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.
Dieser Beitrag ist auch verfügbar in: German