INTRODUCING OUR ARTISANS
Empowering Creativity
At Yem-B, we take pride in our products that are crafted by skilled artisans who have undergone rigorous training at Knoop Academy or have been selected for their natural talent. Our suppliers share our values and understand the importance of delivering quality products on time, every time.
Our crafters work together as part of our Enterprise development program, meeting every Friday to ensure that products are of the highest quality. We support their small enterprises by ordering from them and paying on delivery, without keeping stock on consignment.
Proceed Ngcobo | Sewing Trainer | Furniture making.
Nonhlanhla Mciha | Embroidery | Crochet
Justice Khumalo | Leather work
Tholakele Mseleku | Crochet trainer
Proceed started sewing at a young age, taught by her mother, a proficient dress maker. Proceed has always been a curious learner, and has done a few different skills courses to empower herself, to improve the lives of her children. Wanting to have a more formal sewing qualification, Proceed signed up for a sewing program with Knoop Academy in 2021 and became our sewing trainer shortly after. We don’t only use Proceeds’ services as a seamstress and trainer, as a qualified furniture maker, she is also the brainchild behind our ottoman frames, which she makes from scratch. Proceed is married, stays in Chesterville and is mother to four young children. Her passion is to empower other women to break the cycle of poverty. As a qualified trainer, she can work in this field and help others discover their own income generating talents.
Justice stays in Kwangcolosi, in the Valley of a 1000 Hills. Justice is a very dedicated and proud farther of 3 girls. Justice is a qualified Floor installer but has recently been exposed to leather work through the Yem-B program. Justice is a complete natural and we are amazed at his progress in a very short time. Since being exposed to the craft of leather, he has become more and more curios. He would love to one day make his own pair of shoes and is currently working on designs of his own. Justice loves drawing, and we have often noticed a very creative side to him, we wish to develop more. He has a natural eye for proportions and design.
All the way from Kwamakhutha, Tholakele joined the Knoop team in 2019 as a crochet trainer. She was taught crochet at the early age of 14 by her grandmother. She has to date trained almost 50 Knoop learners on how to start their own business making beautiful crochet products. Tholakele is also qualified as a HIV counsellor and community health worker. Thola, as she is affectionately known has a natural tendency for learners to open up to her with regards to personal struggles or problems at home. This puts us in the position to offer support through our network of organisations that specialises in various trauma support services. Tholakele is a successful businesswoman in her right and employees two crafters that help her serve her clients. Her biggest passion in life is to see her graduates start their own successful businesses!