It was the art that drew Edmonton writer Annette Schouten Woudstra to Keiskamma Trust in 2006 and eventually to the impoverished rural community in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. As a storyteller, she was intrigued and inspired by the stories of the people, the culture and its changes, which were expressed through the stitched tapestries created by the local Xhosa people. Annette went to
South Africa with the vision of writing a story about the art, its creators and the story of the Xhosa people. Annette would later return to Edmonton to fundraise for the communities that she had become so passionate about. Since its inception in 2008, Keiskamma Canada has organized and supported local and regional fundraisers in Canada, raising awareness of the work of the Keiskamma Trust and providing opportunities for people to purchase the beautiful handmade embroideries for which the Trust is so renowned. Today, after the initiation of the Art for Art fundraiser event, local Edmonton and South African artists donate their art and stitchwork to the event and sale proceeds help Keiskamma provide financial assistance to the rural communities of South Africa.
