Handicrafts of women’s group Bellapeska
door Kathrin Pape
I already met Ibu Ijte Kaikatuy for a few times to see the handicrafts of the women around Manokwari. Ibu Kaikatuy just got elected to be the ketua of the women program for the 49 churches in the area. She is going to be the leader of the group at least for the next 5 years till 2017 and she is really eager to help the women who are unemployed, widows, women who couldn’t finish their school education or who just want to gain a little income on the market.
There are different groups, each consisting of 6 to 20 women. Most of the times there are a lot more women helping out though.
I met the women of Wosi, Aipiri, Mansinam, Manyosi, Sion Sanggeng and Taman Ria Rendani. At this moment, the earnings they make from the handicrafts are not enough for living. They make handicrafts for weddings, make souvenirs and also take orderings from the UNIPA (university), for weddings or souvenirs to take to other parts of Indonesia..
The women are eager to learn more and to develop new techniques so they can make other products. Their current collection of handicrafts consists of things like necklaxes, woven baskets, bags and broches made from old plastics, earrings made from wood and many, many other things.
