Weaving bags and baskets out of plastic wastes is gaining popularity in the country. In Trongsa too, about a hundred women are now into the business. It has become so popular that some of them in the district are running short of plastic wastes today.
Chogyal Lhamo, 44 from Nubi Gewog in Trongsa is a trainer and the founder of the firm, Women Recyclers. She trains fellow women to weave baskets and bags out of plastic wastes collected from landfills, shops and hotels.
Chogyal said, “The women here are so keen to learn to weave out of plastic wastes. But the biggest challenge is that we are unable to get the plastics. For the training this time at Tagsibji Gewog, we had to collect wastes from Thimphu and Paro.”
Chogyal’s firm has about a hundred members most of whom are housewives and unemployed women. Besides making a good income from the business, it is also helping the community in minimising plastic wastes.
“About eight of them are students. The students will have to compulsorily form clubs in their schools and file a report. The housewives will have to deposit Nu 400 every month in our joint account irrespective of the number of outputs they produce in a month. And this amount is donated for cancer and kidney patients,” said Chogyal.
“It takes a minimum of three days to weave a big basket worth Nu 650. We donate Nu 100 and keep Nu 550 for ourselves,” added Dhan Maya Rai, a member of the Women Recyclers.
As many women come forward with enthusiasm the group is only growing. About 18 new members from Tangsibji Gewog joined the group after attending training for the last two weeks.
“As a farmer, we just heard about plastic wastes being weaved into bags. But we never saw it for real. Now with the support from the Nikahchhu project, through this training, we have learned to not only manage wastes but also earn some income in future,” said Tandin Wangmo from Tangsibji.
“We know that the wastes are not an issue confined just to a particular country but it is becoming a global issue. So with the two weeks of training invested in me, I look forward to attracting my friends and family into communicating with me and making products out of plastics. For instance, if I see a milk powder plastic, I will instantly collect it and try to weave a basket out of it, ” said Jigme Sonam Lhamo.
It requires about 30 milk powder packing covers to make a standard-sized carry bag. The idea saved about two truckloads of plastic wastes from going to the landfills in Trongsa after the district supported the idea last year. The group plans to collect wastes from across the country in future.
Passang, Trongsa
