Weaving association to hold charity sale

A variety of baskets made by the Penans for sale at Summer Boutique Charity Sale.

MIRI: The Miri Women Weaving Association, in collaboration with local and expatriate volunteers, will hold a Summer Boutique Charity Sale in aid of needy Penans besides promoting homemade and handmade products.
The inaugural event will be held on June 17 at House 3 of Piasau Boat Club from 10am to 2pm.

“Fifteen local and three expatriate vendors have confirmed their participation in the event, selling high-end handmade and homemade goods. Among them are jewellery and accessories, clutches and handbags, baked goods, peanut butter, juices, creams and lotions as well as handmade boots,” said Nicole Shea to The Borneo Post yesterday.
Shea is the joint coordinator of the project along with Ann Wong, who is the chairlady of Miri Women Weaving Association. Shea added the fee for booths or tables will be for charity, while proceeds from the sale of Penan bags will go directly to the association.
“We hope that the general public will support this project, a first of its kind in Miri, primarily to showcase locally-made products as well as some beautiful imported goods.  Entrance is free and everyone is welcome.  Don’t miss it,” Shea added.
Meanwhile, Wong said currently 20 Penan ladies from Long Kevok, Long Lung in Miri and some from Limbang are weaving baskets, which the association is helping to market, and that all proceeds are for helping needy Penans.
“We appeal to the public to support this charity project and we hope to raise RM10,000. All proceeds will go to the Penans for buying daily necessities, including food and medicine, and educational programmes besides acting as a revolving fund for the basket-weaving project,” she said when contacted.
She added the shopping baskets and bags are priced from RM35 to RM65, while laundry baskets will cost from between RM78 to RM120 depending on the size and patterns.
“We are very thankful for the public’s support, including corporations who supported us by buying our baskets for their corporate gifts. Besides selling the baskets in Miri, we also hold promotional sales in Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur,” Wong said.
Miri Women Weaving Association, registered on March 14, 2016, was initiated by seven expatriate ladies and locals under the chairmanship of Wong.
It is a non-profit group
helping tribal weavers in Miri to establish a marketing relationship between the public and the weavers, and aims to provide support to the Penans to adapt to modernity, educate on income generation for sustainability, and to help their children get formal education.
For further details or purchase of the baskets, contact the association through their website at https://www.facebook.com/penanWomenProject/ or www.penanwomenproject.org.