Tamenglong villagers set up handicraft centre
KanglaOnline, IndiaÂ
The Imphal Free Press
Tamenglong , June 22 : In an effort to improve their socio-economic condition, villagers in Manipur`s Tamenglong district have set up a handicraft centre, making the optimum use of abundantly available fine quality cane and bamboo.
Built by villagers, the handicraft centre has been under the supervision of Tamenglong Bamboo and Cane Development Centre (TAMBAC).
Since 2003, a group of 10 craftsmen in Tamenglong district regularly create some of the finest handicraft items made of bamboo and canes.
These people make many useful and decorative novelties made out of cane and bamboo. Among them baskets and mats are the most popular items in this category.
“We make a lot of things such as baskets, fishing equipments and many more. With this, each person earns around 80 rupees per day,” said Ahui Kamei, a craftsman.
J. Durai, Programme Officer, Tambac said that their project mainly focuses on the bamboo and cane as a resourceful tool providing opportunities to the villagers to improve their socio-economic status and quality of life.
“In our project, we focus on a variety of areas including the capacity building of the people, training, awareness creation, setting up industries, providing them with the technology, organising the community into groups and linking them to the bank and helping them in setting enterprises. It is done so that they become economically sustainable over a period of time,” said Durai.
Durai adds that is only after taking a view of existing market trends that they impart training to the craftsmen.
“Before we give training, we study the market and the market trends. Based only on these trends, we provide them training. We also participate in the international, national as well as local trade fairs and bring the market avenues for the products that are produced here,” Durai added.
The traditional and newly designed commodities made here have been exhibited in many exhibitions that include Dilli Haat exhibition (2003), Pune Haat exhibition (2004) and the Bamboo Expo (2004) of the VII World Bamboo Congress in the metrocities of the country.