The women of Kadavu have taken up the production of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) as their new source of income.
This new development was made possible through funding provided by Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation. The funding of this project is aimed at allowing communities to establish and sustain small income generating projects.
During a recent visit to Kadavu, the Minister for Women Dr Jiko Luveni presented the VCO equipment and materials to the women from 4 villages that come under the Sanima district namely Drue, Navuatu, Naikorokokoro and Naivakarauniniu.
While thanking the government officials for their visit to Drue village, the Sanima district women’s representative Mrs Fane Cavalevu said the project will provide a financial boost for the women.
“There are over 50 women in these villages who are mostly depend on fishing, selling handicrafts and also assisting their husbands with subsistence farming to earn cash for their families. In 2011 the women in Sanima district were trained on VCO production by Ministry of Agriculture and since then we had produced VCO but at small scale as we didn’t have the required machines and materials.
“Now with these equipment provided by the Ministry of Women, we will expand our VCO production as there is a good demand for this product, we also receive orders from urban areas. The oil is packed in bottles and sold at prices ranging from $7 to $15. Through this project we aim to uplift the lives of women who face financial difficulties and we are determined to produce finest quality VCO to get a good market price,” Mrs Cavalevu said.
Dr Luveni acknowledged the contribution by the women of Sanima district and encouraged them to make maximum use of the assistance provided.
“I am delighted to be here today, to meet you and present you with these much needed tools that will enable you make use of the resources available to earn income for your families. As women you have great potential to make positive changes in your communities and this is an opportunity opened up by the government- for you women to work together and contribute towards the development of your villages,” Minister Luveni said.
“VCO is a lucrative business in Kadavu as we have plenty of coconuts and also good marketing through hotels that buy our products. The women of Sanima district are grateful to the present government for fulfilling our much awaited request and we thank Madam Luveni for being the first women’s minister who has visited us and her message that women are agents of change has greatly inspired us to work hard and become financially independent,” Mrs Cavalevu added.
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