Umcebo

Spotlight on... Umcebo

Umcebo website

What does your organisation do?
Umcebo is an arts & craft Trust, creating unique art works and functional craft items using a combination of recycled waste and other materials. 

How many are employed at your organisation? 8 Full time crafters, 35 part time crafters, the Director and the Administrator. What current projects are you involved in? Commission work for the new Moses Mabhida Stadium, chandeliers for Phinda, a world record attempt, to build a 6m tree from recycled materials, and various other commissions.

What challenges do you face that sometimes prohibits you from doing your work efficiently and effectively?

• Lack of funds.
• Insufficient infrastructure (i.e a warehouse to accommodate large order and bakkie to -collect donations.
• The support of a Social Worker to assist crafters with the vast number of problems they face in their daily lives.

What would you consider to be your organisations greatest achievement?
2008

• Participation in 2008 Design Indaba
• Sale of work to Bead Merchants of Africa and Bead Boys (Cape Town)
• New collection of décor and lighting range for Tucker Robbins New York
• Participated in Gold Medal winning ‘Local Rocks Hall’ at House and Garden show
• Umcebo made an Old Mutual Project for three years, and also included in the Old Mutual Legends Programmes to assist with the growth towards self sustainability

2009

• Participation in 2009 Design Indaba
• Order of Scrap Plastic Baskets for Anthropology stores in America
• Beadwork marine life order for uSahaka Marine World
• Conducted craft stakeholder workshop for ABSA

More here.


Technology is considered to be an enabler. How do you think it can be used to make you work easier?
We require more computer hardware. I want to get our crafters more computer literate, so that we can build their capacity and also computerise and streamline all our personnel, retail and ordering systems. We are also hoping that soon there will some sort of NGO offer for affordable internet to registered NPO’s, so that we can have easy access for ourselves and the crafters to this invaluable resource ( in terms of explanding our sales base, expanding our understanding of product design and development.


What are your plans for the future?
To pursue our Vision Statement. We want to be able to provide employment and creative opportunities to a cross section of South African society. We want to be the ‘treasure’ chest that people can dig into, to create the opportunities they so desperately seek.