65 Palmyra Handicraft women in Vavuniya and Mannar Districts empowered with 10 days capacity building programme….
As a part of Northern Tourism efforts in creating a sustainable community-based tourism value chain, a project was conducted with selected 04 Palmyra Handicraft making societies in Vavuniya and Mannar Districts to introduce a new product line required to the hotel rooms and restaurants. Plastic consumption in hotels is synonymous with daily life whereas hotel alone use number of amenities such as amenity trays, dustbins, towel trays…. etc. Not only in the hotels, but plastic consumption is also a pervasive reality at all levels in the tourism value chain.
Aligning with the United Nations sustainable development goals as well as the prevailing initiatives taken by the Government of Sri Lanka regarding the reduction of plastic wastage, a systematic process of capacity building programme was conducted by EFECS Project during the month of July 2021 for potential palmyra making women to line up with a sustainable solution through palmyra in collaboration with Northern Province Tourism Bureau and Palmyra Development Board.
The pilot project was focussed on identified 02 Cooperative Societies and 02 Women Societies in Mannar and Vavuniya. Nannatan-Musali Palm Coconut Resource Development Co-Op Society and Natura Palmyra Handicraft Development Society in Mannar district, Nedunkeni Palm Resource Development Coop Society and Aatral Arasi Palmyra Handicrafts Women society in Vavuniya District was selected for this pilot.
65 Palmyra Handicraft Making women participated to this continuous learning programme to improve their managerial as well as the technical capacities. The programme was initiated through a two-day Business Planning & Accounting Training Programme conducted by the Consultants trained by SANASA Campus in Northern Province through a ToT Programme. The ideology behind these two days’ workshop was to provide proper guidance in planning a business more sustainable way using the future tourism opportunities. Four societies prepared four comprehensive business plans using the lessons learnt by this programme.
Palmyra Development Board which is established to develop the palmyra industry took the challenge of providing the capacities for all four societies in terms of colouring, designing, and manufacturing the items required for a hotel room. Accordingly, the Palmyra Development Board in coordination with Northern Province Tourism Bureau jointly conducted a 08-days technical programme for all four societies separately. Programme was conducted under the supervision of Mr. M. B. Loganathan, General Manager, Palmyra Development Board.
“We are really eager to promote these Eco-Friendly palmyra product along with the hoteliers and restaurant chains. This will definitely improve the cultural values of the Northern Hotels as well as a great initiative to reduce plastic waste. Since Northern Tourism is focussing on a Community Based Tourism Approach, this initiative would assist to empower the rural women scattered around cottage industries” said Mr. Stanley Mascarenhas, Chairman Northern Province Tourism Bureau addressing a session in Nedinkerny.
Connecting the palmyra handicraft industry with tourism value chain is a good initiative whereas the Palmyra Development Board would like to conduct more capacity building trainings to further support this important initiative said Mr. Krishantha Pathiraja, Chairman of Palmyra Development Board addressing a tourism sector public gathering in District Secretariat, Jaffna.
Palmyra Development Board was established in 1978 as a Statutory Board established according to the amendment act of no.24 of 1975 under coconut development act of the Government of Sri Lanka. “The Palmyra Board conducts various programmes for the development of the industry in Sri Lanka. Introducing a Tourism Based Product Line is one of the newest initiatives of the Board which could drive a long way” stated Mr. M. B. Loganathan, General Manager, Palmyra Development Board initiating the Vavuniya Training Programme.
Palmyra Development Board used 07 Trainers for this training. Mr. K. Gobarakrishnan,Manager (Extension), Mrs. S. Janarthanan, Manager (Development) and Mrs. T.Bawani Management assistant(specially trained in handicraft) provided a comprehensive knowledge on Palmyra Handicraft Designing for the Hotel and Restaurant Sectors. Four well trained instructors namely Ms. M. Logeswary, P. Jeyalaxmy, T. Rajareka, and I. Uthayathevi conducted the technical training programme in each society.
During the feasibility analysis of this pilot, it was understood that the limited and/or only traditional product range due to lack of innovation and new designs as well as the Poor product quality due to low skills or missing knowledge about tourist expectations have become great barriers for development. Due to the lack of suitable market outlets which are attractive for tourists in Northern Province, it was not highlighted among the travellers. Yet, there are ample opportunities to promote these items by establishing an attractive product counter at the hotels. Connecting with the hoteliers would help to cut the different levels of middlemen and intermediary traders increasing the prices.
Understanding the said challenges, Palmyra Development Board in collaboration with Northern Province Tourism Bureau produced a comprehensive curriculum after investigating the hotel requirements. The training provided the knowledge on designing 10 Tourist Hotel Interior Amenities using palmyra and the scientific methods of colouring suitable for Tourist Accommodations. Workshop focussed on the special techniques in Palmyra Coloration during the technical programme and if focused more on most effective and efficient ways of Palmyra Colouring. The designed 10 products were practically created by the palmyra handicraft makers in all four societies under the guidance of instructors.
“Project is planning to introduce the manufactured products to the hoteliers and restaurant owners in Northern Province inviting them to convert at least one room into plastic free eco-friendly environment”, said Ms. Harshi Abeynayake, Value Chain Officer (Tourism) concluding the sessions in Mannar District.
While reducing the plastic usage, this programme would assist these small-scale SMEs to be focussed on an untapped market. The customer focussed product ranges would reduce the market returns. These kinds of innovations would lead this project to be more focussed on the new markets and create a better brand for sustainability.
Understanding the requirement of introducing proper designs, Palmyra Development Board in collaboration with Northern Province Tourism Bureau introduced 10 amenities that can be marketed among the hotels and restaurants.
Brief knowledge on the purpose of having good designs to market the products were delivered through a workshop on Palmyra Handicraft Designing for all four identified palmyra clusters. Palmyra Development Board developed the design specifications in more organised manner considering the future programmes.
Palmyra Handicraft Designing Workshop for the Members of Aatral Arasi Women Society held on 19th July 2021 with the participation of 16 women handicraft makers.
“Every design usually has to satisfy certain goals and constraints expected by the market. Therefore, understanding the correct methods of designing, colouring and manufacturing will make your products successful” stated Mr. Loganathan attending the inaugural programme in Attral Arasi Handicrafts Women Society.
Mr. Gobala Krishnan, Extension Manager of Palmyra Developemtn Board condusted a detailed presentation about the evolution ot the palmyrah industry in national as well as the international contexts.
The session was addressed by Ms. Gayathri, Research Officer of the Pammyra Develoment Board to explain the technical solutions that are required to prevent from fungal attacks and to keep the quality for long.
Same programme on Palmyra Handicraft Designing was conducted on 14th July 2021 for the 15 members of Nanatan-Muslai Palm Development Co-Op Society by Ms. M.Lokeswary.
Mrs. M. Lokeswary conducting the programme….
Mr. K. Hershanth, welcoming the audience……
Another workshop on Palmyra Handicraft Designing was successfully carried out on 14th July 2021 at Puthkamam Natura Palmyra Handicraft Society with the participation of 15 handicrafts makers.
Participants are getting an understanding about the design brochure……
Mrs. L. Jeyaluxmy delivering the contents on Palmyra Handicrafts Designing….
The workshop on Palmyra Handicraft Designing was conducted on 19th July 2021 to the 20 members in the Nedunkeny Palm Development Cooperative Society by Mrs. I. Udayadevi.
Colouration is one of the key activities of the process of manufactuing palmyra handicrafts. Specially for the tourism industry, the colour combinations are very important. Understanding this context, the second workshop series conducted on the basics of colouration.
Trainers giving the knowledge on proper colouration practices on 20th and 21st July 2021 for the members of Aatral Arasi Women Society in Vavuniya.
Participants getting the knowledge on Basics of Coloration on 15th and 19th July 2021 at Nanatan-Muslai Palm Development Co-Op Society.
Members were given a proper training on cleaning and tearing off the palmyrah leaf. Then the proper methods of colouring was given. The natual colours using the wood peals and beat roots and Marathodi was given to the members by the trainers.
Members of Puthkamam Natura Palmyra Handicraft Society engaged with the training on Basics of Colouration 15th and 19th July 2021.
Women engaged in colour mixing….
The workshop on Basics of Colouration was conducted on 20th & 21st July 2021 to the 20 members in the Nedunkeny Palm Development Cooperative Society by Mrs. I. Udayadevi.
Member clearing the palmyrah leaves for colouring……
Palmyrah Colouring work…….
A women takes the coloured Palmyrah Leaves for drying….
Colouration workshops for Nanatan-Muslai Palm Development Co-Op Society were conducted on 19th and 20th July 2021. The participants were actively engaged with the process,
After the colouration workshops, Palmyra Handicraft makers were given proper knowledge on manufacturing the planned set of hotel room amenities set which consisted with 10 items namely the palmyra table mats, Dustbin, Cloth Bin, Towel Tray, Amenity Tray, Hat, Bed Slippers, Fruit Basket, Menu Card, and tissue box.
Members of Aatral Arasi Society, Vavuniya engaging with Quality Manufacturing Process from 22nd – 28th July 2021
Members creating a Palmyra Cloth Bin and Fruit Basket for a Hotel Room……
Instructor supervising the quality of the work….
Trainer measuring the size of a menu card made by a member….
Members of Nanatan-Muslai Palm Development Co-Op Society engaged with the programme on Quality Manufacturing from 20th – 26th July 2021
A member making a palmyra Dust Bin required for a hotel room…
Members engaged with Palmyra works…..
Members were able to create the best quality output from the training….
Puthkamam Natura Palmyra Handicraft Society was also given a six-day training on Quality Manufacturing from 20th – 26th July 2021
Members engaged in quality manufacturing of palmyra amenities…..
A handicraft worker making a beautiful fruit basket for a hotel room….
Members of the Nedunkeny Palmyra Development Coop Society engaged with a six-day training programme on quality Manufacturing from 22nd – 28th July 2021
Members of the Attral Arasi Women Society in Vavuniya with the products……
Members of Puthkamam Natura Palmyra Handicraft Society with the products…..
Members of the Nanatan-Muslai Palm Development Co-Op Society with the products…
Members of Nedunkeny Palmyra Development Coop Society with the products…