Razouvolie Dozo, Tiakala Ao, and others after laying the foundation stone for the Common Facility Centre on August 27. (Photo Courtesy: NEN)
Chizami, August 27 (MExN): A first of its kind in Nagaland, ‘Li Cheh Kro Weavers Producer Company Limited,’ owned by women weavers of Phek district was launched on August 27 at NEN Resource Centre, Chizami. The women weavers are from Chizami, Thetsumi, Enhulumi, Mesulumi, Sumi villages and Chizami Town under Chizami Block.
According to a press release from the NEN, the Producer Company (PC) was launched in the presence of Phek Deputy Commissioner Razouvolie Dozo and General Manager, Regional Office, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Tiakala Ao. The event was attended by over 200 attendees including government officials, village leaders, NGOs, CBOs and members of the PC.
During the launch, State Coordinator (Interim) for NEN Rhondeni Kikon shared that North East Network (NEN) as the Producer Organisation Promoting Institution (POPI), supported by NABARD will focus on the formation and nurturing of the PC in the next 3 years. It is NEN’s aspiration that Li Cheh Kro Weavers Producer Company Limited will pave the way in forming larger collectives in the coming years, she said.
Through this partnership with NABARD, Kikon stated that NEN aims to build weavers’ collective institutions to promote self-reliance. It seeks to nurture women weavers’ leadership and capacity as owners and managers of their enterprise and envisages the Weavers’ Producer Organisation to act as a platform to market hand woven textile products and enhancing the economy of local communities.
In his address, DC Dozo acknowledged the collaborative effort of NEN and NABARD for facilitating and funding the venture and underlined the need to “look beyond the preservation and promotion of our culture by focussing on skills development and capacity building.” We also need to produce quality products, collaborate with designers, and create marketing linkages to move towards the right direction of self-reliance, the release stated, quoting the DC.
At the launching event, Tiakala Ao, GM NABARD Dimapur, remarked that the launch of the Li Cheh Kro Weavers Producer Company “is a red-letter day for not just its members but for all Naga women, who have been preserving and protecting our cultural heritage through weaving.” Indicating that the tradition of weaving is dying with fewer and fewer women carrying it forward in the last several decades, she highlighted the need to take firm steps to support the weaving tradition and make it a sustainable livelihood by providing appropriate capacity building trainings such as entrepreneurial and managerial skills, building collectives to leverage their income, etc.
“Through this partnership with NEN I hope to see our women weavers rise to take the rightful place they so deserve and not just become successful entrepreneurs but successful preservers of our cultural heritage,” she added.
A weaver and member of the Board of Directors, Koneiu Lohe said that the launch of the PC was a landmark achievement for her and the other weavers. Accentuating the significant role of NEN and Chizami Weaves in building the leadership capacities of weavers besides providing a platform to earn their livelihood, Lohe called on the NEN, NABARD and diverse stakeholders to extend continued support in taking the Producer Company forward to greater heights.
As per the release, VDB Secretary of Chizami village Colo Mero lauded NABARD for believing in NEN and the community and for taking the conscious decision to invest in this area which will greatly benefit not just the women weavers but also will touch many homes. “Initiating, nurturing and handing over an organisation to the weavers is a big testimony of NEN,” he noted, while encouraging the members of the PC to take full ownership in taking it forward.
Post- launching event, a session on ‘Team Building & Leadership Development’ was facilitated by Seno Tsuhah, Honorary Member, NEN. She reiterated the vision for the formation of the Producers’ Company and stressed on the importance and power of working together as a collective, the release stated.
Li Cheh Kro Weavers Producer Company Limited has 5 Board of Directors and 5 members elected from amongst the weavers. A Project Monitoring and Review Committee (PMRC) has been constituted comprised of representative from NEN, senior officer of NABARD, Nagaland Regional Office, DDM of Phek, Lead District/Local Banker, District Industries, and OFPO Board Member. The PMRC will meet at least once in every quarter, to review the progress of the project, guide the execution and make recommendation for release of grant to POPI/OFPO at the end of every quarter, the release informed.
The DC also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) at NEN Resource Centre which was followed by an exhibition of Chizami Weaves at the VTC Hall in NEN campus, it stated.
