Skills, skills, skills!

Hallo allemaal, hi everyone,

I am raising funds for my friends Jabulani Motloung and Connie Cebekhulu, a young black couple who grew up in the Township of small town in Warden, (rural) South Africa.

They moved to Johannesburg in late 1999s to get out of the poverty cycle with no higher education /college background. Jabulani is the eldest son of 9, who always acted as the breadwinner of the family, looking after them until today. Connie is a smart and hardworking mother, who connects people, resources and ideas, turning it into reality.

Jabulani moved to Johannesburg at the age of 19 where he did a variety of jobs to make a living (such as construction, gardening, removal company, etc.) and support his siblings back home. In year 2001 he met Dutch master carpenter Harold, who was residing in South Africa, and who offered him employment and training in his carpentry workshop. Jabulani learned a broad variety of woodworking and building skills, and it turned out that he was very good at it. His talent matured out of the training and he was skilled for life. In partnership with Harold (Jacobs) and Daphne (den Hollander), the foundation for Jabu Frames (trading name) was laid for good.

When the Dutch carpenter left the industry to pursue other business ventures, Jabulani started his own small business: www.jabuframes.co.za

Jabu Frames is innovative with its use of raw materials such as rubble from demolished houses, old genuine pressed ceilings and skirting wood. These recycled materials are used to create home decor pieces and furniture. Products like photo frames, coasters, placemats, side tables, wine racks and other pieces all are 100% hand-made, inspired by everyday South African life. Jabu Frames made its mark as a pioneering company, because it specializes in creating beautiful, antique-style home decor and furniture for people who appreciate vintage classics in their life and homes. With their dedication and focus on craftsmanship and skills development, this innovative company has changed the lives of many South Africans, Malawians and Zimbabwians with skills training, education and employment, for the betterment of individuals, families and communities across the globe.

Since the establishment in 2006, the business grew to be successful in the home/interior design industry: by the year 2010, they employed over 10 staff both South Africans as well as Zimbabweans and Malawians (in those days many Zimbabweans fled to South Africa for a better life). He transferred his skills to his employees, as they had no knowledge of, nor background in working with wood.

Up until 2020 they were very successful in delivering beautiful unique pieces to large home/decor chain suppliers in South Africa, as well as selling their products on the high-end markets and shows such as SARCDA AFRICA. Connie took care of marketing and sales.

The doors to exporting their products opened, and they started to export to other African countries as well as to France, the Netherlands and Ireland. As a result of their hard work and dedication, their daughter is able to attend an excellent private school in Johannesburg.

In March 2020, due to Corona, the company lost a lot of business and they had let go of their staff. Jabulani and Connie took on the production of products completely by themselves, in the meantime looking for all sorts of other business opportunities. As of today, times are still very tough and challenging in South Africa, due to power cuts up to 6 hours a day, a struggling economy and (political) uncertainties in the country.

As talented and hardworking as they are, money is not coming in, so they have sourced another opportunity outside South Africa: to build 70 log homes in Rwanda and Angola. With this construction project, they will provide on-the-job training to staff and apprentices in Rwanda and Angola, bringing employment, vocational training, housing and development to these countries.

I am so thrilled to see firsthand, that skills development is key to changing lives, and changing communities. Therefore, I am kindly asking you to help me raise funds for them to realize this new adventure. Jabulani and Connie need some support to start this journey to Rwanda with paperwork, flights, research upon arrival, and to set up the workshop for the project. With your support, they will be able to make this skills development project a reality, and change many lives for the better.

Many thanks for your help!

Please share where you can, much appreciated.

Daphne