A beader's story: Ntombi

Ntombi is a vivacious thirty-nine year old woman who is involved in the beading projects and is a home-based carer at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust. She has two daughters, one of whom is twenty-four and the other thirteen years of age, and one granddaughter, who is eight. Ntombi also lives with her sister, and her sister's daughter and granddaughter.

Ntombi has been a volunteer home-based carer for seven years, and she cares or six clients in the community. She says that the job is emotionally draining, as she often finds that her clients' situations are heart breaking. Ntombi says that she copes by bracing herself emotionally before visiting the homes.

Ntombi has been beading since 1999, when she learned at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre. She says that she has been making Little Traveller dolls "since the beginning". In fact, Ntombi created the first Little Travellers to have long hair! Nowadays, she specializes in the large dolls that adorn Little Traveller displays in Canada and elsewhere.

Ntombi says that when she sees a Little Traveller, she sees a person. She goes on to explain that this is why she makes them beautiful - because she is creating a human being! Ntombi says that after making Little Travellers, she often lays them on her sofa and admires them for a while.

Ntombi has never been formally employed, so being involved in the Hillcrest AIDS Centre's beading project has really made a big difference in her life. She says that she can't even imagine her life without beading. In particular, she is grateful for the Little Traveller dolls, which earn her between R80 and R300 per week ($15-$60 Cdn), depending on the orders. Ntombi explains that her "entire house has come from the Little Travellers" – her fridge, her sofa, the plaster on her walls, EVERYTHING! It is no wonder that Ntombi admires the Little Travellers so much – and she grins from ear to ear when told about how these beautiful dolls that she helped develop have brought joy to people around the world.