As part of our new office space we wanted to have something that would make us smile when we got to work, so the first thing we see each morning are these beaded animal sculptures sitting behind reception. The animals have a great community story behind them -check out the video.

Monkeybiz provides beads and beading material to 450 people in the informal settlements of Cape Town, South Africa.

It then purchases the resultant artworks and markets and sells them internationally, ploughing back the profit through a range of services to the collective. Its employment and skills development profile is exceptional.

Through creating sustainable employment, Monkeybiz focuses on economic empowerment and health development in the most economically under-resourced areas of South Africa.

Monkeybiz’s goal is to build self-sufficiency back into communities — through micro-finance, AIDS education, nutrition, counselling, and ensuring that African cultural traditions of beadwork, singing and dance.

And of course we have a lot of pleasure looking at our new ‘zoo’.