

Nomhlobo Yantolo
TCB taught me how to respond when life challenges me. I learn bookkeeping, selling and a business mindset.

Phathiswa Daweti
Here, I gained skills like confidence, computer skills, and communication skills, improving in my English


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!


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.


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



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.
















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.


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.
