Sebabatso Madibu
Outreach: Muse x KOB Clothing and Toiletry Drive
The Cotton Collection
The third decade of the 21st century has become occupied with inventing eco-friendly ways
to live considering the ticking carbon emission timer we have been given. Methods of
production such as cotton farming have come under scrutiny for their high levels of pesticide
and toxic chemical use.Â
But on 16 August 2020... cotton did us a world of good. Cotton is common to face cloths,
sanitary pads, t-shirts and practically everything we had collected from the generous
strangers on William Nicol.Â

The proceeds of our collaborative drive were donated to the girls of Barnato Park High
School, Streetlight Schools, Uitkoms Home for girls and members of the Hillbrow
community.Â



At each drop off, we were greeted with smiles of gratitude and cookie dough sweethearts.
Our greatest privilege in our field of work is our opportunity to witness the power of kindness
on average Tuesdays.



To be 5 young women of colour in South Africa is more than just a little challenging. We are
constantly moving between the cultural pressures of societies and, the desire to be in
expression of our truest selves.Â

I sometimes become depressed by the little escapes in my landscape. But then a reminder
on my phone is friendly to me and speaks of our weekly Muse Afrika meeting.
We spend 45 minutes discussing meeting times, grading our weeks and strategy. We laugh,
work and then meet each other to collect donations. We then drop them off - feeling happy to walk away with a plastic less of clothes and 1 more drop of hope.Â
I am hoping one day we will have biodegradable pads to deliver. But for now, I am good with
our little cotton collection.