We are also looking at evaluating more formally the global
social impact which the project has. In 2013, we plan to use
an online tool to do so (www.socialevaluator.eu).
Singalakha
not only do they save time and money but they are available
for their kids and relatives as on average each woman
support between 5 to 6 family members!
We can say that our business model is one that preserves the
social structure and by injecting money directly into the
communities, we participate into the economic development
of these townships. Since the start, we are close to R6Mi that
have been paid out to the co-operatives. I am not talking
about subsidies but about the revenue generated by the work
performed by the seven co-ops which are now operating.
From a consumer standpoint, it is clear: more and more
people become conscious that a product has a story and
when you buy this product you want to participate in a story
which promotes social change, economic empowerment,
development and one story that has a strong social impact.
This is what we offer: products with a high labour content,
environmentally-friendly, produced with fair trade principles,
proudly made in South Africa.
Last but not least, our critical indicator is the number of jobs
which we are able to support. We have just signed a
contract with the Cape Craft Design Institute (CCDI) which,
in collaboration with the Development Bank of South
Africa, is investing in SMMEs in order to accelerate the
number of jobs being created in this industry. We are
committed to create an additional 45 jobs in the next three
years and seriously hope that we can use the 2014 World
Design Capital status of Cape Town as a strong marketing
platform.
Is this project now fully developed or do you have plans
to expand it into other areas or to upscale it if it proves a
success?
I don't think it is ever ?nished... the brand is ambitious. It
may sound a bit arrogant to say that but I believe we are
building one step at a time the model of the XXI century
enterprise, putting back the person and the social issues at
the core of its mission. We hope we can continue to
demonstrate that a decentralised, high quality –focused
organisation coupled with a strong brand and lots of
creativity can help the textile industry to re-de?ne itself in
South Africa but also in Africa and beyond. We have been
approached by a woman who would like to start a similar
operation in Brazil. Same social issues, same economic
context. Interesting!
How will you measure the success of this project?
Again, let's start with the cooperatives. We are
implementing a strong Monitoring and Evaluation process
which we have just formalised.
On an on-going basis, we monitor the score card of each of
the seven co-operatives against 5 criteria:
•
Productivity & Internal Organisation
•
Leadership/ group dynamics
•
Financial sustainability including their ability to engage
with other customers
•
The sewing co-operatives are autonomous and
independent; therefore the ladies experience the feeling of
being free and responsible for their decisions. This is the
best the NPO can do. At the same time our professional
NPO team has a daily contact with the townships and Cape
Product quality – our strength and critical
•
What measures have you put in place to ensure the
sustainability of this project?
The role models they have become within their
communities.
Saambou
We have de?ned 4 stages from Incubation, Learning to
Leading and ?nally Sustainable and every quarter we
evaluate where each cooperative is against pre-de?ned
criteria. This is an ambitious and a very serious process.
CORPORATE SOCIAL REVIEW
127