Merauke – The ganemo leather bag-making training is an initiative of the South Papua Youth, Sports, Tourism and Creative Economy Office to empower Papuan women from four districts: Asmat, Mappi, Merauke, and Boven Digoel. The training lasted for four days. It focused on making bags made from ganemo tree bark, which has market potential outside Papua.
Plt. Head of Tourism and Creative Economy Sidik Weriuw as the Chairperson of the Committee of this activity stated that the purpose of this training is to develop interest and motivate people, especially Papuan women, to engage in entrepreneurship, especially in the production of ganemo leather bags.
The Head of the South Papua Youth, Sports, Tourism and Creative Economy Office, Soleman Jambormias, emphasized the importance of utilizing the Special Autonomy funds that fund this program so that it really provides real benefits, including mentoring and marketing of products, so that they can support the economy of the participants’ families.
“This program must be clear, not just run and must provide benefits, developed. No less important is the need for assistance and marketing so that it can generate money to fulfill family life,” he said.
Meanwhile, Assistant II South Papua, Sunarjo, who opened the training, expressed his appreciation for the implementation of this program as a community empowerment measure. He hopes that the participants can follow the training well and develop these skills to become a source of family income. Papuan bags and noken, such as those produced from this training, have many enthusiasts, even outside Papua.
“This activity is very good, so it is hoped that the participants can follow it well and can be developed as a source of family economic income,” he concluded.