During the past month, all the Clover Mama Afrika’s were invited to attend the Clover Mama Afrika Summit in the Western Cape. This was to allow everyone to be together where issues and successes could be discussed, training could take place for the Mamas and everyone could spend some quality time together.
Clover Mama Afrika is a sustainable Corporate Social Investment project that has been in existence since 2004, seeing the project host 440 training sessions with over 2313 beneficiaries over the years. A major part of the project is the concept of skills transfer and sharing, and these blankets signify more sharing, and the spreading of love and comfort.
The Clover Mamas came together and were eager to experience what laid ahead for the three days of the CMA Summit. The Cover Mamas came from all provinces and 49 different communities.
For the upskilling workshop the Clover Mamas attended, all of them made their own jewellery to go with their Shwe-Shwe dresses. Each Mama received a box with beads and the necessary equipment like cutters, wire and hooks and they had to use their own initiative to create a masterpiece – and they did just that!
It was amazing to see what they could do with the beads they have received. How they put colours, shapes and sizes of beads together, and how well it all fit to make a unique piece of jewellery. Chris Oldewage, well-known teacher of Oprah Winfrey, was the best teacher with many ideas which helped all Clover Mamas to stretch their imaginations.
At the end of the course all Clover Mamas had a fashion parade with their beautiful jewellery and some even managed to make earrings and bangles too!
“My Clover Mamas love a challenge and they did very well. When they wore their newly made jewellery with their dresses the next morning, there was no two pieces that looked the same and they all look like royalty!” says prof Elain Vlok, Clover Manager, Clover Mama Afrika Trust.
During the week spent together all the active Clover Mamas also had the opportunity to join in a discussion session about the last two years, to share general feedback, to discuss the way forward for the new year. All in all this was a much needed few days spent together to reconnect, laugh and get excited about the future!
