Tintsaba is an organization of sisal weavers based in and around the hilltop town of Piggs Peak in Swaziland. Over 900 women in Swaziland have contributed to Tintsaba's growth – at its core Tintsaba is its women.

With a passion for excellence and respect for the earth, the remarkable women of Tintsaba create beautiful handmade products centred around the use of sisal, a sustainable natural weed that grows wild in Swaziland. The handcraft collection allows the craftswomen to build their skills, and develop their creativity designing a range that includes jewellery, interior decoration accessories, and a fun kiddies range.

Sustainability

Sisal Agave sisalensis is an invasive weed that grows throughout Swaziland and is used to make cattle fences. Because it is an invasive exotic plant, it is ideal for craft production since harvesting does not threaten the country's natural biodiversity. Tintsaba centres on the use of sisal in the creation of all its refined handmade items.

The preparation of the raw material involves little water and no chemicals. The dye pots are specially designed to use wood fuel to its fullest potential and the wood used is waste from a sawmill using exotic timber. There is also a soak-away to catch any minute bits of dye or vinegar that is used as a fixative.

Tintsaba holds a certificate from the dye company for environmentally safe dyes. They are also in the process of developing a range of organic dyes specifically for use in the jewellery. The method of dying is ” to exhaustion” which means that all the dye is used up in the process.

Staff are trained in waste disposal so that all waste is split into organic and reusable/recyclable, and the remainder is burnt in a specially designed incinerator. The office is inside a nature reserve, ensuring that all waste is correctly disposed of and staff are educated in minimal impact on the environment.

Training and Development

Different groups have different skills, from the basic skills of cleaning sisal, to craft skills of plaiting, to making little baskets, woven baskets, or components in different shapes that can be transformed into Christmas ornaments, kiddies ranges, mobiles, contemporary jewellery, tableware and other gifts.

Tintsaba provides the opportunity and the training for producers – usually semi-literate basketmakers - to move into finer, gallery-style products such as technically perfect highly refined woven baskets and fine components for jewellery, some of which are combined with silver in their workshop. These highly skilled artisans become jewellers and silversmiths, and also skills trainers, guaranteeing a cycle of continuous training and development for all the producers.

Besides providing skills training, Tintsaba supports women in their individual development. Several social programmes have been set up in place for that purpose:

• Development of skills trainers into proficient motivational trainers as well as group leaders, and peer educators with a good knowledge about HIV issues.

• HIV/AIDS awareness workshops are provided regularly
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• Tintsaba started a mobile health clinic with volunteer homeopathic doctors in 2008 and funded transport and medication - this has made a huge difference to the improvement of health in the groups and staff.

• All producers and staff are taught Brain Gym which helps concentration, emotional balance, coordination and equalization of both sides of the brain.

• A literacy programme, called Tintsaba Reads has been developed with manuals pertinent to self development and basic business skills. Seven skills trainers have been trained as literacy trainers and the first target group are the semi- or non-literate skills trainers.

• Full time staff have assorted development training available to them as well as job related skills and opportunity to study skills outside their department, including driving, accounts and design.

• Each staff member is developed as an individual which assures that they can evolve and have a long time career within Tintsaba: all the current management staff started working in Tintsaba as shop assistants.