The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost all businesses across the country. Similarly, weavers of Nagzor_Wooling in Samdrup Jongkhar are facing challenges in the market. Many of the weavers have not been able to sell their products due to the pandemic.
Yangchen Tshomo from Orong Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar has been stacking her finished rachus, table cloths and keras in her cupboard as there has been no demand. If the pandemic had not struck, she says she would have made around Nu 70,000 by now from selling her woven products.
Before the pandemic, Yangchen took most of her goods to Thimphu as well as to the neighbouring Indian town of Mela Bazaar. However, with Samdrup Jongkhar now declared a high-risk area and the border gates closed as well, she is facing difficulty finding customers.
“We used to make around Nu 15,000 to 20,000 every month from selling clothes. But now it is difficult. We don’t get any orders. COVID-19 has affected us a lot. Even if we weave the products, we can’t sell them,” she said.
Like her, weaving is one of the main sources of income for other villagers in Nagzor_Wooling chiwog of Orong Gewog.
“Compared to the past few years, our business has gone down a lot. Earlier, local shopkeepers here would take all our products, but now they don’t as they can’t go anywhere to sell it,” said Nima Chenzom, a weaver in Orong Gewog.
“We used to sell our products to the handicraft shops in Thimphu. In a year, I would earn around Nu 300,000 from weaving. This is my main source of income,” added Animo, also from Orong.
Despite the struggle, the weavers of Nagzor_Wooling continue their weaving with the hopes that one day the business will return to normal.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
