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Lessons at the Loom

While some of the recipients of these coir weaving machines are old hands at the craft, for some of the beneficiaries this is a new facet of the old industry and they required training. All beneficiaries gathered together around to learn and share their experiences at a one day training.

Nandasiri has been working with these machines for over 15 years until the tsunami ruined her loom. She seems to know all there is to know about the art of machine weaving the coir. As the beneficiaries gathered around her machine, which she had painted bright red, she deftly moved in and out of the various parts, carefully explaining the different stages and demonstrating how to thread the ropes.

As the audience watched, she worked through the whole process. Initially it looked complicated but by the end of the demonstration everyone was happy and confident that they would have no problems repeating it on their machines when they got home. Just to be sure, there was an opportunity for everyone to have a go during the training.

As always, 25 minds are better than one and through the discussions and questioning they worked together to devise improvements to the system and ways to customise the machine to make the work easier for the weaver. There was a real buzz in the air and everyone was keen to go home and put what they had learned in to practice.

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