A Sand Looter who becomes a Weaving Teacher

30 May, 2024

Natalia Sedia (33 years old) is a wife and a mother of two from Likwatang village, Alor regency. Natalia was born in Manggarai regency on 24 December 1989.

As a housewife, Natalia who is often called Nelti should help his husband to support their children because her husband’s salary as a neighborhood head is not enough for their daily needs and to pay school tuition of their first kid. Nelti and her husband grow paddy, vegetables, corn and sweet potato as their daily food while to pay for the tuition and other necessities, Nelti and the husband have to collect sand from Likwatang beach to sell. They should do it for 1 week to get one set of sand worth Rp. 500.000 but sand selling does not always go smoothly, sometimes it does not sell at all in a whole month or even longer. This makes Nelti and huband need to think of another income alternative.

Nelti  is weaving a sarong ordered by a costumer

In February 2022, Nelti joined TLM Foundation-Formed Entrepreneurship group in Likwatang as a member. TLM Foundation through its entrepreneurship program conducted weaving training for group members, including Nelti.  For 5 days, Nelti was intensively taught on weaving. Aside from weaving training, Nelti and other members received in-kind support of weaving tools and equipment such weaving loom, thread, knife, raffia string etc for their first production. 

Nelti trains students how to wave  

Nelti’s weaving skill was noticed by principal of SMA Negri 1 Likwatang and later was  asked to become a weaving tutor for students at the school. 

In February 2023 Nelti has trained 34 students how to weave and she feels so proud that she can share her skill for young generation.

“I never imagined before that I can train people on how to weave. I could not weave at all. I was always confused how to earn money when the sand was unsold, but now I have weaving skill that can make money. Not only money, I feel so appreciated when the school asked me to become a weaving tutor, I’m so ecstatic seeing students are excited to learn weaving.”

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