Since the hype of Live Aid in 2005, many charities have been working quietly, out of the limelight, to help the impoverished people of Africa. One of these charities is MonkeyBiz, an organisation based in Cape Town who mainly supports people with AIDS, and also provides support for their families by building wellness clinics. This small charity has created employment and has empowered many disadvantaged women through the revival of the ancient African tradition of beadwork.

All of this is made possible by supplying over 450 women in the townships of Cape Town with richly coloured glass beads, which are then handcrafted into fine pieces of art, ranging from exquisitely designed dolls, to patterns and pictures. The sale of these products generates a profit which is pumped directly back into the charity, meaning that every penny paid for these animals and dolls is given back to the makers or is contributed towards the clinics supported by MonkeyBiz. These clinics specifically help to educate families who are suffering or have lost someone due to AIDS. It is the lack of knowledge about AIDS that leads to an escalation of the problem.

The MonkeyBiz charity began on a small scale, selling dolls on the streets of Cape Town, but has quickly expanded, exporting the goods to countries such as America and Britain. One of the first companies to take up the MonkeyBiz dolls and distribute them in the UK was Artisana, based in Oundle. Fran and Rod Bell, directors of Artisana, discovered the dolls in a shop in South Africa and were taken by the charm and quirkiness of these dolls and how they “beautifully meld together an indigenous skill into a contemporary, very 21st century object”. After researching the brand and visiting the charity themselves, they felt that this was an upbeat and imaginative way to help the people of Cape Town, to help themselves through providing employment and opportunities for the future.

In an effort to help the charity gain recognition in the western world, it has been championed by key figures such as Nelson Mandela, Donna Karen, and Annie Lennox, who argued that the MonkeyBiz dolls should be “Bigger than Barbie” because they are so much more precious and meaningful than a mass produced doll. In the UK their products have recently been stocked by Selfridges of London. Here in Oundle, Artisana teamed with director of the Stahl theatre, Alistair Boag, to host a MonkeyBiz fundraising evening on December 7th to inspire and inform people about the work of MonkeyBiz.

The beauty of MonkeyBiz is that it puts you in touch with the maker of each unique, individual piece of art and you know that because of your support, this deserving charity is able to expand further and help the people of southern Africa improve their journey to a better life.