We believe there’s a value that far surpasses a monetary one when folks use their hands to craft a garment, or a bicycle, or a book.  A very real sense of pride and connection to the product occurs when we put our hand to the hammer or loom and create through the sweat of our brow.  Throughout our communities, the spirit of craft is inherent in our products, as we seek to empower our neighbors by teaching them a trade.  Unemployed members of our communities are mentored and trained by Themba International volunteers to develop marketable skills such as sewing, clothing restoration and alteration, and bicycle maintenance.  In doing so, we invest in an individual’s ability to find gainful employment, as well as develop a localized economy centered on products made for a particular community within a particular community.  The culmination of this process results in our being knit together, as the consumer of a product will have the opportunity to shake the hand of the person who made it.  To share in the work of our hands, visit our store here, or visit our blog here.