OTJIWARONGO – From humble beginnings in a garage in Otjiwarongo, mother and daughter combination of Johanna Mamsie Kambanda and Sharon Kambanda have come a long way with their delicately designed sewing products, to now have a brand for their garments, Shetu Needle Work.
Last week they displayed their intriguing designs and colourful garments to attendants of the first Okamatapati Agricultural and Industrial Show in Otjiwarongo with great success and heaps of compliments.
New Era caught up with the duo as they were unpacking their home-made goods, which consist of a variety of traditional dresses and other garments.
“We started off on a very small scale to earn some extra income in these tough times,” Johanna relates, as she explains the finer detail of being a good tailor. “We believe in the expression of ‘tailor made for you’, and try to design and make women’s wear for every shape and size. We also decide on each and every colour scheme ourselves, and usually we are spot-on with our products. We cater for all ages and use mostly earthy colours but also some bright and outstanding colours for those who want to make a statement,” Sharon narrated.
The duo started out in December last year and initially the going was very slow. “But we refused to give up as we knew we were onto something special and now we are starting to reap the benefits of our arduous labour,” an excited Johanna says.
Mother and daughter grabbed the opportunity to display and sell their clothes at the show and are very pleased with the interest shown by attendants. “The Okamatapati Show acted as springboard for our shop Shetu Needle Work, and this show has put us firmly on the map. We look forward to do some brisk business in future and will support the show wherever it might take place,” Sharon explains.
Caption (Pic: Sewing Shop.jpg):
Mother, Johanna Mamsie Kambanda, and daughter, Sharon Kambanda, did brisk business with their colourful clothes at Shetu Sewing Shop during the Okamatapati Show in Otjiwarongo last week (Photo: Deon Schlechter)