65-year-old widow sells baskets to support family

**Mactil Tarai from Vunalaka selling her coconut leaves- woven baskets at the Kokopo Page Park on Friday. –Nationalpic by ROSELYN ELLISON**

A 65-YEAR-OLD widow from Vunalaka ward in the Burma area of Rabaul, East New Britain is selling the popular Tolai baskets as a means of earning an income to support her family.
Mactil Tarai started selling the baskets woven from coconut leaves since 2002.
Tarai told The National on Friday at Kokopo Page Park Market that she earned good money from selling the baskets.
She earns around K150 to K200 per day.
Tarai said the baskets were on high demand, especially by local and international tourists.
She said what she earned from her sales helps to pay her son’s school fees.
“I am earning good money from selling baskets and I want to encourage other women and widows like me to start selling baskets at the market,” Tarai said.
She said she is planning to sell her baskets out of ENB.
Tarai sells her baskets between the price range of K2 to K10 according to their sizes and the baskets are for both male and female.