African Project 2010

Nakekela – Care

MA exam project - A cooperation with Ngwenya Glass Factory in Swaziland, I designed new products for the local Swazi / South African market, because it gives meaning in a wider perspective. The project was not only about the design in itself, but creating work for the local people. Ngwenya Glass has already worked within the issues of Fair Trade and sustainability for several years. As for the environmental issues, Ngwenya Glass stands for 100% recycled glass melted from bottles, which has been collected by local people, who get paid for the work - at the same time this helps to keep the local area clean. Ngwenya Glass even support the local wild animals, and education about Hiv/Aids.

Decorating the products, I decided using a combination of the colours from the Swazi flag, which gives the pieces more character than only using gold, which leaves the pieces quite plain. The colours from the flag I make in lines around as continuing stripes.

The colours in Swaziland´s flag each have a meaning. Red stands for the battles of the past. Blue stands for peace and stability. Yellow stands for resources. The flag also has a picture of a shield and spear. These two symbols stand for protection of the country from enemies. The shield is black and white to show that black and white people live together peacefully in Swaziland. (Newspaper - What is happening in Swaziland) 

With my project as a model I hope more people would be encouraged to make similar projects. Globally the world would be much better if everyone respected the Human Rights. We in the western world can learn a lot from the already existing traditions in Africa and I think there is a lot of portential to develop new innovative projects in cooperation with African countries.

With the experiece of working at Ngwenay glass I got an understanding of what the work as a designer requires, working with many different people around me at the same time. I discovered a new way of seeing possibilities for using local resources.

Ngwenya glass proofs that it is possible to work with in Fair Trade and sustainability with small resources. I wish everyone could experience this whole concept of Ngwenya Glass and the Swazi culture, which is outstanding. The Swazi´s think of the next generation to come, even that Swaziland has the lowest verage age in the world the Swazi´s truly care.

So fare this project has been the most meaningful, which I have done, because of the issues involved. Fair Trade, Sustainability and Human Rights – which we all can make use of in our daily thinking...

Cooperation with Ngwenya Glass Factory involves not only the implicit glass design, but many other facts, because of cultural social responsibility in Swaziland. People care much more about each other and they appreciate the little things in life, since they do not have a secure system as we have in the western countries.

More information about the glass factory can be found at Ngwenya Glass Factory.