Knitting for a better future

RACHEL Taatsu (31) is a wheelchair-bound woman who has started her own business called Rachel’s Designs.

Rachel has been knitting since 2001 and is a familiar face in Windhoek, as she sits knitting at the entrances to different shopping centres. She is the sole breadwinner and supporter of her son Conrad (13) and her younger sister with the money she makes from selling her knitting.Since 2004 Rachel has been making women’s outfits and she says her sales have gone up so much that she has been able to move her family out of their shack and into a small house, which she rents.If she had a place where she could showcase her designs, she believes that sales could go up even more.For now she keeps them in a plastic bag by her feet and many people do not know about the clothing she makes.Rachel believes that being disabled is no excuse for being lazy and unproductive.”Although I am disabled there is nothing wrong with my hands and I can thus do something to make a better life for me and my son but I see many people, even able-bodied people, who are just sitting around drinking and begging.”Rachel broke her arm a couple of years ago and the break did not heal properly, which left her arm slightly deformed.She says although this does not hamper her knitting too much, a knitting machine would help her greatly, as she would be able to produce more outfits.”People with disabilities, and especially women, can also contribute to national socio-economic development and Vision 2030 if they just believe in themselves and start doing things for themselves,” she says.People who would like to view or order some of Rachel’s designs, or who might have a knitting machine that she could use, can contact her at 081 232 6039.She is the sole breadwinner and supporter of her son Conrad (13) and her younger sister with the money she makes from selling her knitting.Since 2004 Rachel has been making women’s outfits and she says her sales have gone up so much that she has been able to move her family out of their shack and into a small house, which she rents.If she had a place where she could showcase her designs, she believes that sales could go up even more.For now she keeps them in a plastic bag by her feet and many people do not know about the clothing she makes.Rachel believes that being disabled is no excuse for being lazy and unproductive.”Although I am disabled there is nothing wrong with my hands and I can thus do something to make a better life for me and my son but I see many people, even able-bodied people, who are just sitting around drinking and begging.”Rachel broke her arm a couple of years ago and the break did not heal properly, which left her arm slightly deformed.She says although this does not hamper her knitting too much, a knitting machine would help her greatly, as she would be able to produce more outfits.”People with disabilities, and especially women, can also contribute to national socio-economic development and Vision 2030 if they just believe in themselves and start doing things for themselves,” she says.People who would like to view or order some of Rachel’s designs, or who might have a knitting machine that she could use, can contact her at 081 232 6039.