Leader Dube is 19 and lived in rural Gwanda near Manama Mission about 180 km from Bulawayo until he came to start his carpentry training at Ekuthuleni.

Leader was kind enough to demonstrate to us the current African footwear fashion.
Most days a lot of people walk barefooted. This is suitable for all weather conditions. Work in the fields is also often done without shoes, as it is easier to clean the feet than the shoes.

In the workshop we encourage the students to wear shoes but often these consist of the so called pata pata (flip flop) sandals.

Closed smart shoes are worn for special occasions, like going to church on Sundays, attending a wedding or visiting town.

Talking to Leader about his plans for the future he says: “I want to start my own business, but I have to work hard first and raise capital for my tools and equipment. The workshop that I want to start will be at home in Gwanda, where people have a need for furniture like beds, wardrobes, tables, chairs and even coffins. I want to work with other young people and train them”

In his spare time Leader enjoys playing soccer – barefooted

About what he had learned at Ekuthuleni he mentions “teamwork” As his name suggests, and as we have already noticed during his time at Ekuthuleni, Leader is indeed a good teamworker with leadership qualities.

We are confident that he will be able to use his skills and follow his vision of starting his own workshop / business. With or without shoes he will make his way in life.

Berlin Philani Ncube is the oldest of 5 children born and raised in Worringham on a small plot near Bulawayo.

His mother works in a vegetable shop, and his father is a painter. The family grows maize and raises chickens.

Berlin originally had the idea of becoming an electrician, but heard about the carpentry course at Ekuthuleni from a neighbour. So he visited us and then decided to apply. He so far enjoys his work with wood a lot and is thinking about all the products he can make later on, for his own house and also for sale.

When asked about what new things he has learned while at Ekuthuleni that might help him in future he mentions: “getting up early” to work in the garden and do other chores. He says in Zimbabwe one has to use time wisely and make the most of it in order to survive the hard economic situation.

Berlin is a good student, here he is seen working on a technical drawing

Putting that knowledge into practise Berlin has invested his recent holidays and pocket money that he raised by doing odd jobs for neighbours and therefore managed to get his drivers license.

Berlin has untangled a clearer business vision for carpentry, developed at Ekuthuleni so far.