Teenage girls face countless challenges. But some face the most daunting of them all – motherhood. The shame and strain of unplanned pregnancies often thrusts them out of the classroom and into a nursery. In 2018, more than 100 000 teenagers gave birth in South Africa, the majority of whom did not finish high school. Their plight is exacerbated by marginalised backgrounds and weak support systems. Without the knowledge or skills to create a promising future for their children, the pattern is repeated. But Suraya Williams is determined to design a new one.
Despite having a talented dressmaker for a mother, Williams only grew to love sewing clothes after her mother’s passing. “My first dress came out quite beautifully,” she says. “I was surprised because I had no qualifications.” With her passion realised, Williams sought to design dresses for her community. In the process, she got to know the girls in her fitting room well. “I would make calls and see how they were doing,” Williams says. “Often, I would hear they were unemployed or pregnant.” This inspired her to found the Design26 Foundation, an organisation in Mitchells Plain that hosts sewing projects, while also offering counselling and motivational sessions for those in need of a second chance.
Through these workshops, young mothers have acquired the practical skills and training to become confident career women. “I want the girls who come to my programme to believe they are destined for more and aspire for a better future,” Williams says. To date, she has successfully trained 30 people, and continues to be the seamstress of her community – mending frayed lives and draping her students in silks of confidence.
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