A New Horizon resident aims to empower women by offering them craft workshops and business management training.
Amanda Lopes, a qualified Grade R teacher who grew up in Cafda, wants to see women become entrepreneurs.
She will be running courses every week, teaching skills such as beading, fabric painting, and candle and soap making. It costs R50 a session.
Her passion for the arts goes back to when she was a crèche teacher for four years. She taught at many schools in areas such as Kalk Bay, Ottery and Pelican Park.
She said her family members are very creative and her mother, Wilhelmina, is a community worker who runs a soup kitchen in Cafda.
To boost their income, the family used their skills and started a crockery hiring service in 2000. Not long after that they started making candles for different events to buy more crockery. Then her sister Liesel, a qualified chef, started food catering for tourists and the community.
Ms Lopes said in 2003 she helped a friend with flower arrangements at the Cape Flats Development Association (CAFDA).
“I also had a craft shop for eight years at Cafda stables.
“We were eight trainers at the time. We also used recycled materials and paper to make art.”
Ms Lopes said she grew up in a family that never sits still.
“I moved to New Horizon, three years ago after my service was terminated at Cafda. Then I started working from my home. But after working six months at Pelican Park Primary, I was offered the school hall as a venue to give crafts workshops as well as small business development skills training.”
* The next craft session will take place on Monday April 9 at Pelican Park community hall, in Beak Road. Ms Lopes said anyone can join the sessions.
For information contact her on 073 202 4956 or lopesamanda941@gmail.com
