The idea for Kwerekwere designs began while doing fieldwork for my thesis in inner city Johannesburg. My research looked at the everyday lives of cross-border migrant women from other parts of the African continent – Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Burundi, Uganda, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and so on. I was interested in women’s experiences of Johannesburg - how they find work, a place to stay, and even love in their host city. As a Kenyan migrant woman who has lived in South Africa for sixteen years, I wanted to understand other women’s experiences in this city that is both home to me and foreign at the same time.
As we exchanged stories about living in the city of gold, one of the things that struck me was the conversations we had about being aKwerekwere. Kwerekwere (s), or Amakwerekwere (pl) is a Zulu word for an unwanted foreigner, someone who does not belong. We all had an ambivalent relationship to the label Kwerekwere. Sometimes it is hurtful to be called a Kwerekwere, at other times, it is a label of honor and a source of pride.
When a Congolese refugee, in difficult financial and personal circumstances asked me for work, I decided to find ways of starting a project that provided a sustainable income to women who live in inner city Johannesburg. This is how the idea for Kwerekwere designs was born. We hope to build the skills and income earning capabilities of women living in poverty by creating a socially responsible, eco friendly, sustainable project.
--Caroline Wanjiku Kihato
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