Women in Vanuabalavu, Lau, should be encouraged to sell their handicrafts as an additional source of income. This initiative follows the Vanuabalavu Expo, which helped several women earn more money in just three days.
Daulako Mavoa of Boitaci Village was among the women who benefited from the expo. “Women have the skills and capabilities to excel using their handicraft skills,” she said. “We observed many women displaying their woven baskets, mats, and other handicraft items, which helped earn some money for their families during the past three days.”
Ms. Mavoa highlighted the importance of platforms like the Vanuabalavu Expo to showcase the talents and skills of the women of Vanuabalavu. She emphasized the need for more efforts to train these women to enhance their handicraft skills.
“I earned more than $300 from selling coconut oil, sasa brooms, and baskets made from coconut leaves,” Ms. Mavoa explained. “We have a wealth of natural resources on the island. All that’s needed is training to further enhance the women’s knowledge in handicraft skills by utilizing these resources.”
Mrs. Mavoa has three children, two of whom are working in Viti Levu and one who lives on Vanuabalavu. Her children have been supportive of her participation in the Vanuabalavu Expo. “They helped pay for my kalavata and other items needed to make my crafts to sell at the expo. I enjoyed being part of this event and meeting other women from the 17 villages of Vanuabalavu. It was really nice to see everyone in their different kalavata.”
The three-day event concluded yesterday.
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