Stories From Home

Happy Holidays! As we end off 2018 we want to take the opportunity to thank you for your valuable support - and for being part of our amazing journey this year.  We wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! Till next year, Nomaswazi Tinus Founder & Director African Mamas Crafts

Clarity comes from engagement It is often said that clarity comes from engagement and we can attest to how true this has been for us in the last 6 months.  Earlier in the year, we were selected as part of the Trigaventures Accelerator programme - this has benefited us immensely in terms of clarifying and refining our vision and strategy going forward.  As part of the journey, we also had the oppo...

Seeds of Hope Last month we had the pleasure of hosting our annual gathering with our Kwazulu-Natal crafters.  It is always a time of huge excitement and anticipation for me when we get to fellowship face-to-face.  Off course there is always lots of discussion around family, food and work.  This year, I was even more excited in that we finally launched our Food Garden Sustainability Project and e...

Making the Most of It Recently I was speaking to a friend who is doing something they really love and have wanted to do for a long time - and she was sharing how much she is enjoying the current work she is doing. Often we don't think of work as something to be enjoyed - but rather tolerated and endured - and it challenged my mindset.  It also made me realise how fortunate I am to be doing someth...

Counting Our Blessings There is a childhood song we used to sing growing up which speaks of "counting your blessings, naming them one by one - and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."  2017 has been a phenomenal year for us at African Mamas Crafts, not because of any ONE great thing - but when we review the year month by month, we see steadfast growth. April this year was our 2nd year...

As we are in the last mile of the year, I am reminded daily that I need all my energy to focus on the goals at hand and stay in the game. Every trade event, every customer interaction and feedback, every Facebook like, every training and learning experience, every word of encouragement  - and criticism has fueled our fire and kept us going.   Christmas Gifts, Events and Markets With ...

A legacy of hope In speaking about an inheritance vs a legacy - Mark Batterson in his book Chase the Lion, says that an inheritance is what you leave for someone - and a legacy is what you leave in someone.  He goes further to say that legacy isn't measured by what you accomplish during your lifespan, but by the lives affected by your life long after you are gone. In our Feb 2016 newsletter we...

Happy Women's Month One of the things I have come to truly enjoy with our business is the satisfaction of seeing a customer who is satisfied and content with their purchase. Whether this is something they buy for themselves or a gift for a friend; their look of contentment and satisfaction is priceless.  For some it is immediate, they see something and they KNOW they or their friend will love and...

Happy Fathers Day Having both our national soccer team Bafana Bafana and the rugby team the Springboks thrash their opponents so well last weekend - was cause for great celebration at home for my hubby and our two boys.  To keep the peace, I stayed far away from the TV remote and their man cave!  Their instructions were clear and simple, keep the snacks coming.... This Fathers' Day may we re...