MIANZWI – Mr Thomas Mudau (40), of Mianzwi Village near Thohoyandou, remained jobless for seven years and had given up his dream of raising his two kids effectively. It was only last year in September that he realized that the government could not provide everybody with employment and he tried his luck at sculping wood.

His gamble has paid off because today, he can put some food on the table and educate his kids through the sales of his sculptures. He works in an open space next to a dusty public road because he cannot afford to erect a proper work-shop.

He told Mirror: “It is important for all South Africans to wake up and do something for themselves. We have to work hard to contribute to the economic development of our country. Most of us are rich in talents, but we go to bed with empty stomachs because we cannot use our talents effectively. No one ever taught me sculpting skills, but I believed in myself and told myself that I can achieve my aims through hard work, motivation and determination. I made my first sculpture of a baboon in September last year and everybody was impressed. My friends encouraged me to take sculpting seriously, and since then, I have never looked back.”

Thomas said the lack of modern sculpting equipment does not hinder his progress because he is used to working by hand.

“I use my creativity to produce attractive sculptures. One has to be creative to survive in this field. Customers need beautiful things and one has to come up with new ideas to improve one’s work on a daily basis. Customer care and good communication skills are needed to keep the business alive because clients need proper care and attention. Success does not depend on where one comes from. One can be successful even if one comes from a remote rural village like I do.”

Thomas agreed that there is little money in his trade. “I can’t go to bed without food. At least I can get something to feed my family and educate my children.” His sculptures sell from R10 to R800, depending on the size of the object desired by the customer.

Thomas dreams of establishing a cultural village in his rural village where tourists will enjoy seeing his sculptures and, at the same time, become familiar with and interact with the African culture. He also intends to offer art training to the youth so that he may also pass on his skills to future generations.