Yami, which stands for the Young Adult Mentoring Initiative, was started by a group of women who wanted to do something meaningful.
One of these women, Thea Mitchell, spoke to Lowvelder about the organisation and the number of projects it has in the works.
“We wanted to do something that would touch people’s lives. We have the Tinyoni Sewing Academy, where we teach women to sew and to then go and sell what they’ve made. So it’s also about teaching entrepreneurial skills.”
The fabric and thread used in the project are mainly from donations. Yami held its first fundraiser two years ago, the profits of which were used to buy more sewing machines.
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Another project is Imbali Sanitary Towels, which provides reusable sanitary towels to girls in underprivileged communities. Yami designs and makes these reusable feminine products itself, and distributes them to female learners in schools.
This project is also used to educate girls about sexual health.
The organisation works with little funds and donations. “We’ve been going for three to four years with very little funds. So we are going slow and doing what we can with what we have,” said Mitchell.
The next project in the works is an afterschool care centre for children who are either orphans or come from unstable homes. “We want to help them with their homework, give them a meal and just make them feel safe for a little while,” explained Mitchell.
If you want to get involved with the organisation, visit the Imbali Facebook page or www.yami.co.za.
