Finding markets for bilum makers

 By SHIRLEY MAULUDU

PAPUA New Guinean women who have been faced with issues of marketing and selling their bilums outside of the country can now use assistance from International Trade Centre (ITC) for the market of their product.

This was made possible through understanding reached between the Government, through Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation (SMEC) and ITC, the Switzerland-based agency jointly formed by the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation. 

Senior officer with ITC women and trade programme Torek Farhadi said the project would earn PNG bilum weavers more money as they sold to international buyers. SMEC acting managing director Henry Marasembi said the idea was to facilitate integration of women’s producer groups into formal sector and access export markets.

“We are excited about this project as it will definitely help most of our bilum weavers throughout the country to have access to their products.”

He said the initiative was aimed to connect supply side of value chain with its demand end, delivering marketing strategies and creating awareness of the products, fostering trade.  

Marasembi said Western Highlands and Eastern Highlands had well established bilum producers and so were chosen as first two provinces to pilot the project.

He said a team from ITC and SMEC together with international designers completed surveys in those provinces, which sponsored training workshops for women producer groups to gain skills in design, quality and export development.

“Selection of bilum groups would be based on results from the scoping mission and the team will proceed to first phase of project which is to register producer groups,” Marasembi said.

Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru had earlier said the bilum project would be funded by ITC at a cost of US$3 million (K6.7 million) with additional funding support from the Australian Government.