Roxanne Edouard: “I overcame cancer through hand knitting”

Drawing models, giving them life through the magic of threads and needle. That’s what makes Roxanne Edouard happy. This woman entrepreneur, 50, has been a master in hand knitting (crochet) techniques since childhood. Besides being her source of income, she explains how this activity has allowed her to forget all her pains when she was fighting cancer. Roxanne grew up watching her mother, who was a housewife, sewing clothes for people in her surrounding. In fact, it was at the age of 12 that she first handled the needle and within one week, she had learned the technique of sewing. “However, I was particularly attracted to knitting techniques. I quite enjoyed this activity and that is how I decided to specialise in this art,” she says. Even during her schooldays, she would find time to do some knitting. “After Form 5, I had to give up my passion to take up employment in a textile factory. I stayed there for the next 18 years,” Roxanne says. In 2003, however, Roxanne started having health problems. After several diagnoses, she discovered that she was suffering from cancer. And for the treatment, she was admitted for several days in hospital. "One day, while paying me a visit, my mother brought my knitting kit so that I do not feel bored. During my stay at the hospital, I realised that my life centred around knitting and I could not do anything else. Thus I decided to take up this passion once more and also to work from home,” highlights Roxanne. It was not difficult to resume knitting after so many years. “In fact, this activity has helped me to forget my pain. I must say that it is while keeping myself busy with knitting and prayers that I have overcome cancer,” she says. However, she is still doing follow-up treatments. Today, Roxanne works and exposes her products in a shop situated at the Galleries Evershine in Rose Hill. She is a member of an association called 'Femme Entrepreneurs Reunies,' which regroups around 30 women. Besides making clothes or tablecloths of wool, Roxanne offers a touch of added value to towels and bed mats by adding woollen borders. She also makes woollen bags for first communion and baptism. "Today, I can even produce a cradle made from wool or a bunch of flowers," she reveals. She mostly works on orders.

Lack of visibility

In the world of entrepreneurship, says Roxanne, it is important to make yourself known. And this has proved to be quite a challenge. "It's hard for a woman entrepreneur to make her products become popular. We are not valued. There is a lack of visibility and contact with the public. We would like to establish contacts with hotels and also at the regional and international levels,” says the lady. Finance is another major issue. "The price of knitting threads keeps on rising and in addition, every month, we have to pay the rent for the shop. We are 30 women who contribute to this expense,” she states.

Personal life

Wife and mother of two children aged 22 and 16 years respectively, Roxanne says that she is lucky enough to be able to manage both household work and her small business. "I have the support of the whole family, which encourages me to move forward. My daughter helps me tremendously when it comes to marketing on Facebook,” she shares. Moreover, she points out that her work allows her to communicate more with her children and her husband. “This would not have been possible if I would be working somewhere else,” she highlights. Watching TV and playing games on the Internet are her hobbies.

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• Tops: Rs 500 to Rs 900
• Dresses: Rs 900 to Rs 1,500 (depending on models and patterns)
• Tablecloths: Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500
• Small bags for first communion: Rs 35 to Rs 50 per set
• Small bags for baptism: Rs 25
• Complete set clothes for babies: Rs 500 to Rs 900