The Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) through its TotalEnergies EP Uganda Ltd funded project –Culture for Livelihood (CUL) –held its second training in handicraft making and value addition for another set of two groups from Alur and Acholi sub regions.
The three-days training held at Leosim Hotel in Pakwach town was attended by Pakwach Art & Craft Association (PACA) and Can Ber Ki Meyo craft and catering group, bringing the total of the groups so far trained to four. The first training held in December last year also had two women groups: Boomu Women’s Group in Masindi and Tubehamwe Crafts Group in Buliisa.
Handicraft making in Uganda is essentially a cultural, traditional and predominantly cottage industry undertaken mainly by rural women as a way of supplementing household incomes. Tradition has been that master crafts workers handover skills from generation to generation. Due to the widening generation gap, however, this is on the decline. Where master crafts‐workers still exist, their numbers have diminished considerably.
As one of its core activities, the CUL project aims to reactivate the traditions embodied in the handicraft sector and promote environment-friendly methods of using local raw materials available in the country to produce high-quality handicrafts and promote expressions of different cultures.
The Pakwach training attracted 21 participants, who were trained by Skills Centrum Rwenzori to work with sisal, raffia and banana fibers to make earrings, tablemats and wallets for women. The participants were also equipped with knowledge in business management and marketing.
The training was officially closed Mr. Okumu Genaro, the Senior Labour Officer, who represented the District Community Development Officer, Pakwach District Local Government.
In his remarks, Mr. Okumu urged the groups to be committed towards implementing what have learnt.
“These three days were not in vain but I have witnessed and touched the products you made,” he said, adding: “It is important that what you have learnt is not left here but you move to implement the acquired knowledge”.
CUL is a one-year project that aims to empower communities to use culture and arts as a driver for locally-driven development.
Trainees with some of their products, after the training