What began as a research project into the livelihoods of rural South African women has transformed into a vibrant, purpose-driven business that is putting handmade heritage on the global map. Nomaswazi Tinus, founder of African Mamas, is weaving together traditional skills, sustainable materials, and digital innovation to support women artisans—and inspire a new model of e-commerce
Seamlessy blending social impact with savvy entrepreneurship, Nomaswazi has created a brand that connects the intricate artistry of rural South African women with global consumers through platforms like Amazon. Here she lets us into her approach to social impact through innovation.
Glamour: African Mamas began as part of your research into rural women’s livelihoods. How did this research influence the creation of the business, and what gaps did you aim to fill?
Nomaswazi: One of the things that hit me about the research was finding out that the demographic profile of the unemployed in the urban areas of South Africa is more likely to be poorly educated, unskilled and female. These are usually women who come from rural areas into the city looking for work opportunities. With urbanisation on the increase, I felt this was an opportunity and an invitation to explore solutions. Therefore, the aim in establishing African Mamas was to create urban-rural linkages with rural women to strengthen livelihoods and access to market opportunities for handmade products.
Glamour: Your products are made from recycled and natural materials. What challenges have you faced in sourcing these materials, and how do you ensure their quality?
Nomaswazi: Some of the recycled material we use such as the telephone wire used for the Telephone Wire Baskets and Plates are readily available from local factories who do the recycling work. The same with the balls which we use for our Beaded Christmas Décor balls. We monitor quality in the crafting of the products by using skilled artisans who have been doing the work and passed the skill (whether weaving or beading skills) down from one generation to the next. Often the context here is either families or communities which work together. In addition, we also have a Quality Process Manager who oversees the work.
Glamour: How does African Mamas support and empower rural women artisans, and how do you ensure they receive fair compensation and opportunities?
Nomaswazi: We support our artisans through collaboration in product design and sourcing directly from them. This helps to create employment opportunities in rural areas closer to home where they live. There is often a perception that people without an education are unskilled, but we encourage the women we work with to know that what is in their hands is a gift that can be used to provide for their families and put food on the table, send their children to school and provide a warm and loving family environment. Most of the groups we work with are either families who work together or community co-operatives which also strengthens social networks. We have worked with the majority of them for a number of years and we negotiate pricing on a regular basis and as material costs escalate, we adjust accordingly. We also cover courier costs from source to destination.
Glamour: How do you ensure that the traditional skills of your artisans are maintained while still creating products that appeal to modern, global consumers?
Nomaswazi: Through collaboration in product design and monitoring seasonal trends, we are able to fuse traditional skills to create products which are globally relevant. We have been fortunate in that we’ve positioned ourselves to cater for the international market and we are getting good client feedback which we use for enhancing and development our product range.
Glamour: When you first started selling online, what were the major hurdles you encountered in adapting to e-commerce, and how did Amazon support you in overcoming them?
Nomaswazi: We started selling online through our own e-commerce platform and we had to quickly manoeuvre our way around payment systems, building trust online through customer reviews, delivery services and presenting good content for customers to experience. With Amazon, we are navigating similar experiences, but have been fortunate to have a supportive team to assist us. Also, because they are a mature platform, most of their systems have been streamlined for ease of use - like Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA).
Glamour: What role has Amazon played in scaling African Mamas, and how has it helped you expand your market reach beyond South Africa?
Nomaswazi: One of the things Amazon has done for us through our listing on the amazon.co.za store is improve our visibility and discoverability. We are seeing more traffic and engagement on our side. Our sales are also increasing month-by-month. We have started the preliminary listing process for other Amazon markets outside of South Africa and are excited and preparing for that growth.
Glamour: How do you engage with your Amazon customers, and what strategies do you use to build trust and loyalty with them?
Nomaswazi: We are fairly new to the Amazon platform and one of the things we are learning is their obsession with customer service and policies that support that. Our strategy at the moment is to attend as many of the training sessions whether through webinars or Amazon Seller University so we can engage customers appropriately and effectively. We’ve also started making use of Advertising Services within the platform such as Deals so we can extend our reach. Most importantly we are making sure that our information is up-to-date regarding product availability and also providing good content and product descriptions.
Glamour: How has embracing e-commerce changed the way you think about business, and what advantages has it offered in terms of growth and sustainability?
Nomaswazi: E-commerce is a game changer and it’s the early adopters who will have the first mover advantage. The biggest advantage is that because we worked on our online offering during the COVID pandemic, we did not have to close shop like most businesses did. Through the work we are doing on the Amazon platform, we have the opportunity to grow beyond the South African market and become more sustainable.
Glamour: How do you balance the growth of your business with the need to preserve the cultural heritage and traditional skills of the rural communities you work with?
Nomaswazi: I am a firm believer in growing things organically – and have applied the same principles for business growth. With rural communities, it takes time to establish relationships and build trust – people want to know who they are dealing with. Things like physical site visits and storytelling have become important tools which we use for engagement. As we grow, we also see the need to register patents and trademarks for our work – so this is a work in progress.
Glamour: What tips do you have for entrepreneurs looking to use e-commerce platforms like Amazon to grow their businesses while maintaining their commitment to social impact?
Nomaswazi: I would say “jump in early whilst the opportunity is there – don’t wait, procrastinate or overthink.”
