes  painting, sewing, wirework, crochet, pottery, fabric painting and woodwork. As well as this, repurposing and upcycling waste to make beautiful products.

The Masters of Woza Moya Upcycling

During our visit, we met Francis in the Upcycling Centre at Woza Moya / Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust. Now Francis has the most amazing job for which he is perfect. He upcycles stuff! And when I say stuff, I mean all those random things that we think are useless and throw away.

Francis – Upcycling King

He is so incredibly creative he makes all sorts of beautiful house accessories, and bags out of anything – plastic, glass bottles, even old teabag packets are just a few examples. These are made into a variety of bags of different sizes, light fittings and lamp stands which then go up for sale in the shop! There was even a large box of bottle tops, awaiting such inspiration from Francis!

Glass Cutting Supremo Frank

We also met Frank, who painstakingly ‘cuts’ down old donated wine bottles with a hot and cold water process. The edges are filed down so they’re safe and these are then sold as drinking glasses and lights! Ingenious!

Frank – supremo glass upcycler

Entering Verna’s Magical Haberdashery Grotto!

Textiles are donated which are then painstakingly sorted by Verna and her team into colours and types. These are then sold on to those who can make items that then also go up for sale in the craft shop. To buy these textiles, are to us pennies and cents, but to a rural South African, it can still be a large amount.

Verna – Haberdashery and Textiles Queen

Supporting the Gogos (aka Granny Support Group)

Very sadly, much of the older generation have outlived their children and there are just under 2 million orphans due to the AIDS crisis in South Africa. Grandparents are left to look after their grandchildren, and understandably are ill-equipped to cope with the emotional, physical and financial issues that come with looking after children. Not only that, they could have as many as 20 grandchildren to support. So, the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust gives lessons to the grannies, (or gogos) in their local area, to empower, educate and uplift them in caring for their grandchildren.

In addition to all of this, the grounds are set in a garden nursery. The nursery features some of Francis’ upcycling shoes with great shrubs and flowers.

Upcycled shoes for sale in the nursery

Respite Unit

There is a 24-bed respite and care unit for those affected by the disease which is free – something that’s uncommon in South Africa. The number of patients who came out of there in the early days, was very limited. This was when HIV and AIDS were taboo and there was neither the understanding of the disease, nor the drugs to help. Now, it’s about 75% who come out and can go on leading a ‘normal’ life.

All the fundraising that Woza Moya and the HACT raise, goes towards the running of this.

Photography: Francis the king of the Upcycling Container and Glass Cutting Supremo Frank

In the Woza Moya upcycling centre, there was bright light streaming into the container that Francis is king of! This makes photographing quite difficult because of the extreme exposure values. Therefore, we had to position ourselves in a way that we weren’t picking up the super bright sunlit areas we knew would just blow out. In contrast, in the room of glass bottle supremo Frank, it was quite dark and small. To overcome this, we had to up the ISO on our cameras, as we were handholding and he was moving. Thankfully, the low light ability of digital SLRs now is exceptionally good. The little bit of grain you do get is easily removable in a Camera Raw converter or Photoshop. We both actually find, that a little bit of grain adds to the organic-ness, look and feel of an image.

Cut bottles to upcycle at Hillcrest AIDS Centre

We spent quite a while being shown around Woza Moya and photographing, but no images can do justice to the incredible work that the Woza Moya team are doing. As you can see, all the wonderful people involved in HACT and Woza Moya have a passion: a passion to empower and uplift those who have been affected in many ways by HIV / AIDS.

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Woza Moya. It just rolls sweetly off the tongue and means “Come spirt of change” in isiZulu. (IsiZulu is the language of the Zulu South Africans usually living on the East side of South Africa).

So what is Woza Moya?

It is lifeline of support and hope to hundreds, (thousands if you include their dependents), of otherwise desperate people whilst masquerading as a beautiful little craft shop. Although specialising in traditional beadwork they also sell all types of African art and craft from painting, sewing, wirework, crochet, pottery, fabric painting and woodwork through to repurposing and upcycling waste to make beautiful products.

Ally browsing in the Craft Shop

A few of the many hand-made products

Dark Times in Modern South Africa

Why is it so important to so many people? Well at the end of the last century HIV/AIDS was rife in South Africa. It was a taboo subject that nobody would talk about and there was almost no access to anti-viral drugs. People were dying in their thousands. Children were left without parents and only a few lucky ones had grandparents to look after them. A very dark time for all modern South Africa.

Woza Moya creates jobs and income for so many HIV/AIDS sufferers as well as fundraising for the AIDS Centre, and brings hope to them and their dependents. The beaders work from home, buying supplies at cost from Woza Moya, and create beautiful beaded craft items. They then bring these products to the Hillcrest AIDS Centre once a week to be sold on in the Woza Moya craft shops, with a small mark-up. It empowers them to earn a living from crafts they make.

Paula and Zandi – always really helpful and friendly

Colourful Zulu Skills and Photography

In this post we’re going to concentrate on the craft shops. Not far from Durban there are three – Hillcrest, Botha’s Hill and Kloof. We met Paula who is the manager of the centre and she allowed us to take photographs throughout our visit. Lungile took the time to show us around and explain it all to us. The indoor photography was very simple from a technical point of view. The only issues that you might come across in these situations is the bright sunlight streaming through windows. The easiest thing to do is to avoid it or shoot multiple exposures and comp them together. See our post on Exposure Compensation for more details. But back to the more important part of this post. The people, their skills and passion, and desire for a better future.

Lungile – who showed us around

We’d like to tell you more about the incredible beading. Beading is a traditional Zulu skill passed down through generations. It’s normally threaded onto cotton or wire to make the most amazing products from tiny little badges through to Africa’s first fully beaded suit! In Cape Town last year, we even saw a fully covered beaded military vehicle!!

Beautiful beaded bracelets

The Dream Chair

In 2009 the Woza Moya crafters attended a body mapping workshop where it was found that due to having lived in poverty for so long, very few of them had dreams. They were encouraged to ‘bead their dreams’. With the pieces that were received, the ‘Dream Chair’ came to life. The dream chair journeyed around the world and a book was made of people dreaming their dreams, which is for sale by the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust.

Dreams for Africa Chair – Image courtesy of Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust

Paula Thomson – Executive Manager and Craft Co-ordinator of Woza Moya

Little Travellers

The trademark item of Woza Moya is the Little Traveller. They were the brainchild of Thandiwe, one of the original patients from the Hillcrest AIDS centre. These tiny people can magically attach themselves to people’s clothing and travel across the world! Well maybe not magically attach, but you can pin them on but that doesn’t sound so cool! They come with their own passport (that you can log journeys on via the Facebook page), and a charm that is irresistible. Each crafter who makes the Little Traveller, gives each doll its own character. Ally wears hers with pride.

The Little Travellers

Volunteers and Paid Workers sorting the Little Travellers for export

Thandiwe – Mother of the Little Travellers, who sadly passed away but whose legacy lives on

Don’t Miss the Love

Although we had travelled past the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust / Woza Moya several times, it’s easily missed, despite the huge giraffes who are a bit hidden by trees, but once we went into the grounds we were hit with the enormity of the incredible industriousness, love and passion that this project holds, that’s hidden behind an unassuming entrance.

Where to find Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust / Woza Moya

See our Woza Moya part 2 post.

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