Australia supports local community of artisans to improve livelihoods

Australia has supported a series of training workshops to assist 35 jewellery artisans in New Ireland Province to improve their livelihoods and food security.

The training in handicrafts and jewellery-making using mother of pearl was delivered by Australian Business Volunteer Sue McCuaig to the Nusalik community as part of an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project supporting the development of the pearl industry in the Western Pacific.

Ms McCuaig has completed workshops on Nusalik Island and Nago Island using materials provided through the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program.

Ms McCuaig said the assistance has enabled the artisans, most of whom are women, to learn new skills to increase their income generating opportunities from selling shell jewellery to tourists by improving quality and economic value, and to use sustainable production methods.

“They have already been making jewellery for years but it has been sparking their ideas and trying to inspire and then hone what they have done, that is what I have been trying to do,” she said.

Lucy Victor, who attended some workshops at Panakonda village in Nusalik Island, said: “The training has been very good because it has shown me skills and new ways of doing things that I have never done before.”

Artisan William Kepas said: “Before we used to rely on fishing for an income but today it is this handicraft business that pays our children’s schools fees and other basic needs. Sue’s training helped us a lot, we learnt some new designs and have been challenged to do things differently from what we would normally do. A lot of people are buying the new designs we have created through this training.”

Ms McCuaig hosted a design competition to find the top three designers on the island and the artisans held a jewellery market at the Kavieng Hotel to showcase their designs.

Ms McCuaig’s engagement was facilitated by De’arne Kershler an Australian Volunteer for International Development (AVID) volunteer and builds on work being undertaken by ACIAR to provide long term transferrable skills to community members and to promote alternate livelihoods to coastal communities.