Establishing a 'bamboo and rattan weaving' group to preserve traditional crafts, women earn extra income to support their families

June 18, 2024 | 11:59

TPO - Facing the risk of the village's traditional craft being lost, a bamboo and rattan weaving group in Nghi Phong commune (Nghi Loc, Nghe An ) was established with 15 members to create beautiful household and decorative products that attract buyers.

In Nghe An, the weaving craft used to thrive in many districts such as Nghi Loc, Quynh Luu, and Yen Thanh. However, in recent years, the handicraft villages have fallen into disrepair due to the shrinking output market.

About 15 years ago, the bamboo and rattan weaving profession in Phuc Tho commune (Nghi Loc district, Nghe An) also developed very strongly. Some places became famous craft villages, people opened many workshops that were active day and night. “More than ten years ago, almost every house did the craft. Many weaving classes were opened to train women and young people. However, after only a few years, the market was limited, products were difficult to sell, leading to workers having no income. Production households gradually shrank and disappeared,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngan (born in 1976, resident of hamlet 10, Phuc Tho commune, Nghi Loc district) shared, adding that the production households then changed jobs to find new jobs.

Faced with the risk of her hometown's traditional craft being lost, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan (64 years old, resident of Hamlet 10, Phuc Tho Commune) mobilized women in the hamlet to gather into a "Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Group" and together preserve and develop the craft.

After a period of mobilization, from a small group of people, the bamboo and rattan weaving group now has 15 members who are regularly active. It is expected that in the near future, many members who are learning the profession will join the group to maintain the profession, produce together and earn more income for the family.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan said that her group often weaves household items or home and cafe decorations such as lanterns, baskets, and decorative lights of all kinds.

To have the raw materials, people used to have to cut bamboo, find it, split it into thin strips and then weave it. However, nowadays, the raw materials are imported from Que Phong and Quy Chau districts and there are machines to do it for them, so the workers have less trouble.

To make products that are even, beautiful, and the right size, the craftsmen will use wooden molds and iron rings to make frames.

The workers then weave according to the frame. Although the work is not hard and tiring, it requires the weaver to be skillful and meticulous in every detail to create a beautiful product.

From the skillful hands of the craftsman, unique decorative lamps are born.

Each finished product is sold for between 40,000 and 80,000 VND. Each day, a person can weave between 8 and 10 products. After deducting the cost of materials, electricity..., each person's income is between 200,000 and 250,000 VND/day.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh (61 years old) shared: “Since grade 6, my mother taught me the craft of weaving. But there was a time when I couldn’t sell my work, so I quit my job and went to the market to sell. Now that I have established a group, I go to the market during the day and in the evening I come to do more weaving. On average, I earn an extra 5-6 million VND per month, which helps me have more money to support my family.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - President of the Women's Union of Phuc Tho commune said that the bamboo and rattan weaving group in the commune operates very effectively and creates extra income for many women at home in their spare time. "The input materials are already made by machines, so it is very convenient. Women just need to take them home and make them in their spare time to earn extra income. The products are increasingly diversified and beautiful, so they are favored by customers," Ms. Huong shared.

Ngoc Tu

Source: https://tienphong.vn/lap-to-may-tre-dan-de-giu-nghe-truyen-thong-chi-em-kiem-them-thu-nhap-nuoi-gia-dinh-post1647258.tpo