The serious lack of employment in the country caused a group of women from the Mashamba-Thondoni village in the Waterfall area to group together and start a pottery project, called the Rainbow Mosaic and Pottery Project.

This ambitious project has grown in the past years to such an extent that the women had the confidence during the past week to display their art at an exhibition in Durban. The women held a celebratory event last Friday before heading to Durban for the exhibition.

According to the project manager, Tshililo Malange, the project was started by the women in the village in 1999. “We designed various products, using clay as a medium,” she said. Currently, 16 women are involved with the project and their art work includes clay products, such as traditional pots and flower pots.

One of the founder members, who nowadays acts as a trainer, Mrs Mudalahothe Mugwena, said that she started pottery in 1996. “I then realised that, as a woman, I must share some of my expertise in pottery with the other women in the village. This is how the project was started,” she said.

According to Mugwena, she used to exchange some of her pottery products for nuts. “Those were the days. I remember exchanging pottery for mealies so that I could also eat. Money was not important back then. That was a long time ago,” said Mugwena, adding that she had dedicated her life to pottery.

Tshililo Malange mentioned that the main purpose for travelling to the Durban exhibition was to celebrate their achievements with the pottery project. “We are going to showcase some of our products at the exhibition and also celebrate the achievements of women in South Africa,” said Malange.

The mayor of Makhado Municipality, Cllr Mavhungu Luruli, wished the women all the best for their exhibition in Durban. She said the municipality felt proud to see women engaging, participating and contributing to the economy, not only in South Africa, but Limpopo in particular.

“The office of the mayor feels proud to see that we have women who understand the policy to contribute to the economy of the country,” she said.

Some time ago, Venda women used to depend on pottery to make a living, raising families and also send children to schools. However, there are still challenges the women are faced with in the project, including the acquisition of a premises of their own, blankets to protect their products, etc. Anyone who wants to assist the project can contact the project manager, Ms Tshililo Mugwena, at 082 2091 853 or Mrs Mudalahothe Mugwena at 076 725 2681.