Success stories | The Clothing Bank

Pheliwe Mbengo

The most important thing I learned at TCB is how to make my own decisions

Kanyisa Mtshemla

Everything has changed in my life since I started here. With coaching and mentoring, I learned so much about myself.

Phatiswa Botya

I have grown so much. I used to sell my clothing and use the money. But then I don’t have money for stock, fabric, and electricity to create new orders! Here I learned about saving and money management.

Philiswa Nkomo

The best thing about TradeUp is to know that you can. It gives you that egde to push more – to be resilient.

Siyasanga Zenani

I see myself as a business owner because I can fix and sell. If someone needs any appliance – they come to me. I am a problem solver for my customers!

Noxolo Majola

I am standing outside here to shop early in the morning. I sell door to door. I go in the rain. I’ll go in the sun. I enjoy it now. I just tell myself, ‘I’m not coming back with this stuff’ and I sell it.

Nombulelo Magunya

By the grace of God when my 2 years at the TCB programme finished I was invited to become a TCB ambassador for another 2 years!

Pulane Tau Gubesa

TCB has taught me to be patient and to love myself more.

Bright Sigonyela

TAB changed my life, because I was just one of the guys in the location. I was not doing nothing, just sit at home, walking around, sometimes getting a piece job but it was not helping. Since I started here, I see my life is changing.

Linda Mbebe

I am at the Clothing Bank every day to buy clothes. Firstly, I have a stand I sell from and then I have bulk buyers and I also sell on two WhatsApp groups.

Valerie Grootboom

Women need to know my story so that they can learn that you don’t need to be stuck in a situation that life throws at you.

Zama Khwela

I became the first graduate in my family – My business funded my tuition fees

Lerato Ndluli

I want to share my story to inspire people so that they can see how much their lives can change

Besley Malumane

Sharing my experiences so that others can find themselves, like I did

Lorraine Zansti

Travelling Importer – using business to serve and give back to others

Justine Francis

The Mountain Climber – Climbed Mount Everest, reached the top of the mountain, persevered and overcome self doubt

Thabisa Mathandabuzo

I feel great to give back to The Clothing Bank all the skills I have learnt.

Mthunzi Qagana

They gave us skills that can build someone’s person

Monde James GoQo

I have always been trading but I was living hand to mouth

Monde Giqo

Poverty is a state of mind. I changed my state of mind

Andiswa Madayi

I gained my family’s love

Portia Mtelekiso

I feel like I was in the dark but now I see the light

Honjiswa Dondolo

Wake up and do your thing

Priscilla Ntsie

It is possible to change your life

Lungile Sithole

I am stronger than ever

Ntombifunthi Legole

TBC gave me the life-time gift of knowledge

Nokubonga Mbusi

The ball is in your court

Pamella Malgas

I can achieve whatever I put my mind to - no excuses

Thembeka Lunke

I can make a difference in my kids’ lives

Hlengiwe Precious Ndaba

I would not change my life for anything

Nompumelelo Gugu Chonco

I can feel that I’m living life now.

Thobeka Makoni

Now I see where I am going.

Helen Makasi

Stand up and look for something. Make research, ask for help, don’t sit there and feel ashamed, learn to be independent and learn to be responsible. Take action, one step at a time.

Leandrea ‘Andrea’ Schoeman

At the beginning, there was always self-pity. Then the lecturer will say: ‘Pull yourself towards yourself and do something with your life, because if you’re not going to do it, no one else is going to do it.

Nwabisa Ndzuzo

I always try to turn the negatives in life into positives. My advice to women is - believe in yourself.

Zukiswa (Zuki) Majerman

The day I stepped out of my abusive, aggressive marriage it was like somebody takes the cement bags off my shoulders and throws them away.

Felicia Mthembu

Grab every positive opportunity that comes your way, if you see that opportunity and grab it - you will go far.

Amanda Mamase

Someone’s success is my motivation, especially women because I ask myself ‘If she can do it - why can’t I?’ I can become not her, but the best of her.

Busisiwe (Busi) Msholoqa

My mother used to love us very much, she was very poor but she gave us love. Love is very important because when you’ve got love you’ve got hope. You tell yourself everything’s going to be all right.

Cleopatra Gobeni

What makes me proud is to see other people succeed, especially if I’ve planted something in those people - I like to see them succeed.

Constance Yawa

I am worried about people who give up easily, I want to teach them how life is. Life is not about what you want, it’s about the way it is - so you must live with the way life is.

Dumazile Mnguni

I say never give up. Don’t say ‘I’m old’, it’s nothing to do with ‘I’m old’, life continues, you can still change your life never mind how old you are.

Grace Matoni

Women must know and value time, they must know that working hard pays off at the end of the day.

Happiness Makhatini

When you are suffering it doesn’t mean that you are dead, when things happen that you didn’t think could happen to you - it doesn’t mean it is the end of the world. You can still stand up.

Khethiwe Maphalala

I like to encourage other women out there. Running a business is not easy - if you want to be successful you must follow your own dream, sleep less and work hard.

Valerie ‘Val’ Dlepu

Women must work hard, they must put effort into everything they’re doing. They must know each and every corner of everything they do so that they can be productive. Hard work makes success.

Tobeka Ngcoza

I tell my sister, ‘Try and do something, you mustn’t just sit down’ because I’m not sure she can be strong like me when her husband is no longer around.

Thuleka Mrulekana

Find your gifts - all people they have a gift. It’s either a gift of singing, of playing, of talking. You can do something good with your gift.

Sukelwa Blayi

I know I’ve got those responsibilities, my kids, so I have to get up even if I don’t want to, even if I don’t feel like it, I must, because of my responsibilities.

Ruth Ndzuhza

Your kids are watching you, they don’t hear what you’re saying, they don’t do what you tell them to do but they will do what you do, so if you live right your kids will, definitely.

Pumeza Nono

I’m HIV positive and I hear my status in 1999. I think it’s more right to know your status than you don’t know - because I’m living positively.

Pulane Pitlo

If you don’t do things for yourself no one will do it for you.

Ntomboxolo ‘Ntosh’ Dweza

Don’t just say that person can do that thing but you can’t do it. You can do it. If that person can do it why you can’t do it?

Nozuko Mtoto

I show the world I’m strong and I’m beautiful. I don’t want my daughter to feel my pain, I want her to have a better life.

Nontombi Sotyingwa

If you are a woman who’s sitting doing nothing - get up and do something to your life. I also did it, I got up and I am doing something that changed my life.

Nonthandazo Qulu

Women must learn to stand for themselves. They must set their goals every day and write down their goals.

Nobuntu ‘Numbers’ Ngcebetsha

I’m a hustler, a go-getter and a hard worker because if I put my mind on something I make sure that I achieve that. That’s what I can say about me.

Mamsy Chokwe

We expect things to be done for us, rather than going out there, finding things for ourselves and working hard. Everything that’s worth having is worth working hard for.

Lufuno Muzhambi

All of us, we can make it if you tell yourself you can do it. Falling down doesn’t mean that you are dead. Wake up and keep on trying, you will make it.

Letty Lekala

As a woman you don’t need to come and ask other people or wait for a man to come to you and give you things. Wake yourself, stand up and do everything you want to do.

Margaret ‘Maggy’ Ndlovu

Don’t look at your body and say ‘I can’t’. I’ve had two operations on my legs but I don’t think, ‘I can’t do this.’ No! I tell myself, whatever I want, I will achieve at the end.

Nolundi ‘Malala’ Hlazo

The woman is very important, even if the circumstances can drive her in the wrong way - if she has that strong bone, that woman can make things happen. I’m that person, I make things happen.

Thapelo Temana

You don’t have to wait for somebody to give you something. Whatever you can put on the table, go for it. You can start very small - do not despise small beginnings, they will take you somewhere.

Thobela Mnqma

South African women want to rely on men but you must have your own money. Life is better when you are a strong woman - an independent woman.

Jeanette Sekole

You can live without a job working for someone else - you can do something with your own hands.

Hlalisa Bentele

Don’t listen to the wrong people. You have to be a good example to the women.

Tumeka Majikela

Go and see what you can do for yourself and stand on a positive side. Just tell yourself you will stand up one day and do what is right for you.

Zimele Kwababana

I always thinking about doing some course I could do so that I can work on my own, especially with my hands.

Sheila George

I feel great to give back to The Clothing Bank all the skills I have learnt.