Skills-training to upgrade abaca handicraft artists
29 Jul '09
2 min read
To deal with the high demands for abaca handicrafts, a skills-training program for abaca weavers and sewers have been conducted by the Development of Trade and Industry in Nabunturan Compostela Valley Province, under the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP).
This town has been recognized for the production of high quality handicrafts from woven abaca fabric. To deliver the orders, of abaca handicrafts, from other parts of the country and even out of country, the Cooperative Handicraft Industry of Nabunturan (CHAIN) was formed.
The abaca handicraft was chosen as the 'One Town One Product' of the town, to penetrate the domestic and overseas markets. But, as the demands for these handicrafts increased, the said cooperative found it difficult to commit and produce bulk orders.
This situation made the cooperative to realize that they need more manpower and additional skills-training in order to upgrade them with modern global trends in abaca weaving. Due to this the group took help from DTI and then enrolled themselves for CLEEP's livelihood training program.
DTI provided skills-training to the weavers and sewers in Nabunturan to provide them benefits, as a result CHAIN has now expanded its membership and can now cater to more orders of abaca handicrafts from abroad.
About 25 women took three day complete skills-training comprising abaca weaving, braiding and assembling variety of items of abaca handicrafts through sewing.