Evelyn Mopafi from Ungai Bena District in the Eastern Highlands Province has been helping women in her district to sell their bilums using the social media platform, to improve their livelihoods.
So far she has assisted about 300 weavers to sell their bilums and help them to earn an income from weaving and selling bilums through their Facebook page ‘Apo Meri’.
She recently came up with a new initiative to purchase reusable pads from the sale of bilums, called the BILUM4PADS.
“First we were just helping then to sell their bilums then we discovered the Queen pads and thought it would be a great way to assist the women this way.”
“With the usual disposal pads, it’s an extra expense for village women who have no formal or regular income so having reusable pads is more economical.”
“We purchase reusable pads from Queen pads from the sales of the bilums for the women.”
Ms Mopafi said they started with purchasing 30 reusable pads for 30 weavers to try.
She said that the more bilums they sell, more women can be able to receive a reusable pad.
Ms Mopafi added that she is currently focused on women from her clan since she works full time.
The type of bilums they sell are called skinpiks or Bena bilums.
Ms Mopafi added that apart from assisting mothers to sell their bilums, she also assists artisans from Lufa to sell their baskets.
She hopes to be able to assist mothers purchase solar lights also from the sale of their bilums.