Women in Vanuabalavu, Lau, should be encouraged to sell their handicrafts as an additional source of income. The Vanuabalavu Expo demonstrated the potential of this initiative, helping several women earn more money in just three days.
Daulako Mavoa of Boitaci Village was among those who benefited from the expo. “Women have the skills and capabilities to succeed with their handicraft skills,” she said. “We saw many women displaying their woven baskets, mats, and other handicraft items, which helped earn money for their families over the past three days.”
Ms. Mavoa emphasized the importance of platforms like the Vanuabalavu Expo to showcase the talents and skills of Vanuabalavu women. She suggested that more efforts should be made to train these women to improve their handicraft skills.
“I earned more than $300 from selling coconut oil, sasa brooms, and baskets made from coconut leaves,” she said. “We have a lot of natural resources on the island. What is needed is to train these women on how to enhance their knowledge in handicraft skills by using these natural resources.”
The three-day event, where various handicrafts and products such as coconut oil were sold, ended yesterday.
Ms. Mavoa is a mother of three, two of whom work in Viti Levu while one lives on Vanuabalavu. Her children have been supportive of her participation in the expo, helping with the necessary expenses.
“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 came in their different kalavata, which was wonderful to see.”
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