On the coast of Laha Village, Ambon City, a group of resilient women is driving remarkable change. They are part of Mahina Laha, a micro-enterprise group that utilizes the art of ecoprinting to empower fisherwomen while enriching Maluku's cultural identity. With support from GEF6 CFI Indonesia, this group is founded and has proven that creativity and perseverance can serve as innovative solutions for economic empowerment and environmental sustainability.

The Journey of Mahina Laha

Negeri Laha is known as a coastal area that relies on the fishing and tourism sectors. However, the dependence on the fishing season often creates economic uncertainty for the community, especially for fisherwomen. Recognizing its potential, GEF6 CFI Indonesia initiated the establishment of Mahina Laha with the goal of developing an ecoprint-based business as an environmentally friendly economic alternative. Ecoprint, a fabric dyeing technique using natural colors from leaves and flowers, was chosen as it aligns with the concept of sustainable tourism.

From August 14 to August 16 of 2024, Mahina Laha held its first ecoprint training, featuring guest speakers from Zie Batik Semarang, namely Mr. Marheno Jayanto and Ms. Sasi, the owners of Zie Batik Semarang. This training marked the beginning of their journey in developing unique, high-artistic-value, and sustainable local products.

Sintawati, Secretary of the Mahina Laha Group, expressed her appreciation and gratitude. According to her, the ecoprint batik training facilitated by GEF6 CFI Indonesia has brought new hope to the women of Laha Village. She sees ecoprint batik as a new business opportunity that can be developed in her village. "We will continue to develop ecoprint batik because it has great potential, especially since Laha Village has been designated as one of the tourism villages in Ambon City," said Sintawati.

Product Innovation and Empowerment

Since its establishment, this group has participated in various capacity-building programs, including sewing training, the implementation of a community-based approach for fisherwomen, and tourism mentoring for MSMEs. Additionally, they actively engage in various promotional events, such as exhibitions, digital marketing through social media, and direct marketing to both domestic and international tourists.

Mahina Laha's products are now available at strategic locations, such as Baileo at Pattimura Airport in Ambon City and Space Island Resort. Over the past six months, they have achieved a revenue of IDR 13 million, demonstrating the strong market appeal of their products. Furthermore, they have conducted an ecoprint training using the pounding technique in collaboration with the “Dharma Wanita Persatuan” of Ambon Customs. The training was attended by 20 participants, each contributing a fee of IDR 100,000.

Challenges and Hopes

Mahina Laha’s journey has not always been smooth. The main challenges they face include limited raw materials in Ambon and internal group dynamics. However, they continue to strengthen their solidarity and build mutual trust to grow into an independent, reputable, and widely recognized business group.

The leader of Mahina Laha acknowledges that the group's progress today is inseparable from the support of CFI Indonesia. "We sincerely hope that the support from GEF6 CFI Indonesia will continue so that this group can further develop in production, marketing, and training for more women in Maluku," said Maliha.

Impact and Recognition

Mahina Laha’s hard work has yielded remarkable results. Negeri Laha secured the third place in the National Developing Tourism Village category at the 2024 Indonesian Tourism Village Awards (ADWI), which was organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. This achievement not only brought pride to Desa Laha but also proved that community-based economies can serve as a pillar for regional development.

The Deputy for Resources and Institutions at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Martini Mohamad Paham; the Director of Destination Management, Florida Pardosi; ADWI 2024 jury members, Vindek Tengker and Madeine Sophie; the Acting Mayor of Ambon, the Head of the Ambon City Fisheries Office, the Head of the Ambon City Tourism Office, representatives from Basarnas, Pertamina, and the Head of Angkasa Pura 1 Ambon were among those visited the GEF 6 CFI Indonesia Fostered Group. Martini expressed her appreciation for the ecoprint products made by the women of Laha. She and her delegation even purchased several ecoprint batik products from the Mahina Laha batik group during the ADWI 2024 assessment in Negeri Laha, Ambon City.

The Future of Mahina Laha

As market demand continues to grow, Mahina Laha plans to expand its marketing network and establish partnerships with more institutions. Their product range is becoming increasingly diverse, including ecoprint batik fabric for clothing, scarves, hijabs, tote bags, and ecoprint-patterned tumblers. These products have been showcased on various occasions and have received positive recognition, even internationally through the Global CFI network.

As a continuously growing community, Mahina Laha is a testament to how women's empowerment can create a significant economic and social impact. They not only uplift the livelihoods of coastal women but also contribute to preserving local culture through the art of ecoprint. With ongoing support and an unyielding spirit, Mahina Laha will continue to inspire Maluku and Indonesia, proving that great change can begin with the creative hands of coastal women.