DAMANI – Humble clay, which many people regard as dirt, enables an unemployed single mother of four to put some food on the table and to educate her children. Thinawanga Takalani (44) of Damani village, near Tshipako, did not allow poverty and unemployment to ruin her life – instead, she took matters upon herself and started sculpting clay articles which she sells to the public to provide for her family.

“I had no one to rely upon and I had to take the best option that will assist me to support my family. I encourage other unemployed community members to wake up and create their own jobs because the state cannot provide all the unemployed people with jobs…” Thinawanga said she took the matters seriously when she realized that her family was becoming too big for her to maintain.

“My mother, Masindi, is a renowned clay sculptor and I learnt all the tricks from her. Although I thought it was a dirty job, I had no other alternative because I had a burning desire to improve the standard of life in my family. I have taught myself to work hard with dedication and persistence because clay is my only source of income…”

Thinawanga‘s beautiful clay sculptures include flower and cooking pots, decorative spoons, nkho, zwidudu, khali, mvuvhelo and ndongwana. She hires transport to collect the clay at Tshiulungoma about 70km away from her home.

Thinawanga says she is happy because the local community supports her small business. “Tourists also form part of my customer line-up and this encourages me to work hard because the demand increases all the time.”

Her sculptures are selling for R20 to R200 and she can make up to R1 000 in a busy month. “If the market is not going well, I can at least make R600 per month, which is better, compared to those who are doing nothing.”