Imvelo Eswatini

Imvelo Eswatini was established in 2007 by Manzini Youth Care (MYC), a Salesian, Catholic NGO working with marginalised youth and their families in Swaziland. The Salesian order was established by Saint John Bosco, and it was his mother, Mama Margarita, who was the inspiration behind Imvelo Eswatini. Early widowed, Mama Margarita struggled daily to bring up her own children before going on to support her son in caring for hundreds of orphaned boys. The director of MYC, Fr Larry Mc Donnell drew a parallel between this remarkable woman and the women in Swaziland. Imvelo Eswatini was developed in consultation with these women and is dedicated to providing flexible work opportunities, paying a fair and sustainable source of income, enabling each woman to provide for her family. Today, Imvelo Eswatini is a thriving small enterprise working with over 25 women from informal urban settlements who carefully and lovingly craft each accessory by hand. Our women are constantly trained to combine their traditional skills with new techniques, fostering creativity and promoting skill sharing amongst them. Each piece is handcrafted from beginning to end by a woman: through her hands she allows her creations to tell her story, making each accessory uniquely soulful. Imvelo Eswatini believes in fair trade and the empowerment of their employees and has recently become a member of SWIFT (Swaziland International Fair Trade Association) to show their commitment to the fair trade practices whilst also hoping to raise awareness amongst their customers. Imvelo Eswatini strives to create products that are beautifully unique therefore no two products are ever the same. Each piece is handcrafted from beginning to end by a woman, and through her hands she allows her creations to tell her story, making each accessory uniquely soulful. The varying colours and shapes embodies and celebrates the very beauty of the handmade process, allowing each product to be as individual as their customer.