If they were set to work to make clothes it might serve a double purpose of giving them occupation and the power of earning a little money, and it would also ensure the clothes being made sufficiently large.
Miss Hobhouse says people in England have very incorrect notions of the magnificent proportions of the Boer women.

Blouses which were sent from England intended for women could only be worn by girls of twelve and fourteen; they were much too small for the well-developed Boer maiden, who is really a fine creature.

Could a woman's out-out size be procured?
It must be remembered that when Miss Hobhouse saw the Camps for the first time it was in January, the hottest month in the South African year; the difficulty of getting supplies along a single line of rail, often broken by the enemy, was very great.

The worst of the Camps she saw was at Bloemfontein, and the worst features of this worst Camp were: "1.

Water supply was bad.
"2.