The women and youth of Sawakasa village in Tailevu are determined to use their newly learnt skills on seaweed processing and packaging to venture into commercial seaweed production.
This follows the training of 40 women and youth in Sawakasa last week who were trained on producing food products and skin care items using seaweed.
With the ultimate objective of expanding the seaweed industry in Fiji, specifically targeting women and youth, the training project is currently being facilitated through the collaboration of the Department of Women, Department of Fisheries, Department of Youth and the Ministry for Rural and Maritime Development.
Sawakasa youth coordinator Mr Sitiveni Naqica said that the seaweed training has opened a new pathway for the unemployed youth.
“We are grateful to the government for providing us with this opportunity to learn the skills of seaweed processing. The training has been an eye opener for the villages living around coastal lines to fully use the resources like seaweed as a means of income generating. It is a means of alleviating poverty in the rural communities that depend on natural resources,” Mr Naqica said.
Similarly, Sawakasa Soqosoqo Vakamarama president Mrs Joana Loco, said women will now be able to produce their own cosmetic and skin care products, which will also provide a source of income for them.
“The women are happy that now they can use seaweed to make body lotion, soap, bathing gels and cosmetics which is very healthy for the skin. We don’t have to buy these items any more as we can make these at our homes. The women now have the talents to make all these products for both subsistence and commercial use,” she said.
The Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni acknowledged the Republic of Indonesia for providing the Indonesian experts to enhance the skills in seaweed and also coconut, bamboo craft.
“The Ministry is grateful to the Indonesian government for its strengthened partnership and support to economically empower the women and youth in Fiji. The seaweed experts not only train the people to produce seaweed byproducts but also acquire skills of designing, labeling and packaging for marketing,” Dr Luveni said.
The second training is currently underway at Nagigi, Savusavu and the next training will be held at Mau village in Namosi province.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian expert in Coconut and Bamboo Craft Mr Sulghan Ali is currently facilitating the coconut craft training at the Waiyevo Women’s Resource Centre in Taveuni. Mr Ali will complete his 6 weeks coconut, bamboo craft training in Fiji with a woodcarving workshop to be held at the Fiji Women’s Federation Office in Suva next week.
-ENDS-