A former prisoner who shared his story about trying to rebuild his life has been gifted a sewing machine.
Malusi Mbadamane, also known as Ace, used to make prison overalls during his 20-year sentence. He was released from prison in 2019.
Annette Fatti, who teaches disadvantaged women how to sew to help them open their own businesses, allowed Mr Mbadamane to attend her classes at the JP Duminy Hall in Claremont.
The training for the women at risk and the Christmas hats project, she said, had been funded and made possible by the Kirstenbosch Rotary Club.
Mr Mbadamane’s goal was to make his own clothes with his very own sewing machine, and eventually open up his own factory. He can now finally start this journey after reader Maureen Vetch of Plumstead gave him a sewing machine this week.
Mr Mbadamane said: “I am very happy and this is going to change my life completely. I can see a bright future ahead of me.”
He thanked Ms Vetch for the sewing machine and promised to make a valuable item for her in return. He assured her he would take good care of the machine.
“I will start making caps with the machine, and I am still collecting threads and material to make more clothing items,” he said.
Ms Fatti said: “We still need donations for the group of women on our entrepreneurship programme, who are working hard to create an income for themselves, using the skills they learned in my beginner training course.”
If any of the public would like to donate their second-hand sewing machines to the women that Ms Fatti is currently teaching sewing skills to, contact her on annette.fatti@gmail.com
