Quazi Design was started in 2009 in order to create much needed employment in Swaziland, Southern Africa. We started with the concept of a simple rolled paper bead earring displayed on a card, employing one artisan, believing in the potential to have a positive impact. It is a partnership between Doron, who is the creative and managing director, the force behind the business, and the local magazine distributors.

Our workshop is situated in Sidwashini, in the industrial area of Mbabane, the capital city of Swaziland. Our woman artisans are employed full time with permanent contracts, giving them job security and a living wage. Most of our artisans were previously unemployed, and on average each has 7 dependents.

Quazi Design for sustainable change and social impact, creating responsible and thoughtful products by transforming discarded waste magazines into original accessories and interiors. Based in Swaziland, all their products are hand made by local women, empowering them through skill sharing and a living wage. Quazi believes that craftsmanship and ethical production could prove to be a vital economic sector for Africa. They want to change the perception of recycled materials by developing innovative techniques combined with locally sourced environmentally friendly or recycled materials.

A founding member of SWIFT, Swaziland fair trade, Quazi Design is an active advocate for fair trade principles.

Sibongile is Quazi Design's primary artisan, having started with the compant in 2009. Selfless, astute and giving, she believes in education and entrepreneurship; volunteering in her community to teach people life skills, English, Siswati and encouraging them to start their own businesses. Passing on her knowledge to her three children she is paying for her son to go to university in South Africa and her two daughters both have high hopes and dreams for their future.

Since a young age Sibongile has loved working with her hands, knitting and crocheting, and therefore becoming production manager and head trainer at Quazi at the age of 44 was an easy transition. Having assisted Quazi grow she has a clear understanding that in order for a business to be successful products should be of high quality and in her own words “products should be made with love” proving in her own work that this is true. Most importantly Sibongile is profoundly aware that in order to achieve success personal happiness is essential. Her dream is to open a child day care centre.

Sibongile

Things have changed a bit for Jabu Mdlovu. When she holds a magazine, rather than looking for stories which will convert her into a superior woman, she looks at the beautiful and colourful pages which are likely to be transformed into breath-taking designs.

She was fast to admit that after reading her magazines she would throw them away not knowing that they can be so useful. “I was never into handcraft. When I grew up I always wanted to be a nurse because my mother was a nurse”.

Jabu is now zealous about handcraft. She says handcraft is the future of Swaziland. It empowers so many local women and it will be given full acknowledgment in the near future. With the low employment rate in the kingdom she wishes that young women would venture into handcraft and forget about making themselves up every morning and looking for office work. She says, seeing someone wearing a Quazi product on a magazine makes her proud and that she takes that page and shows it to the ladies at the workshop. With the artisans she also shares the emails she receives from satisfied customers appreciating their good work.