A good news story shared by Africa Yarona (Sue Guthrie)

A Good News Story. Shared via Jane Flowers Blog by Sue Guthrie.

Anna Tlou (49) was born and raised in rural Mpumalanga , she is a bright, intelligent, capable person who, like too many South Africans, through no fault of her own, has no education and is illiterate.  Starting her working life as a field picker for a large vegetable farm she later found work as a domestic.  Despite her meagre income, she was determined that her two sons -Sipho and Thabo – should not end up like her. As a single parent with little help from their father, Sipho has matriculated and Thabo is in standard 9.

 Through pure chance Anna found her way to Africa Ya Rona, an Art Community based in Bapsfontein and it is here that she has recently begun a new chapter in her life. Based on the Tengene art community in Zimbabwe, Africa Ya Rona is open to anyone who wishes to sculpt and is prepared to contribute to the community. In exchange for helping with the laundry and cooking Anna was taught the basics of sculpting in stone.

Once she understood and could use the tools she was given her first project – make 3 stone eggs. (If a person can make an egg by hand, that is in correct proportion and consistent shape, it is a clear indication of having an eye for both beauty and form.  Anna has that abilit, she has opened a door for herself as a stone sculptor. For the first time in her  life she has an outlet for her intellect, she can express herself as never before, she  has found freedom in a talent she did not know she had. Anna’s excitement and pleasure at finding this is palpable and real. This chance for developing a skill at the age of 49 is remarkable and touching.

This type of community system has worked well in Zimbabwe;  over  many years it has created literally thousands of jobs,  why should it not work for us here in South Africa?  Africa Ya Rona has recently found the marble-like Savannah stone, a beautiful hard stone ideal for carving.  At the core of Africa Ya Rona’s community are four established Zimbabwean artists; they are teaching South African’s like Anna, how to carve.  

Will Anna be able to make a living from this? Who knows?  We certainly hope so. Just as we hope many more of our people will find hope and a future in carving from stone. To this end The Farm Inn has allowed us the use of their beautiful indigenous garden to display works from our founding artists, they have also opened the “Loft Gallery” to display some of the smaller works from both the beginners and established artists. To make this dream come true we need your support. 

Anna will be exhibiting her eggs at the Africa Ya Rona @ The Farm Inn Exhibition opening 15h00 this Saturday, 31^st August.