Women in Vanuabalavu, Lau, should be encouraged to sell their handicrafts as an additional source of income. This follows the success of the Vanuabalavu Expo, where several women earned extra money over just three days.
Daulako Mavoa from Boitaci Village was among those who benefited from the expo. “Women have the skills and capabilities to thrive using their handicraft skills,” she said. “We saw many women display their woven baskets, mats, and other handicraft items, which helped them earn money for their families over the past three days.”
Mavoa highlighted the importance of platforms like the Vanuabalavu Expo to showcase the talents and skills of Vanuabalavu’s women. She stressed the need for more training to help these women improve their handicraft skills.
“I earned over $300 from selling coconut oil, sasa brooms, and baskets made from coconut leaves,” Mavoa stated. “We have abundant natural resources on the island. All that’s needed is training to help these women enhance their knowledge of handicraft skills using these resources.”
Mavoa has three children, two of whom work in Viti Levu while one lives on Vanuabalavu. Her children supported her participation in the Vanuabalavu Expo. “They helped pay for my kalavata and other items needed to make my crafts for the expo. I enjoyed being part of this event and meeting other women from the 17 villages of Vanuabalavu, who wore their different kalavata, which was really nice to see.”
The three-day event concluded yesterday.