By Nangamso Mabindla
7 June 2004

Buffalo City on Friday officially launched Project Quilt - an exhibition of beautiful patchwork quilts and painted fabrics - made by people living with HIV.

The City's special programmes manager, Wongezile Goba, said the municipality had teamed up with organisations like the East London HIV Network, various NGOs and other non-profit organisations to set up a skills development programme.

"We came up with Project Quilt," Goba said. "People make beautiful things out of fabrics, exhibit them and then sell them."

Twenty Gompo residents, recruited through a door-to-door campaign by the Sophakama Care Centre, a community project based in the township, underwent three weeks of training in the run-up to the exhibition.

Sibusisiwe Nodada, from Gecko Afrika which ran the courses, said: "We heeded the call and started training people from scratch. We had a trainer who taught the group quilting, another for sewing and a third for fabric painting."

Impressed with the progress the project participants had made, Nodada explained that quilting it was the combining of different textiles to make something special that tells a story. "It's really an art form," she said.

The participants in the project used the opportunity to tell how they've been living with HIV, and educate people about the virus.

All the quilts on exhibit were for sale. Mncedisi Jabavu from the East London HIV Network said the quilters hoped for support from the city's art lovers. "Where would you pay only R150 for such a beautiful product? I think we need to appreciate their work. They don't feel sorry for themselves; they work hard to make a living."

One of the artists, Zoleka Bono, was happy that she could do something worthwhile with her life. "I feel so proud to have been part of this project. We only need minor improvements to finish the works."

She thanked the municipality for assisting with the project. "They let us use their venue and arranged meals for us over the past three weeks. It's great to know that there are people who care," she said.

Goba said Buffalo City would make sure the artists continued to use Gompo Hall to further their talents. "We're going to make sure it doesn't end here. We're going to get furniture for the venue - and a lot of other things - to make sure this project is a success."