gifts

Inspired by the idea to double the love this Christmas, the gift you choose for the special woman in your life - whether that’s your mom, your bestie or your boss, can have the power to change and save lives

Goodbye Malaria’s one-of-a-kind gifts, hand-made by South African crafters, celebrate Africa and support local companies who employ and empower them.

You’re bound to find a gift you love with an inspiring story attached to it – and your purchase makes a contribution that has impact on so many lives. The proceeds from all sales help the realisation of Goodbye Malaria dream, to ultimately eliminate malaria in Africa.

Pencil cases and cosmetic bags (from R85 to R200)

Made by Miss Mrs

Founded three years ago in 2013, Miss Mrs is a mom and daughter design team based in Cape Town; they are proudly 100% local in everything they do – from design, to manufacturer and distribution. They passionately hand produce Goodbye Malaria’s lovely cosmetic bags and pencil cases, which celebrate Africa’s unique identity and creative expression.

Whether you’re a student, artist, working professional or just need an all-round funky pencil case to express your individuality, these vibrantly coloured pencil cases hand sewn by Miss Mrs will ensure you stand out from the crowd. They also promote the fine craftsmanship of local artisans and foster sustainable careers in traditional arts.

pencilcases

Goodbye Malaria’s vibrant small cosmetic bags made by Miss Mrs are perfectly sized to fit in a handbag, holding all your essential touch-up basics from lipstick and mascara, to compacts, nail polish and files. Available in a range of vibrant and funky colours, made from 100% cotton (shweshwe print) with a stylish suede trim.

Slippers (from R300 to R350)

Made by Curtis in collaboration with Ingénuitéslippers

 

Goodbye Malaria is committed to developing skills and supporting individuals who make a living from products sourced and made in South Africa. For this reason we chose Ingénuité (en/ja/new/a/tee) at Montecasino in Johannesburg to hand sew our adult slippers. They collaborated with local crafter, Curtis, who learnt his skill at an early age, watching his father making slippers in their rural village. Since his father’s death, Curtis has continued his father’s legacy, hand crafting goods with passion and love.

Ingénuité sells Goodbye Malaria’s merchandise because they feel it aligns with their mission to showcase clever, original and inventive locally made goods.

Goodbye Malaria’s adult slippers are each uniquely hand sewn by Curtis using 100% cotton, with the winter versions boasting a delightfully cosy synthetic woollen inner.

Goodbye Malaria’s slippers are available in a full range of vibrant shweshwe print colours.

Pyjama pants (R450)

Made by the Davinscot group1_pjs

The concept speaks to taking action and giving back: Save a Life in your Sleep.

Goodbye Malaria created a pair of comfy pyjama-style pants made from 100% cotton in our famous shweshwe, super-soft pyjama fabric - and calls for support from socially conscious shoppers to buy a pair of pants that can save a life while they sleep.

All the proceeds from sale of the pants will directly fund Goodbye Malaria’s Spray Program, while creating jobs and celebrating African creativity. South African company, the Davinscot Group, was the chosen supplier of our hand sewn pants as they had the people, skills and passion to help realise our dream for a malaria-free Africa.

The unisex pyjama pants are available in two fits (slim or regular) in five afrocentric colours that are stylish enough to wear from the bedroom to the boardroom.

Goodbye Malaria’s shweshwe print fabric is printed on both sides so if you decide to roll up your pants as many do, they look just as stylish! There’s also a surprise and delight element with a secret compartment.

Bucket hat and sports cap (from R175 to R195)

Made by National Cap Factory

Small purchases can add up big time, in this case in the form of Goodbye Malaria’s hand-sewn bucket hats and sports caps. Made by the National Cap Factory in Cape Town, the company is a third generation family business with over 85 employees. Managing Director David Werb -  preceded by his father and grandfather, who started the company some 68 years ago in 1948 - attributes their great success to his staff and the way the company is run. “We have an open-door policy – we are involved in their lives and they are involved in ours,” David said.

hats

Not a single thing at the National Cap Factory is imported - everything is 100% locally made. Goodbye Malaria provides the fabric and the National Cap Factory supplies the material and local labour to hand-sew the caps and hats. All of the National Cap Factory’s headwear is bespoke and made to order, like Goodbye Malaria bucket hats and sports caps.

Not just anyone can sew a hat as it’s quite different to – for example – sewing a shirt because of the different panels and curved seams. “My specialist team, some of which have been with us for 52 years, work off patents we’ve created in-house, like the rally cap designed by my grandfather (known today as the 'bucket hat'). The five-panel sports cap design we use for Goodbye Malaria is also under patent. I expect we are the last of the bigger cloth headwear companies left on this continent, unfortunately,” concludes David.

Wet packs (R250)

Made by Riversands Incubation Hub

Goodbye Malaria’s Wet Packs are no ordinary toiletry bags. It’s one gift, with double the impact. They are consciously crafted out of the Riversands Incubation Hub close to Diepsloot, creating vital support and job creation in an area which once had almost no access to jobs. In some cases residents had to spend more than 50% of their earnings on transportation, traveling great distances just to access work opportunities – until now.

wetpack

Goodbye Malaria’s Wet Packs are of an exceptional quality - made from 100% cotton shweshwe fabric, heavy duty zips that last and waterproof lining that is actually recycled billboard advertising. Perfect for an impromptu getaway, these trendy unisex bags in a full range of vibrant colours keep your essentials organised and accessible. Your purchase directly funds Goodbye Malaria’s Spray Program in Mozambique and also provides sustainable employment opportunities to graduates of the Riversands Incubation Hub. African crafters and entrepreneurs from small struggling businesses are incubated through various programs with mentorship, training and support.

Despite its socio-economic challenges, Diepsloot is a vibrant neighbourhood with residents who are optimistic and determined to make better lives for themselves – this program provides the skills and support African entrepreneurs need to transition to viable businesses with long-term sustainability.

Bracelets (R40 each or R360 for a pack of 10)

Made by Relate Bracelets

Your purchase of Goodbye Malaria’s colourful, hand beaded bracelet has power to make a tremendous difference in the lives of elderly gogos (grandmothers) and their families. The bracelets are hand beaded by elderly township women part of Relate Bracelets not-for-profit social enterprise. This activity provides an opportunity for them to connect with others, and provides them with a sense of dignity and purpose as they take on meaningful employment. Most of these women support entire families, including AIDS-orphaned grandchildren.

bracelet

Relate’s finishers are young adults who have their whole lives ahead of them and simply need an opportunity. A portion of the bracelet proceeds is invested into enabling them and others to learn new skills and grow in confidence so that, in time, they can move beyond Relate to achieve their personal career goals. The remainder of the proceeds directly fund Goodbye Malaria’s Spray Prevention Program to end malaria in Africa for good.

Mashozi teddy bear (R495 – Christmas special price)

Made by Heartworks

We can always use a little reminder to celebrate love. The Mashozi Bear, named after Kingsley Holgate's late wife as a tribute to her inspirational work to fight malaria and uplift communities, celebrates her and our love for all things uniquely African. Mashozi is not your average teddy. She creates sustainable employment for upskilled women from the townships, supporting a women-owned small business in Cape Town called Heartworks.

bears

Made with love, for your love, the Moshozi bear is passionately hand-embroidered with appliqued hearts, flowers and anything the crafter feels defines them as an artist. To those who take the time to look at the beautiful details, each one-of-a-kind teddy tells a story. Proceeds from your purchase fund the Malaria Spray Prevention Program by Goodbye Malaria, which enables a mother and child in Mozambique sleep a little easier, protected from malaria. As one of the oldest diseases in human history, malaria kills more children under five than any other disease on the African continent – a statistic that is unacceptable to Goodbye Malaria’s founders and passionate partners, friends and supporters.

Rumi said, way back in the 1200s, that you should “respond to every call that excites your spirit,” and that’s exactly what Margaret Woermann of Cape Town did when she created Heartworks. Her South African business, which means works of the heart, provides job opportunities to unemployed women from the townships in Cape Town, who then not only create an enchanting collection of beautiful objects made by hand, but literally pay it forward and save other lives in the process.

Goodbye Malaria is constantly discovering socially responsible, local companies that hand-make beautiful products. The local companies we choose to partner with operate fairly, treat their staff with the respect they deserve, and pay a fair wage that enables their crafters to support their families with meaningful employment.

Buy any of these enchanting goods online at www.goodbyemalaria.com/shop and get them delivered to your door anywhere around the world.

This article was first published by all4women on 14 Novmeber 2016.