Profile
Tintsaba organization was started in 1985 as a rural project. Made up of 750 women master weavers in sisal who are dedicated to develop, market, retail and export fine quality jewellery, giftware and baskets, with the aim of improving their earning potential while remaining at their homesteads. The team is dedicated to customer service, right thinking and business growth.

Tintsaba's rural development project enables women to earn income to supplement the family budget without leaving their families. Tintsaba builds on traditional knowledge of craft production. Frequent quality upgrading and pattern development are undertaken through encouraging mentor relationships and training programmes.

Tintsaba demonstrates a strong social and environmental commitment to its women's groups through trainings on subjects such as AIDS awareness, living positively with AIDS.

Tintsaba has also organized a tree-planting workshop. The environmental focus of the company is carried through to the raw materials used in the development project. A large range of products, including the ever-popular Swazi basket, is made from sisal, which is an invasive weed. Sisal is used in Swaziland to make cattle fences. Because it is a weed, it is ideal for craft production since harvesting does not threaten the country's natural biodiversity. In making sisal baskets, tableware and jewellery, every step is carried out by hand since machine prepared sisal yields inferior results. Before sisal is ready for making Swazi baskets, the fibers must be stripped, cleaned, and spun by hand.

The weaving of the products is also a labour intensive task; it takes approximately 15 hours to spin the fine yarn for an 18cm diameter Swazi basket and the same time again to complete the weaving

To increase earning in the rural areas of Swaziland through training skills for the production of fine quality, designed handcraft products and jewellery is the organizations dream.