In Santa Mission, Region Three over 30 women have created a centre to
engage in crafting items with local products from their community.
Department of Public Information (DPI) spoke to artisan, Elizabeth
Williams who is a member of the Kamuni Women’s Development
Association. This group of enterprising women is known for their
eye-catching handcrafted items.
Operating in the arts and crafts industry for over thirty years,
52-year-old Elizabeth Williams specializes in making hand fans,
jewellery boxes, bags, fruit bowls and tibisiri skirts with material
from the eta palm tree. She said many tourists are drawn to the
products. “We have the craft centre where we put out our stuff; which
is in the area where Gerry Gouveia has his tourist spot. Whenever the
tourists pass through they have to stop in Santa Mission and they
would purchase craft or whatever they want.”
The mother of five explained that many women in the Santa Mission
area, especially those who are part of the craft centre rely heavily
on their trade to sustain their livelihoods. As such many of them
operate on a daily basis crafting various items.
With a growing membership, Williams calls on the younger generation in
Santa Mission to be proactive and enrol in various skills training
programmes that will ensure they are marketable or can manage their
own ventures.
“What motivates me is the fact of getting my own money. I do not have
to depend on my husband and I always like my own money. I would say to
the young people to stick to quality work because that is what Santa
Mission’s name is for “Quality Standard Work.”
She encourages all Guyanese to buy local and support native artisans
and producers. People can make special orders on 611-2652. Williams
said she foresees the business escalating as new techniques are being
utilized daily.
???????
???????
???????
???????
