Anne sells handicraft to help her people

By CLARISSA MOI
A NNE Iauka lives away from home but her arms are not too short to help her people in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
She runs her small Anka Crafts business in Port Moresby to sell handicraft sent to her by women in AROB. They include baskets, hats, bags, trays, bowls and mats women weave at home.
“When I started, I was buying from just a few weavers in Siwai district. But now I am buying from women in Bana and Kieta in Central Bougainville.
“Our popular eco-friendly handmade craft include varieties of baskets, bags, hats, trays, bowls, hot pot mats, coasters and fans.
“Other special items we can source upon a customer’s request include grass skirts, shell money, mortar and pestles for making our popular traditional dish tamatama.”
Anne, 49, is the eldest in a family of eight from Siwai.
She believes she is doing a great service to her people by providing a market for the items they weave. The money she sends back to them is helping a lot of families pay school fees and medical expenses. The families are able to cater for their daily needs at home too.
Anne believes that the best way to help people in the villages is to educate them to be involved in income-generating activities rather than depending on handouts.
“Rather than sending money to relatives which encourages a free handout mentally, this activity assists in changing mindsets, engaging villagers in income-generating activities.”
Anne works as a professional development trainer with a big company in Port Moresby. She operates her small business on the side – after office hours and on weekends.
It requires a lot of discipline which she learnt a lot about while studying at university.
A combination of interest in handicraft and culture and a desire to help her fellow Tonu villagers in Siwai district, Southern Bougainville forced her to be part of the small-medium enterprise sector.
“I grew up in the village and every day we use a wide range of baskets, storage containers, nets and ropes all made out of tree barks, coconut leaves, pandanus leaves, canes, vines and bamboo.
“They are useful in our daily activities of harvesting and carrying garden food, going to school, church, fishing and leisure events.
“Secondly, I promote traditional and contemporary eco-friendly handmade craft, which are part of my culture and identity. I want to be in a business activity that preserves our culture.”
She started selling items from Bougainville at the Pom City market in 2018. Anka Craft has grown and become popular since.
She sells to customers at the market and through her networking to duty free shops, hotel shops plus other small-medium businesses in bulk.
In 2019, Anne started selling Bougainville handicraft to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Tonga. She plans to expand her business over the next five years by selling in bulk to resellers and promote the items on the international market and through online sales.
“I strongly feel that it is important for people like me to empower rural people generate income to pay school fees, health expenses and other family needs.”
Good on you, Anne.