Umtha Jewellery

A Jewel in the Dust
INTRODUCTION

There is a silver lining in every cloud, and for a group of previously impoverished women, a jewellery workshop in Cape Town was the ray of light that changed the lives. Stepping inside this inconspicuous building in Observatory, one is taken aback by the rainbow of colours and creativity that is bursting out of Umtha, a local jewellery wholesaler, specializing in designing and producing innovative jewellery.

Umtha means 'ray of light' in Xhosa.

The idea was sprung in 1996, when Dave Milligan started a small business making beaded necklaces and trinklets in his home. Dave and co-owner Cheryl, initially sold their jewellery at craft markets and small shops in Cape Town, but soon their work spilt into jewellery shops all over the world. The vision of Umtha however, was not only to produce jewellery, but to start a business that would help disadvantaged women to step out of poverty.

COMMITMENT TO FAIR TRADING PRINCIPLES

Cynthia Mangaba, the human resource manager at Umtha, spoke about the qualities that set them apart from other competitors in the industry. Umtha is committed to competitive wages, and good working conditions and employment opportunities for low-skilled South Africans and foreigners with refugee status. "Our wages are one of the highest in the industry," she says.

One of the primary benefits at Umtha is their health care system. The company works closely with Jubilee Clinic in Observatory and they support all their employees who have chronic health conditions. There is a retired nurse who works at the company and she assists Umtha's employees by making their appointments at the clinic and by organizing their medication. They also arrange free eye tests and glasses for their workers. Umtha also provides 100% interest free education and study loans for all of their employees. Until last year, the company provided a 100% interest free housing loan, but this benefit had to be suspended due to the current financial climate. Furthermore, the offer a loand towards driving lessons for their employees as well as courses in personal financial management, how to budget and how to save money.

This work ethic has solidified their relationship with the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO), an international organization that works with traders and producer ensuring they provide better working and living conditions for their employees.

Umtha is a member of COFTA (Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa), a body of Fair Trade producer organisations based in Africa that are working towards eliminating poverty in the continent. COFTA is the Africa regional chapter of WFTO and it is involved in working with Africa producers by assisting them to make quality products and providing them with access to international markets.

Cynthia says that the majority of the staff at Umtha was unemployed at the time they started at the workshop. They recruited many of the women from a beading project at Jubilee Church in Observatory. Almost all of the women come from impoverished backgrounds, some are single mothers, some have come from abusive relationships and some have sought refuge in South Africa.

PRODUCER STORIES

Jostine Dubase was the first person that Umtha employed 15 years ago. At that time, Jostina was a single mother, without a job. She had to rely on her family to support herself and her three children, the youngest of whom was only a year old. Jostina had no skills in jewellery making, but when Dave and Cheryl heard about her situation they offered her a job at the workshop.

Many years later, Jostina is part of the fabric of Umtha. She is now the supervisor at the factory, and it is her job to make sure that all of the merchandise orders are accurate and that the jewellery has beeen checked for any flaws before is is sent to the buyers. Jonstina says she received all her training as a supervisor at Umtha. She says they also help her with her chronic medication.

Jostine, who lives in Khayelitsha, has watched her childern grow up during her time at Umtha. Her youngest daughter is now at high school, her middle daughter is 22 and her eldest son, now 26 is working with her at the workshop in packaging and posting.

Jostina Dubase, a supervisor at Umtha, scrutinizes the craftwork, making sure it is ready for distribution to stores all over the world.  

Another story is one of Paula Joao, an Angolan woman, who in an act of desperation, moved to South Africa to save her family.

Paula (37) and her husband escaped from Angola 11 years ago. "At that time there was no safety in my country, because there was a war in Angola. All of the men between the ages of 15 - 50 yeras of age had to go to war. The soldiers would collect the men anywhere, they could stop you when you were walking on the street, or they would come into your house and take you while you were sleeping," she says. Paula's husband did not want to go to war, and that is why they had to leave Angola.

Both she and her husband found work shortly after they arrived in South Africa, but Paula lost her job a year later. "I got very sick after the birth of my baby in 2000. I could not work and because of that I lost my job," she says.

She was umemployed for two years before she found another job at a factory, making ceramic jewellery. She worked there for two years before the project closed down. She says she was very worried because she was not sure where she would find work again, but them Umtha offered to employ all of the staff at that project. "I was so happy, because I just wanted to work."

Paula started to work at Umtha as a casual worker in 2005 and she became a permanent worker in 2007. Today, she produces all different kinds of jewellery at the workshop. "If it is very busy then I fill is as a supervisor."

Paula's husband moved back to Angola two years ago, and since then she has been the sole provider for herself and her daughter. "My salary pays the retn, and I can support my family," she says.

Pauls says she is happy at Umtha; her contentment at her work is obvious in her expression. She knows she has found more than just refuge in this country, she found a job of a life-time and a new family to call her own. "We love each other like family. We are a team. When I have a problem they are there to help you." Paula has high blood pressure and she says that they have supported her to make sure that her blood pressure is controlled.

She says the courses in personal financial management have given her goals. "Before I did not have dreams, but now I do. Umtha has taught me how to set and keep my goals, and one day I would like to start my own business making jewellery."

Paula takes a break from threading the beads to pose for the camera. 

For more information about Umtha please see their website on www.umtha.co.za

Submitted by Barbara Meyer, commissioned by Fairtrade Label South Africa