The sewing trainer of a recent Tonga Skills training in Tefisi in the far west of Vava’u was impressed with the 23 women who attended her training. She said “this is one of the best groups I have trained as most of them already had basic skills and were helping one another with new ideas and styles. The Puletaha was the most popular item sewn during the training, as the women know they can easily take orders and sell the traditional women’s dress if they have good skills in sewing and design.”

The trainees have formed an association, so they can work together to commercialize their products in the market. Some of them have also decided to open an outlet in Neiafu and to sell their products to the tourist ship visitors coming to Vava’u. All the training activities are designed to help them improve their income. Tonga Skills will provide further training in basic business and financial skills to help these new businesses and the association become established and profitable.

The certificates at the end of the training were awarded by Rev. Penitupou Nafe of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tefisi at the Church Hall. The ceremony was well supported by the whole village and nearby villages who turned up to show their support, as they were pleased to see training from Tonga Skills in this outer area that took into consideration their unique challenges.

 

Tonga Skills is an Australian Government investment, working in partnership with the Tonga Ministry of Education and Training to support inclusive economic growth through skills development in Tonga.