A number of Grahamstown training projects in arts and crafts are short on funding. At Dakawa Art & Craft funding is needed for sewing machines and under the Rhodes Drostdy Arch Xhosa ladies are struggling for an income.

Dakawa still seems alive with its colorful and attractive murals, but behind this façade the doors are closed for business. Artists Jongi Mene and Thabo Mahlangu are painting under the shade of a syringa tree and explain they are presently facilitating a training for a group of 20 young ex-offenders on how to sculpt and work with clay.

“Social Development is renting the pottery studio here at Dakawa for these young offenders to learn a skill. We will be working with them daily from 10 till 1 until Festival starts. Our aim is to sell their creations at this years Festival” said Mene. He also indicated that Dakawa is struggling to function due to a lack of funding, which is badly needed for maintenance and repair of sewing machines and silkscreen/printing equipment.The equipment is just sitting there when it could be put to a good use.

Fellow silkscreen/leather crafter artist Thembi Fene trained at LIRI (Leather Industries Research Institute) at Rhodes University around 1994. Thembi is eager to see art and creativity thrive in his hometown. “I believe there are quite a few skilled leather crafters among other skilled crafters in Grahamstown. But whether they are using these skills is another story,” said Fene. He added that "it is time for more people to take initiative and use their skills to create employment" and "politics should not be part of Art - as art is a form of freedom".

Everyone has seen the local Xhosa ladies in front of the Drostdy Arch, some are part of the Masithandane Women's Group crafters. Nothemba struggles to make an income. “It’s Monday – no money, tomorrow may be better", said Nothemba. “Some days I make maybe R30 of which R6 is for taxi fare and R10 for electricity, I always need electricity. Then another R6 for taxi fare to get back here the next day and I must put something in my pocket for more materials so I can keep making stock!"

Nothemba has been coming to the Drostdy Arch to sell her crafts since 1998. Before that she and the other
Masithandane crafters and bead workers made and sold their wares at Josa Clinic in Extension 7. She said
“We had a container there but decided to move down to the Drostdy Arch to be closer to town and more
buyers".

The Masithandane Women's Group does not receive any funding at the moment. "Once, a long time ago, around 1999 or 2000. If I remember correctly it was from Lotto via the Museum", she explains. With Festival on its way the ladies have to prepare. "We hope for the best. I don't know if the World Cup will affect us much but we can only hope it brings more tourists".

Nothemba remembers the days when Dakawa was a thriving project. "Many years ago we went there and had Masithandane T-shirts printed for our group of about 21 ladies, they were great. Dakawa was a very successful project. There was also a group of ladies doing beadwork up there, seems like they just stopped
going there – I’m not sure why", explains Nothemba. Being a crafter in Grahamstown is tougher than people realise.