A special order of bangles on their way to New York City from Hillcrest travel tethered to a unique story!
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (01 May 2025) — A striking collection of colourful beaded bangles are heading to New York City all the way from Hillcrest in KwaZulu-Natal. To some, they’d merely appear to be a bold range of accessories. But to the empowerment project of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust (HACT), Woza Moya, they are shorthand for an unbreakable bond.
The Woza Moya team explained that the bangles are on their way to a very special customer, Tierney Echelmeier Norris. And, the ‘very special’ part is due to the fact that Tierney is no stranger to HACT. In fact, she once came to the centre as a volunteer, determined to help those in need.
Heartwarmingly, despite the years and distance between Tierney and HACT, the former volunteer has never forgotten her friends there. She continues to support them through Woza Moya in a big way—hosting jewellery sales in her home to spread the word of their work and, of course, to give the Big Apple a taste of local creativity.
“We love how Tierney manages to share her sparkle wherever she goes!” The Woza Moya team share.
About Woza Moya & Friends
So, who are the talented hands that create impactful craftwork? Woza Moya was established as an important project of HACT in 2002. While HACT is an organisation that has spent over three decades saving and transforming lives infected and affected by HIV/AIDS throughout KZN’s semi-rural and disadvantaged communities (HCAT was one of the first NGOs in our country to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic), Woza Moya supports a different socio-economic concern.
Through Woza Moya, people can use crafty skills to put food on the table, helping them get a hand up against poverty. Especially during incredibly financially strenuous times like the pandemic, their work often came to the rescue with creations sold locally and overseas.
Some of Woza Moya’s most gorgeous creations come in the form of beads, others in feathers. But you can decide for yourself by checking out their collections here.
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