SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Johannesburg Grannies' knitting circle is providing welcome hats and scarves for fans

Record ID: 455729

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Johannesburg Grannies' knitting circle is providing welcome hats and scarves for fans
  • Date: 8th July 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GRANNY VICTORIA MASEKO, SAYING: "I am the poor of the poorest, even at home I could not open my fridge because I had only stored water. When somebody said 'I want water,' I said 'No, there is nothing, because they are going to see that there is no water.' Then I came to Gladys (the Gogo Project). I earned a thousand rand since I was born, I have been working for thirty years amongst the whites, but I have never earned a thousand rand." WIDE OF THE GRANNIES KNITTING MORE OF THE KNITTING GRANNIES (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR, GLADYS ZAGILI, SAYING: "With this (project) they do get something that they can put on the table, the very same day we started, Russell gave them 50 rand each, and they went to buy a meallie meal for their children, otherwise they do gain a lot with this."
  • Embargoed: 23rd July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9LM76K0AEBV0BT63SC1M8WVNH
  • Story Text: While the Winter World Cup is having fans shivering in the fan parks, the grannies from the Gogo Magic project have been cashing in on the cold, knitting hats, beanies and scarfs.
    Gogo means grandmother in Zulu, and the Gogo Magic project aims to creates sustainable employment in underprivileged communities by teaching people to knit and to earn money for their work .
    The project is is made up of about 540 grannies and has spread across the Vosloorus, Tembisa, Meadowlands, Katlehong and Polokwane townships in South Africa.
    It was started by Mike Walker's granny who knitted him a beanie that he loved, but since it started in 2007, Gogo Magic says it has grown to be the biggest knitting circle in Africa, and has helped many grannies and mothers in the township to earn an income and to feed their families.
    Now, with the first World Cup taking part in Africa, the local communities are able to profit from the influx of people into their country.
    Before the World Cup, the Gogo Magic trust delivered at least 13,000 beanies to underprivileged children to help keep the winter chill at bay. Since the month long tournament started, however, the grannies have turned out about 23,000 beanies, their biggest order.
    87-year old 'Gogo' Victoria Maseko takes care of her orphaned grand children, and says she can now afford to feed her grand children since her pension is not enough.
    "I am the poor of the poorest, even at home I could not open my fridge because I had only stored water. When somebody said 'I want water,' I said 'No, there is nothing, because they are going to see that there is no water.' Then I came to Gladys (the Gogo Project). I earned a thousand rand since I was born, I have been working for thirty years amongst the whites, but I have never earned a thousand rand," said Maseko.
    The organisers say the grannies will continue to make money even after the World Cup, because the publicity has brought in orders from big corporations.
    Project co-ordinator Gladys Zagili says the projects has changed a lot of lives.
    "With this (project) they do get something that they put on the table, the very very same day we started, Russell gave them 50 rand each, and they went to buy meallie meal for their children, otherwise they do gain a lot with this" says Zagali.

    (50 rand = 5.19957 EUR)
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