Women trial handicrafts marketing in Fiji [1]
Wednesday, August 27, 2014 - 16:52. Updated on Thursday, August 28, 2014 - 10:16.
Three women from the 'Havila ‘o e Funga Mohuefa' Group from Houma in Tongatapu sold over $100,000 (FJD) worth of handicrafts at the Fiji Hibiscus Exhibition on August 18-23.
'Ofa Masila the Assistant Secretary Women’s Affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who accompanied the women to Suva, said the most popular items sold were the beautiful ngatu or tapa cloths and the sets of handmade Tongan bags.
Meliame ‘Ete’aki, Palolo Tupou and Mele Kaveinga Fotu were chosen to represent the group because they were very active in their many handicraft activities in their village, she said.
'Ofa said the total sales of $111,393 (FJD) reflected the success of the Tongan exhibition, the first for a Tongan group to attend.
“One of our core responbilities at Women’s Affairs is to assist in developing and marketing the important handicraft work of the Tongan women because it is their livelihood. Sending these women to this exhibition is one of them,” she said. They aim to get more funds next year so that more women groups can attend the exhibition.
The trip was funded by the New Zealand Government BOSS Program under the Tonga Business Enterprise Centre.