A capacity building workshop for women around Upolu officially opened at the University of the South Pacific (U.S.P.) Alafua Campus.

The workshop would enable its participants to learn floral crown making, material dye printing, and tapa printing skills.

Acting Campus Director for U.S.P. Alafua Campus, Associate Professor Mohammed Umar, said they identified the need to focus on women in order to economically empower them. 

 “U.S.P.’s main role is education. This training is therefore a gap we recognized that needs to be dealt with by focusing our attention to women."

“By strengthening your skills and knowledge we can contribute to your economic status and wellbeing. Today’s training by real traditional professional ladies will give an opportunity to you all for creative ideas." 

“After this training you can do more than you learnt and to come up with your own creations, discoveries and innovations when you return home. We hope this training will provide you with the skills which will assist you in creating your own wealth,” he said. 

Ronna Lee from the Student Welfare Office Campus Life in U.S.P. said the workshop will enable women to learn new skills and improve their economic wellbeing. 

“Our Trainers are local Samoan women who are experts in these areas. The University aims to engage women in rural areas from all around Upolu and Savaii who are either formally unemployed or who wish to acquire new sets of skills that could potentially improve their economic statuses." 

“Participants were encouraged to learn new skills in floral crown making, techniques of material printing, and also the art of making siapo,” she said. 

The workshop will also enable the women participants to share their skills with their committees pr groups and even sell their new products.

The workshop will also be held at Savaii on August 30-31 at the U.S.P. Centre in Salelologa.  The registration is $45 per person and covers all the three workshops. Lunch and refreshments will also be provided.