Women in Vanuabalavu, Lau, should be encouraged to sell their handicrafts as an additional source of income.
Following the Vanuabalavu Expo, several women managed to earn more money over a span of just three days. Daulako Mavoa of Boitaci Village on Vanuabalavu was among those who gained financially from the expo.
“Women have the skills and capabilities to thrive by utilizing their handicraft skills,” Mavoa said. “We saw many women displaying their woven baskets, mats, and other handicraft items, which helped them earn some money for their families over the past three days.”
Mavoa emphasized the importance of platforms like the Vanuabalavu Expo to showcase the talents and skills of Vanuabalavu’s women. She noted that more efforts are needed 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,” she shared. “We have a lot of natural resources on the island. All that is needed is to train these women to further enhance their knowledge in handicraft skills by utilizing these natural resources.”
Mavoa, who has three children—two working in Viti Levu and one living on Vanuabalavu—credited her children for their support in her participation at the Expo. “They helped pay for my kalavata and other items needed to craft goods for the Vanuabalavu Expo. I enjoyed participating in this expo and meeting other women from the 17 villages of Vanuabalavu, each donning their unique kalavata, which was really nice to see.”
The three-day event concluded yesterday.