A total of sixty participants from the districts of Macuata Qoliqoli Cokovata have successfully completed a week-long training for women’s economic empowerment.

This was held at the chiefly village of Naduri, Macuata.

The training also promotes gender balance and the skills to utilize available resources.

Pacific Women’s Economic Empowerment Program (PACWEEP) Director Angie Niumataiwalu says that the training allows rural women and youths to gain knowledge and skills for business ideas and to be economically independent to generate income.

“So far I have seen that they are already skilled, but we just need to upgrade those skills up to a market level. So we see the quality of the work they do, which they can use to support men in village settings as such.”

Amongst the women were two male participants, Jonasa Matakibau and Ropate Togamalo, who are excited about their new skills attained, which are sewing and jewelry making.

They are also an inspiration to men who need to change their mindset of the skills being only female-oriented.

The economic empowerment training includes fabric art, jewelry making, contemporary weaving, and tailoring.