Swazi Africa Textiles in Eswatini Southern Africa
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My name is Grant Reid. I am a South African expat living legally in Atlanta GA in the USA, while still having an operational business in Southern Africa. My business is a textile factory in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in Southern Africa. I have around 380 staff who are full time employees of Swazi Africa Textiles. Most my staff are employed as sewing machinists and general textile workers. The average employee earns around $140 per month and it is not uncommon for one bread winner to support up to 7 dependents on that wage. On March 25 we were instructed by the Eswatini government to send all our staff home due to the COVID-19 lockdown that was imposed on all citizens in Eswatini. We manufacture kiddies, ladies and men's denim jeans, and have been in business since 2014. Because of COVID-19 Eswatini is in a total lockdown. As you can imagine, my staff are now starting to starve because of being furloughed. They are normally paid every two weeks and we are now at the end of week 5. Since we closed and have had no income, I have managed to pay all staff only 2 days each of future leave pay that will be due to them in the months ahead. Unfortunately, I have now used all my available resources to pay my staff and I am unable to pay anymore wages or any of the monthly expenses that keep rolling in as the days turn into weeks.
Unfortunately the governments in poor countries in Africa are not in a position to be like the USA and send out assistance payments or offer PPP programs, so employers are on their own, and the situation for myself and all my staff is very bad. With an unemployment rate before COVID-19 of around 30%, Eswatini is in no position to lose more jobs. I am trying everything in my power to save our business and keep these 380 people employed by using all the available resources that I had at my disposal. Unfortunately these resources are now depleted and I am powerless to change it.
It has taken a lot for me to humble myself to beg for assistance by starting this GoFundMe campaign, but I have decided my pride is worth far less than the lives of my loyal staff, who are in dire straits right now. Every cent that is raised will go to firstly to cover wage to all staff to keep them going until we re-open, and then to cover our expenses that are now past due. Our immediate need is $30 000 and anything we achieve over that will go towards building our own laundry to help make us even more competitive and employ more of the family members of my current staff in Eswatini.
As mentioned, I am embarrassed to do this, as I have never done anything like this before. Under the circumstances I feel that me humbling myself to save my staff and my business, is the least I can do, I am a believer and will not go out without a fight! If I am able to raise the amount I need I cannot begin to tell you what this would mean for these people and myself. Thank You for reading my request. I pray that we may get through this and when we do, we can pay it forward by adding production capacity to manufacture PPE or masks so that we can show our gratitude by making affordable masks available to the people of Eswatini and world at large if need be. I am eternally grateful to you for helping us, and pray that God may Bless You and may God bless America.
Yours Sincerely
Grant Reid
Swazi Africa Textiles
Unfortunately the governments in poor countries in Africa are not in a position to be like the USA and send out assistance payments or offer PPP programs, so employers are on their own, and the situation for myself and all my staff is very bad. With an unemployment rate before COVID-19 of around 30%, Eswatini is in no position to lose more jobs. I am trying everything in my power to save our business and keep these 380 people employed by using all the available resources that I had at my disposal. Unfortunately these resources are now depleted and I am powerless to change it.
It has taken a lot for me to humble myself to beg for assistance by starting this GoFundMe campaign, but I have decided my pride is worth far less than the lives of my loyal staff, who are in dire straits right now. Every cent that is raised will go to firstly to cover wage to all staff to keep them going until we re-open, and then to cover our expenses that are now past due. Our immediate need is $30 000 and anything we achieve over that will go towards building our own laundry to help make us even more competitive and employ more of the family members of my current staff in Eswatini.
As mentioned, I am embarrassed to do this, as I have never done anything like this before. Under the circumstances I feel that me humbling myself to save my staff and my business, is the least I can do, I am a believer and will not go out without a fight! If I am able to raise the amount I need I cannot begin to tell you what this would mean for these people and myself. Thank You for reading my request. I pray that we may get through this and when we do, we can pay it forward by adding production capacity to manufacture PPE or masks so that we can show our gratitude by making affordable masks available to the people of Eswatini and world at large if need be. I am eternally grateful to you for helping us, and pray that God may Bless You and may God bless America.
Yours Sincerely
Grant Reid
Swazi Africa Textiles
Organizer
Grant Reid
Organizer
Cumming, GA