With the cyclone season drawing near, Labasa women handicraft vendors have embarked on a mission to be better prepared.

Mareta Sala Tagivakatini, a former president of the Labasa Market Vendors Association says women are going out of their way to collect handicraft materials before November for their festive sales.

“We look forward to selling during the festive season as there would be many functions including traditional programmes where people would want to buy mat,” she said.

“With two months remaining we have taken up the challenge to work hard to earn as much as we can instead of sitting down at the centre and waiting for our supply.”

Ms Tagivakatini who is also the president of the Ex-Military Wives

Macuata branch and member of Transcend Oceania network talked about their work during a meeting with the Global Fund for Women in Labasa last Thursday.

Ms Tagivakatini says they are victims of climate change.

She said there were about 26 handicraft vendors in Labasa and they depended on Pandanus leaves (voivoi) from the coastal areas of Udu Point, in Macuata, Tawake District and Yasawa Island.

The pandanus trees grown near the coastal area have soft leaves compared to the trees grown inland, she said.

“Before we used to get pandanus leaves supply on a weekly basis but after Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 and TC Yasa in 2019, we receive supply after every three months,” she said.

She said apart from the trees destroyed by the cyclones, they were also affected by the rise in sea level and coastal erosion.

Moreover, the supply of Masi materials from Karoko in Cakaudrove was also affected by climate change.

“Before the supply was continuous and we used to get like six by four feet for $50,” she said.

Now there is an increase to $80 to $100.

Global Fund for Women president and chief executive officer Latanya MappFrett thanked Ms Tagivakatini for sharing her views.

She said Global Fund was proud to support the important work of Transcend Oceania in the fight to fuel collective action and create meaningful positive change that will last beyond our lifetimes.

A certificate of recognition was handed to Transcend Oceania acknowledging their support for local peace building work and connect- ing local climate action globally.

Feedback: shratikan@fijisun.com.fj