When the doors of employment refused to open for Azwihangwisi Ramuthelo, she did not give up. Instead, the woman from Tshilamba taught herself dressmaking skills, and today her business ensures that no one in her family goes hungry.
Ramuthelo's creativity not only generates an income but has also earned her the respect of many who buy her garments. She specialises in traditional clothing but also enjoys incorporating a more modern approach.
"I had no other alternative but to use my hands to generate an income. Many people think the best thing is to go out and look for jobs, but we can also create jobs for ourselves. Community members have hidden talents, but they do not know how to utilise them," she said.
Ramuthelo manufactures Venda traditional attire, trousers, shirts, women's clothes, school and church uniforms, wedding regalia, and anything one can think of. Due to the high demand for her goods and a shortage of working space, Ramuthelo decided to move her business from her home to the Tshilamba VDC building.
"Working from home was quite a nice experience, but I couldn't handle the pressure of isolation. I wanted to serve a wider range of customers from different places and areas," she said.
Her secret to success, which she gladly shared with Limpopo Mirror, is very simple: "Hard work, effective time management, and proper customer care will take you places."