Mission
To develop job creation opportunities combined with specialized training to ensure a sustainable income to the workers.

History and Background
The idea to make items from old billboard material came from Mr Greg Arnold (ABSA) and MES was asked to start and manage the first working cell that will create job opportunities in the making of products from recycled billboard material. The project was established by the following partners: ABSA, Primedia Outdoor, Omnigraphics, MES (Metropolitan Evangelical Services) and Fontainebleau Community Church.
The project started in April 2002 and had its launch on the 29th of May 2002. The project was started with great enthusiasm by all involved. However, due to a lack capacity in product development, quality control and marketing, the project did not live up to expectations until 2005 when two volunteers joined the project. With their expertise and initiative, they were able to take the project to a next level.
Initially Tswelopele was part of the MES Entuthukweni Training and job creation programme. In 2007 it was decided to create a separate programme in MES that will develop all the job creation opportunities. In March 2007 Tswelopele Job Creation Programme was officially a separate programme of MES.

Unemployment is not a new phenomenon in South Africa. We are daily faced with the great need amongst a big portion of our communities for employment opportunities. Currently skills development and job creation is one of the governments focus strategies. In essence there is quite a lot of support from government and corporate CSI programmes for job creation opportunities, the challenge however lies in the process of ensuring that the job creation project becomes sustainable and generates a consistent income to those involved.
Many times job creation projects are faced with the reality of time constraints relating to training and developing workers to produce products of high quality and establishing sustainable markets for the products. The marketing and branding of products usually at the beginning needs to be done with strat-up funding as the project is not sustainable yet. Today job creation projects are in competition with products that are imported from overseas (usually China where production costs are very low) and sold at very low prices. The challenge therefore is to develop a product that is unique, that will ensure sustainable orders, and generate sustainable incomes to all involved.

From Trash to terrific
All of the Tswelople products are unique and the process that each piece of billboard follows to become a beautiful, recycled product is as follows:

1.      Old billboards (that have completed their “advertising run” on the billboard posts) are delivered to the project.
2.      These billboards can be as big as 6m x 18 m and can weigh between 20 – 50 kg.
3.      Once delivered they are sorted according to company and colour.
4.      Billboards are mopped as a first cleaning session
5.      If a product needs to be made billboard material is taken from the “library” to the cutting room.
6.      The material is scrutinized for the best possible design and then the pattern is cut.
7.      Cut pattern is washed.
8.      Washed pattern is ironed.
9.      Ironed material is sewn into product.
10.    Quality control
11.    Delivery of product.

Type of products
One can basically make almost anything from this material. Products range from Conference bags, file folders, pencil cases to fashionable handbags, grocery bags, tog bags. For outdoor equipment we make Weber braai covers, Charcoal bins, outside chair covers, trailer covers and table cloths. Wine bags, portfolio bags, pillow cases and aprons are also made. Custom made products can also be made and if it is for corporate gifts / conferences then the company logo can also be attached to the products.

Design of products
The workers at the project are continually motivated to design new products which are then named after them. Through this system, innovation and creativity is cultivated and supported.

Marketing of products
Various ways are being used to market the products:
• By word of mouth
• Visiting companies
• Markets in public and at companies
• Exhibitions ( e.g One of a kind)
• Visitors to MES

The biggest challenge for this project is to have sustainable orders that will ensure a steady income to the project and on which they can build and expand and therefore create more employment opportunities.