Nine women graduated last Tuesday from an entrepreneurship course held in Claremont.

Eight of the women are unemployed and seven are part of the Zoe Project, a non-profit organisation that helps disadvantaged women.

The course taught the women sewing, embroidery, entrepreneurship and making textile products they can sell. It was held once a week over six weeks at the JP Duminy Hall.

It was made possible by the Kirstenbosch Rotary Club and Ubusi Wow (Women of worth), a training programme run by Annette Fatti.

Ms Fatti has been teaching women how to start their own clothing businesses since the early 1990s.

“Teaching women the skill of sewing was an important way for me to show women how to be an entrepreneur,” she says.

“Sewing and entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand when learning how to adopt a creative and business-like mindset. Sewing also provided a safe and healthy environment for the women.

“The women would also learn hand-eye coordination because sewing involves concentration and memory.”

The women can work towards a certificate in the textile field as the course is modelled on the standards of the South African Qualifications Authority, she says.

Zoe Project founder Tracey Aitken says the women had to write a motivational letter before being chosen for the course.

“Some of the women who have been through tough times are not ready to commit themselves to a project like this. Therefore the women who seemed mentally ready to move onto the next stage of their lives were encouraged to be a part of the sessions.”

Zanele Mbizo, from New Crossroads, hopes to use what she learned from the course to open her own business and train others.

“We learned how to do stitching, hand sewing and embroidery and then made real cosmetic bags and Christmas decorations. We were also able to connect with the other women and learn from each other.

“Designing has always been something that I wanted to do and this is my first step in this direction.”

“Meaningful connections happened between the women at the sessions,” adds Colleen Candan from Steenberg. “We all came together and shared a common goal, and we will be taking these entrepreneurial skills home with us.”

The project is looking for donations of old or used sewing machines. Email annette.fatti@gmail.com if you can help.

The entrepreneurship-course graduates, from left, Zanele Mbiso, Mutesi Samirah, Hayley-Jade Roman, Chantel Albertus, Ganiel Herbert, Priscilla Singano, Sandra Jane Shell, Colleen Kandan and Isabelle Mukamazi with project trainer Annette Fatti and project mentor Merle O'Ryan.