28/08/2025
Stitching Hope: How Private Sector Collaboration Uplifted a Community in the Lowveld
August 2025 â Graskop, Mpumalanga
In a country where unemployment and poverty remain pressing challenges, the private sector has a vital role to playânot just in driving economic growth, but in uplifting the communities in which it operates. A recent collaboration in the Lowveld stands as a shining example of whatâs possible when business leaders, local communities, and visionary partners come together with purpose.
A Seed of Opportunity
It began with a simple request: 100 curtains were needed for the tented suites at the highly rated Umkumbe Bush Lodge in the Sabie Sands. Margriet Wilkens, representing the lodge, reached out with the project brief. But instead of outsourcing the job to a commercial supplier, the opportunity was redirected toward community empowerment.
Enter Joey Lascelles, founder of Jola Collection, who saw the potential to turn this request into something far more meaningful. Joey coordinated the initiative, connecting the lodgeâs needs with the MATHENGWANE sewing group, a small but determined team based just outside Graskop.
Empowering Through Enterprise
The MATHENGWANE groupâmade up of Rupert, Nonthandazo, and Leahâhad recently been equipped with industrial sewing machines thanks to MTO Forestry, a leading company in the sector. Under the guidance of Nwabisa, MTOâs social development representative, the machines were originally intended for producing PPE for forestry workers. But the vision extended beyond safety gearâit was about building sustainable livelihoods.
This curtain project became the groupâs first commercial commission. With precision, pride, and professionalism, the team delivered all 100 curtains to exact specifications. Today, those curtains hang proudly in Umkumbeâs luxury tents, bearing silent witness to countless safari memories and the power of community-driven success.
Trust, Collaboration, and Impact
The owners of Umkumbe Bush Lodge, Tinus and Melinda Wilkens, deserve special recognition for their trust in the project. By choosing to support a local initiative, they didnât just receive a productâthey invested in people. Their decision helped validate the skills of the MATHENGWANE group and opened doors for future work.
This partnership is more than a transaction. Itâs a model for how the private sector canâand shouldâengage with communities. When businesses choose to uplift the people around them, they help build resilience, dignity, and economic inclusion.
A Broader South African Context
South Africa faces staggering unemployment rates, particularly among youth and rural populations. Poverty is not just a statisticâitâs a daily reality for millions. Yet within these challenges lie opportunities for transformation. Community-based projects, when supported by the private sector, can become engines of hope and progress.
From sewing curtains to crafting futures, the MATHENGWANE story reminds us that development doesnât always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it starts with a needle, a thread, and a shared belief in whatâs possible.
Looking Ahead
As more businesses recognize their role in social upliftment, partnerships like this one can become the norm rather than the exception. Whether itâs through skills development, procurement, mentorship, or infrastructure support, the private sector holds immense power to shape a more inclusive and prosperous South Africa.
And for every curtain sewn, thereâs a story stitched into the fabric of community pride.
