Leribe Craft Centre
weavers and knitters, Lesotho
Leribe Craft Centre
weavers and knitters, Lesotho
Leribe Craft Centre is a sheltered workshop and employment project of the Anglican Church. Since 1911 the Sisters of the Holy Name trained young Basotho women to spin and weave the local Lesotho mohair from the mountains of Lesotho and also taught cookery and needlework.

As a continuation of this 1911 training whereby the main objectives were to teach young women all the positive work that they can do to bring up their families and care for their homes, we still have the school and handicraft project.

The handicraft project trains and employs physically disabled and deaf women in spinning, weaving, knitting and crocheting. It employs about forty Basotho women; about half the women are disabled. Other women spin mohair at their homes and bring the yarn to the centre regularly for it to be woven, knit or crocheted. These are the main activities of the centre, as well as selling other products such as Basotho hats and dolls to help the Basotho market their products, since these things are produced in remote villages, which are not easy for tourists to find.

The handicraft project produces unique handmade products of 100% Lesotho mohair.

These products include table mats and runners, ponchos, shoulder bags, purses, scarves, stoles, shawls, knee-rugs, small tapestries and cushion covers. The project is philanthropic - profits are used for training the disabled, lodging and also for the Home Economics School which is on the same site.

these pages submitted to africancraft.com by Siiri Morley, Feb. 2005 -- last updated, Nov. 2022