Mercy Nqandeka has found a way to earn an income; she is beading stethoscopes, and her Facebook post is quickly going viral.
Update: Mercy has since launched her business called Homba Crafts, where she makes all manner of proudly Xhosa-inspired jewellery, accessories and clothing items. She is living in the remote, yet breathtaking village of Bulungula.
South Africa (28 October 2021) – One of the positives from the pandemic has been that people have innovated ways to earn an income. One such person is Mercy Nqandeka, who is using her beading skills to make beautiful Stethoscopes.
Mercy shared a photo of her work on Facebook; the post quickly started picking up traffic, and people shared it and left comments about how beautiful her work is.
Many doctors and nurses shared their thoughts and excitement. One person shared that the beads would pose a problem in places like the ICU; many have shared that the work can be used more as an art piece than a practical tool. Mercy explained it is easy to clean or sanitise.
“I use a thin fishing line, not a cotton thread, easy to clean and very neat.”
One could use an old stethoscope and even have the piece framed. One lady even asked if Mercy would be willing to bead her helmet. We love this as a gift idea for medical students who graduate and become medical professionals.
With the festive season around the corner, finding local gifts is a great way to give back while giving to loved ones. You can find out more about Mercy’s work here.
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