LOCAL HANDCRAFT FROM ACEH
Oen Sekee Project
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Founder
Rahmah Masturah (YSEALI Social Entrepreneurship and Economic Development 2017)
Co-Founder
Cut Ervida Diana (YSEALI Global Environmental Issues 2014)
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Background
Oensekee which mean “Pandan Leaves” an original words from Aceh, as one of local language in Indonesia. Pandan leaves grows in the shrub without any planting treatment. However, the leaves turns into some useful material in some areas, this leaf has relation how the life is, in life, the survival is not easy, we need to struggle to achieve our goal, Pandan leaves philosophy teaches us that although we are not born in the good situation, we need to believe in ourselves that we able to create a meaningful life. In addition, this project conducted of the needs and concerns of rural disabled women in the area of economic and community participation. We need to enhance their ability to became self sufficient. Persons with disabilities experience significant as less economic participation. Hence, having a decent activity in promoting local creativity on producing weaving into hotel equipement as well as giving training and support to keep them empower the ability. Therefore, it is one of the best means of overcoming poverty and building prosperity in life of humanity.
Moreover, this project took place in Sigli to empower local weaver. It is located in Pidie regency, which is 2 hours by driving from Banda Aceh, where this regency is famous for its local handcraft. Weaving production from Pandan Leaves is the biggest potential to innovate new local handcraft. The weaver usually produce floor mats and sell to the local company. Thus, OenSekee Project are trying to bridge local disable people and weaving activity to produce a new thing happen in the town. For the first step, We are trying to empower disable people on making hotel equipments. We are producing hotel slippers from the old mats that turns into hotel slippers.
Social problem
The local weaver in this area are from lower income families, even do not have chance to work, but the nature help them most, luckily they have a good expertise in weaving to produce big mats. On the other side, the number of young generation participation in preserving the ability in weaving are low and even decreasing.
Therefore, Oensekee Project is trying to develop people from rural area who experts in weaving production to work together with local disables in creating new product out of mats. As we see the potential of producing hotel equipement (Hotel Slippers) is a way to promote local handcraft products. We are passionate to tackle this matter due to help poverty for rural community in Sigli by handmade local product. We believe that we can work closely with them and try to succeed our step to approach weavind development through community empowerment in Aceh, Indonesia.
Mission statement for social enterprise
Empowering and providing prosperity for local & disable community to be a global handcraft trader
