Binga weavers tap into lucrative export market

THE Lupane Women’s Development Trust (LWDT) has offered to assist Binga weavers to market their traditional basketry products to commercially viable markets.

Speaking at a handover ceremony of more than $8 000 realised from the selling of basketry products made by Binga women in Siachilaba in Binga District last week, LWDT manager Mrs Hildegard Mufukare said the organisation had committed itself in assisting the weavers to improve their livelihoods.

“We noticed that weavers in Binga were being exploited by buyers that were profiteering at their expense while they remained impoverished largely due to lack of proper costing.

“We also noted that very few people were prepared to buy basketry products in Binga using cash but resorted to the barter exchange mode of payment,” she said.

“In most instances the weavers are short-changed and thus we partnered with Zubo Trust, which is involved in various women empowerment projects in that area to assist the weavers to get value from their products.”

Mrs Mufukare said that most of the weavers did not have skills to cost their products hence they did not appreciate the real value of their craft.

LWDT trained a substantial number of weavers from Binga on standardizing their basketry products to enhance their attractiveness to viable markets.

“Late last year we trained a number of their (weavers’) trainers because we wanted them to standardize their basketry products and we also encouraged them to weave different sizes and designs. Thereafter, the weavers brought their baskets to us sometime in December (last year) and we managed to sell them to buyers in Mozambique, Holland, Turkey, Mexico and the United States of America for $9 242 and after we took our facilitation percentage we managed to hand over $8 354 to the weavers,” said Mrs Mufukare.

LWDT has over the years managed to realise substantial revenue from exporting their artefacts.

Last year the organisation exported artefacts worth $30 000 while in 2016 it raked about $24 000 from exports. This year it is targeting $58 000.

Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) regional representative for Southern Africa, Mrs Elizabeth Atzinger said the partnership between Binga weavers and LWDT would go a long way towards improving the livelihood of the former. LED is one of LWDT’s main donors.

“We are really looking forward to you having a really strong relationship with LWDT and I think we have started something that is going to surprise you in terms of what you will be reaping out of it.

“They (LWDT) will teach how to do some basic business planning, marketing and a few basic business courses because in essence most of you don’t cost the time you spend. These Tonga identity baskets are actually present at Choma Museum in Zambia and they are being marketed abroad, in USA and Europe because these identity baskets are just unique,” said Mrs Atzinger.

Zubo Trust programmes manager Ms Michito Mudimba said LWDT would play a pivotal role in ensuring that Binga weavers have access to viable markets.

“For these women it’s not about the money. It is all about access to markets because since time in memorial they (women) have been doing basket weaving but there are so many middlemen along the way. People come here and get baskets in exchange for T-shirts or groceries, to me it’s a bit unfair…,” said Ms Mudimba. — @DNsingo.