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CFI INDONESIA: PRESENTING NATURE IN ART, ECO-FRIENDLY INNOVATION THROUGH SEWING FOR WOMEN'S GROUPS IN WONDAMA BAY

The eco-printed
The eco-printed 'tote bag' derivative product of the group supported by CFI Indonesia was successfully marketed at Pattimura Airport in Ambon. (4/1/2025)

cfi-indonesia.id. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) continues to promote the economic improvement of fishing households in coastal areas of Indonesia, including Wondama Bay Regency, West Papua Province.  One of these is through sewing capacity building for fisherwomen micro-entrepreneurs in the villages of Aisandami and Menarbu, Wondama Bay Regency. Both villages are the pilot project of CFI-Indonesia GEF 6, which has abundant potential resources in the sea and on land.

CFI Indonesia 6th Cycle GEF Grant Project is a collaboration between MMAF as the executing agency and WWF GEF Agency as the implementing agency focusing on 'The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Eastern Indonesia (Fisheries Management Area (FMA) - 715, 717 & 718). Components A, B and D'.

The activity 'Improving the institutional capacity of fisherwomen of Aisandami and Menarbu villages in Teluk Wondama Regency through sewing training in Aisandami village' is supported by CFI Indonesia GEF 6 grant funding (3/11/2024).

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, through the Directorate of Fish Resources Management (PSDI) of the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries (DJPT), in partnership with the Fisheries Department of Wondama Bay Regency, conducted activities to strengthen the institutional capacity of fisherwomen through sewing training in Aisandami village, Wondama Bay.

The training was attended by 12 people from five women's groups in Teluk Wondama Regency. The activity was held in Aisandami for three days, from 1 to 3 November. The participants are small and micro-entrepreneurs who are pioneers in their business, especially in developing ecoprint batik. It is hoped that through these capacity-building activities, diverse and attractive ecoprint derivative product innovations will be created.  It can also be an alternative livelihood to enhance the role of women in supporting their household economy.

The third training activity facilitated by CFI Indonesia in different locations was also attended by the WWF GEF Agency team, Heike Lingertat, Lead Specialist WWF GEF Agency, and Adrianne Mc Keehan as Safeguard Specialist WWF GEF Agency, representatives from the Public Relations and External Cooperation Office of CTF Siti Hamdiyah and PMU CFI Indonesia. The team's presence at the ecoprint training activities was on the sidelines of the WWF GEF Agency's annual monitoring and evaluation visit to Teluk Wondama Regency.

In his remarks at the opening of the training activities, Aisandami Village Secretary Yohan Kereway, representing the Aisandami Village Government, said that the knowledge provided was very important and expensive, so it should not be used for themselves, but the participants could share this training knowledge with other members who were not directly involved. “Work cohesion and mutual cooperation must continue to be fostered so that in the future there are results or products that can be produced to support the economic needs of their respective families," he said.

Yohan appreciated the implementation of the sewing training activities, which he said had become one of the community's needs, especially in Aisandami Village, which is currently the best tourist village in Teluk Wondama Regency.

WWF GEF Agency team Heike Lingertat and Adrianne Mc, together with MMAF representative Siti Hamdiyah and PMU CFI Indonesia, attended the opening of the sewing training activities in Aisandami Village, Teluk Wondama Regency (1/11/2024).

Adipati Rahmat, Project Manager of CFI Indonesia, shared the importance of the sewing training activities for the coastal women. According to him, this project is designed to open space for alternative livelihood development options, especially for fishermen's wives, to support their household economy. Adipati added that CFI Indonesia had encouraged the development of ecoprint batik in project locations, including the villages of Aisandami and Menarbu. “Women's groups in Aisandami and Menarbu have developed and successfully marketed ecoprint batik, and now it's time to develop derivative products to increase their added value. We plan to help with marketing, including the production of ecoprint derivative products such as tote bags and other products as seminar kits in each meeting facilitated by CFI Indonesia,” said Adipati.

Siti Hamdiyah praised the work of CFI Indonesia and stressed the importance of such empowerment activities in improving the welfare of coastal communities. “Of course, we need to work together with ministries and other agencies to develop the regional economy and coastal communities," said Siti at the opening of the sewing training activities in Aisandami Village.

On the same occasion, MMAF, through CFI Indonesia, handed over 5 units of sewing machines and 1 unit of obras machine to each group to continue the sewing activities in their respective groups.

The participants were taught how to make patterns for clothes, bags, pouches, pillowcases, and hair ties for three days. According to Oktovina Rahametan, one of the participants, the training was excellent. “We can know how to sew bags or tote bags, these bags can help us to reduce the plastic bags we have been using, but the training time is very short, and we have to learn a lot more to tidy up the stitches so that they can be attractive to people," she said at the end of the activity.

Irwan, the trainer who trained the women's group, was pleased with the results of the women's embroidery, even though it was only a three-day training session that was immediately practiced on ecoprint fabric. “The women were very enthusiastic. After the evening training, they immediately put ecoprints on their stitches. Some even sewed directly with fabrics that had gone through the ecoprinting process. It's extraordinary how enthusiastic the women are here,' said Irwan.

The sewing training is a follow-up to the business diversification activity through innovation in eco-friendly ecoprinting, showcasing local art, and creating derivative products such as tote bags, pouches, pillowcases, hair ties, and shirts that are more economical and acceptable to the wider community.

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