Ifa Lethu – Ngove Village

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Jewellery with a Story
In Limpopo’s Ngove Village, youth are creating handcrafted jewellery that fuses traditional methods with contemporary style.
Young people in rural communities often lack access to creative training and economic opportunities. At the same time, rich craft traditions are disappearing due to disuse and disconnection.
A single copper wire earring forms a spiral shape, topped with a green glass bead wrapped in copper wire. The earring has a fishhook ear wire for wearing, and the metal has a rustic, handmade appearance. The background is transparent.
A single earring with a hook, featuring a textured, oval-shaped copper pendant and a small, glossy green bead above it. The copper component has engraved lines radiating outward, while the green bead is square and semitransparent.
A handcrafted earring with a rippled copper leaf-shaped drop, two round translucent beads, a cylindrical blue bead, and copper wire accents, all hanging from a copper hook, set against a black background.
1
Youth trained in jewellery making
1st
First local orders placed within three months
1+
Pieces produced
1
Community showcase and product launch
ART AID introduced a jewellery design and development programme that taught local youth how to apply traditional techniques in new, fashion-forward ways. The initiative included training in materials, design thinking, and market preparation.
Unique, wearable art rooted in heritage and shaped by new hands — along with new avenues for income and expression.
A single copper wire earring forms a spiral shape, topped with a green glass bead wrapped in copper wire. The earring has a fishhook ear wire for wearing, and the metal has a rustic, handmade appearance. The background is transparent.
A close-up of a person’s hand in an orange sleeve carving a small wooden piece held in a metal vice. The person uses a chisel or carving tool, wearing blue trousers. The workspace has wood shavings and a smooth, brown tabletop visible.
A close-up of a person's hand using pliers to bend a small metal piece. The person's dark skin and textured fingers are visible. The background shows a blurred figure in red and part of a parked vehicle. The focus is on the hands and the tool.
Several strands of copper wire chains lie parallel on a brown surface. Each chain is wrapped with clusters of small, silver-coloured metal rings, creating a beaded effect along the length of the wires. The image is close up and well lit.
A person wearing a colourful hat, face mask, blue shirt, and apron sits on a chair, carving a wooden object. Another person in blue stands nearby, leaning against a brick wall with arms crossed, partially covering their face with their hand and scarf.
Four hand-crafted earrings lay on a textured brown surface. Each earring features a green glass bead above an intricate copper wire swirl design, with two earrings having larger, looser spirals and the other two more tightly wound spirals.
A man wearing a Levi’s cap and apron uses a handheld tool on a woman’s hand. The woman, in a red shirt and striped headscarf, looks down at her hand with a serious expression. They are standing indoors near a wooden door.
A person uses metal tools to arrange glass rods and a small red glass piece on a work surface. Green glass shards, a knife, and additional rods are scattered on the wooden table, suggesting glasswork or jewellery making in progress.
A close-up photo of three copper coils arranged in overlapping spirals on a beige surface. The coils are interspersed with evenly spaced silver metal rings, creating a segmented, decorative appearance with prominent shadows.
Four people sit around a wooden table making glass art. They wear protective spectacles and use tools to shape glass rods in flames. The table is cluttered with equipment and colourful materials. Sunlight enters from a window on the right, illuminating the workspace.
Two intricate copper necklaces made of tightly coiled spirals are arranged side by side on a light surface. Each necklace ends in a hook clasp, and the sunlight highlights the shiny, metallic texture and warm reddish-gold colour of the copper coils.
Close-up of hands using two pairs of pliers to bend a small piece of wire. The person is wearing a blue denim shirt and beige trousers, and is seated. The scene is well-lit, showing detail on the tools and hands.
A person wearing a green shirt and apron uses a yellow saw to cut a small piece of wood clamped in a blue vice on a workbench. The table holds tools including a mallet, sanding block, and a red bottle of glue. The scene suggests woodworking activity.
A woman wearing a blue knitted hat and pink shirt sits at a table, focused on creating jewellery. She holds small tools and carefully works with beads or wire on a dark surface. Sunlight casts shadows of her hands and head onto the table.
Five white rods with green glass beads on top stand against a plain blue background. The glass beads are transparent and slightly speckled, with two rods holding single beads and three holding two beads each. The rods are unevenly placed and a bit charred.
A person sits on an orange patterned mat, wearing a blue skirt and pink shirt, using pliers and a wooden block to shape thin wire. Additional wire and tools are visible nearby. Sunlight casts shadows across the scene.
Three strands of copper wire are artistically shaped into geometric diamond patterns, each holding shiny black beads in the centre. Each strand ends with a wire hook, and the design casts intricate shadows on a light background.
Six handmade copper wire rings with glass beads—various shades of green, blue, and clear—are arranged on a brown textured surface. Each ring is uniquely wrapped, featuring one or more rectangular or round beads as decorative focal points.
Two pairs of handmade copper earrings: one with wavy copper leaves, blue and white beads; the other with large textured copper ovals and green glass beads. Both pairs have copper hooks and are photographed on a light background.
A person wearing dark safety glasses and a green shirt uses a small blowtorch to shape glass on a wooden table, surrounded by glass rods and tools, with a bright flame illuminating their hands and workspace.
A handcrafted earring with a rippled copper leaf-shaped drop, two round translucent beads, a cylindrical blue bead, and copper wire accents, all hanging from a copper hook, set against a black background.
Four people sit around a wooden table making crafts with wire, beads, and tools. A box of copper wire, pliers, and assorted coloured beads are on the table. The room is bright, with shelves and bags in the background. The group appears focused and engaged.
A person uses a chisel and hammer to carve wood held in a blue vice on a workbench, with wood shavings and tools scattered on the wooden table. Only their hand and part of their arm are visible.
A hand holds a metal rod, stirring molten material in a cylindrical metal crucible with an open side. The crucible is heated and glowing orange inside, resting on a metal base. Green glass pieces, tools, and a yellow lighter are on the grey work surface.
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