Local people mainly women share the project including meeting, survey, training, study tour and support some raw material for implement activities , local government authority also support the place to facilitate program.
Mostly of participants of this project are women, women in the north of Lao closely with sericulture and weaving this activity local women participant more than 90%. So, the income from activity help target group have more participate for alleviation poverty for their family.
Capacity - Building Component
Project team organize training emphasis on capacity building local people to be trainer course training focus in natural dyeing, safely handing of chemical dye and optimization of chemical dye. The study tour for sericulture can support their idea fo implemented in their area.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
The financial management need to improve to assist project have precise and trust.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
The natural color Lao women in rural area have experience in long time for their weaving mainly indigo color and other color as well. This project support local women Parkngeum to review their experience.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
This project support local people at Pakngeum for getting families income through the activities of handicraft weaving those activities involve natural color dye, they apply raw material what they can product by themselves including silk, cotton and raw material for natural dye. People use natural color it save their health and preservation environment particularly biodiversity on land and river. Local raw material from target village can supply to the textile company it make income to villagers.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
This project will be known through the project meeting, marketing of their products and other information that outsider who motivating natural color.
Project Results
This project had undergone problems cause by the Government due to their policy supporting banana planting project to be exported to Vietnam. Government require the same area where this project had planted indigo. Therefore, all the area of indigo garden was plowed and other kinds of natural color raw material was also destroyed. Consequently, the target area was moved to Pakngeum district and the project was restarted again. In the new area, some part of the planting was flooded during rainy season. All activities need to be restarted for the new area so the project need to be extended till March 2012. In addition, villagers can make plan in planting different kind of raw materials for natural colour, indigo colour had been review and is ready to be marketed. People contacted market network in the city especially handicraft shops in Vientiane and have ordered dye silk yarn from target group.
Currently, activities completed involved introductory meeting of the project to the governor of Pak Ngum District at the district office. The meeting was attended by district commerce, district land officer and Governor of Pak Ngum. The purpose of the meeting is to introduce the activities of the project to the relevant authorities. A project committee was also established to be responsible for the project implementation and project policy for all stakeholders. Resulting from two meetings, the district governor appointed two representatives of the district DAFO (District Agriculture and Forestry Office) and the Lao Women's Union. The representative of the district commerce and industry was made as steering committee for the project.
Seminars and trainings were conducted to strengthened awareness of communities and 132 participants which include 17 village authorities. Seminars on negative impacts of chemical dyeing, a study tour at weaving factory, dyeing and marketing visit and also promote networking between weavers. These trainings and seminars enable villagers to understand different types of natural colour plants that can be grown in their backyard. During the visit marketing network between producers and costumers in Chinda Silk Company was established. The plantation trial plots were also initiated at each village especially for indigo colour dye. Overall, the outcome of the project activities solicit increase awareness on negative impacts of chemical dye and its potential effect on the environment.
In addition, numerous planting plots of colour plants and mulberry plant was completed and estimated to be about 2.5 hectares. Communities realized that using natural colour is more economical as it is cheaper than the chemical dye. Weaving with natural coloring increases the incomes of farmers as it can be grown in their garden. The project targeted approximately 208 people and 9 families all of which have direct or indirect involvement in the project.
