Dangriga women become self-employed
News Five was invited to Dangriga to witness a programme that the indigenous women of the town have been involved with to bring some much needed income into the homes of many unemployed women. The programme, which is the product of the Belize Indigenous Institute, BITI, has been greatly welcomed by the residents of Dangriga and as we find out in this next report, the women have already produced several items just in time for the celebrations.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
There are no hard statistics, but there is no shortage of unemployed women in Dangriga. One programme, however, hopes to that situation by equipping the women with some necessary skills to help them earn an income.
Felicia Nunez, Extension Officer, Stann Creek District
“It’s very high. There is a lot of unemployment here for women. Sometimes you make bread, and they don’t sell all the bread. They make panades, journey cakes, they do sewing. Everyone tries to do a little something, in order that they can help themselves. But there is a high rate of teenage pregnancies here, a lot of young people and with no skills at all. We have a lot of single mothers. Where are the fathers to assist these women? So, these women are eager to learn whatever they can do.”
What the women have been doing is a variety of handicraft. Through the assistance of the Belize Indigenous Institute, BITI, eight women have taken the initiative to improve the quality of their lives. But first they had to work on some self-esteem. David Magana, BITI’s chairman says once the women believed that they can make a change, they quickly became comfortable with the programme.
David Magana, Chairman, BITI
“So they have been able to pass that, to be able to show themselves that they can do things, that it can happen through their own willing. All what is in here, is very important not only for showing that the training skills that were carried on is an exit. Also very important is the participation of the people, which was really something very special in itself. They came to be able to show the skills that they have with the encouragement of the person that was giving the training.”
Two years ago BITI was established to specifically help indigenous women make money. The Institute which is made up of the National Garifuna Council, Ketchi Council, Toledo Maya Cultural Council and the Xunantunich Organization introduced the training programme, a first of its kind in the Stann Creek District. Today, the women, who are members of the Dangriga Women Cooperative are optimistic.
Felicia Nunez
“We feel that by doing local design, local patterns and putting it on whatever materials we could do, I feel that we’ll be able to generate more income. We feel that there is a market for cultural design and whatever we do, we’ll be able to sell it, so that the women will be able to make some money.”
The women say the training could not have come at a better time as they are looking forward to having products available for the upcoming September and November celebrations.
Liz Bernadez
“First when I came here, I was invited by Miss Nunez to come and learn so that I could help my family and help myself.”
Grace Higinio
“I know painting. Since screening is a good thing here in Dangriga, we can make good money off it especially for the nineteenth of November and for the tenth of September celebrations too.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So you all have already started doing some work for that celebration?”
Grace Higinio
“We are going to start doing it.”
Felicia Nunez
“Since we started working, people have dropped by and ordered bags, people have said I have some designs home, can we bring it and you can put in on a bag for us and we will pay for the bag? So since it’s just a pilot project, we are just starting, but I think there is going to be a market because we’ll go strictly cultural designs.”
One art the women have learned to master is screen-printing and they believe the technique can bring cash. The women were trained by Celso Guillen, a member of the Dangriga Garifuna Council who lives in Honduras.
Felicia Nunez
“He showed us how to put the silk on the screen, how to stretch it, how to put the paint on it, wash it off, trace the design, transfer it and we use the solar system to have the shadow of the design on the screen. Once that is done, after forty-five seconds, we have to wash it off and the design is on the screen”
Presently, the women work out of the Pablo Lambey Centre on Commerce Street in Dangriga. If you are interested in any of the local handicrafts you can get in touch with them at the centre or call BITI at 07-22545.
