A warm blanket, a beautiful rug, a fruit display in a calabash bowl. These are all examples of how purposeful creating handicrafts can be within a home.

Handicrafting is where people make things such as pottery, needlework, sewing, and woodworking using their hands or basic tools.

The Department of Community Development, under the Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport, will host the Handicraft Training Programme next month.

Registration opened yesterday for the three-month programme which starts May 16^th.

Classes will be held once per week and are capped at 25 participants per class, at the various community facilities. Participants must bring their own materials.

“We want to revive indigenous craft on the island, from glass engraving/etching to crocheting,” Community Development Officer II Marva Baker said.

Handicrafts are important as they are representative of the creator’s culture and traditions. They also promote the heritage of a country because of the usage of indigenous materials, and can preserve traditional knowledge.

“We have the vocational skills training programme going on, and we want to continue capacity-building programmes. There are certain crafts that are dying, and we want to revive these handicrafts for continuity and sustainability, as well as the development of entrepreneurial pursuits,” she said.

Being trained in handicrafts means learning a skill that you could use for the rest of your life. The training will offer various disciplines, from embroidery to calabash craft.

You can register for the Division’s Handicraft Training Programme via their Facebook page.