Timbali Purse MarketPlace

This is Lindiwe, one of 90 Swazi women who make Timbali Crafts

ABOUT

TIMBALI CRAFTS

The women who create Timbali Crafts are all volunteer cooks at care points for orphans

and vulnerable children in the rural Swaziland communities of Engculwini and Nsoko. The

90 women of Timbali Crafts help feed more than 2600 children each day at 14 different carepoints.

The women themselves face many hardships: most are either widowed or abandoned,

many are single mothers, or grandmothers raising their orphaned grandchildren. Timbali

Crafts was started in 2006 to help reach out to the physical and spiritual needs of these

hard-working women and their families who would otherwise have little or none.

REACHING OUT TO PHYSICAL NEEDS

In a country where 2/3 of the population lives on less an a dollar a day, many of the

Timbali women earn between $70 and $100 a month. Money earned by the Timbali

women goes to help with the basic needs of their families such as school fees, medical

care, food, and housing. The women are also assisted in saving throughout the year, in

preparation for school fees due each January.

Timbali reaches out in emergency situations with food baskets for families who have lost

a loved one, or have a special need, and also medical care when needed.

REACHING OUT TO SPIRITUAL NEEDS

Timbali Crafts was started out of a weekly Bible study with some of the women, and

pointing them to Jesus continues to be the central goal. The Timbali women take part in

regular Bible studies and also attend a yearly camp, where they can rest, laugh, be

encouraged, and poured into.

WHAT DOES “TIMBALI” MEAN?

Timbali means “flowers” in the local language, Siswatti. It is also the word used to

translate “lilies” in Matthew 6, when Jesus talked about his loving care and provision for His children. Our hope is that God will use Timbali Crafts to help meet the needs of these hardworking women and that it will be a tangible demonstration of His love.