Financial Times

Making life meaningful to coir spinners
Giving people rods instead of fish was the main idea behind the projects of the Coir Council International (CCI), the representative body for the entire coir industry in Sri Lanka.

With this in mind, CCI, USAID and The Competitiveness Programme (TCP), an economic development programme of USAID, came to the aid last week of those affected in the coir yarn-spinning sector, which is situated along the coastal belt. The recipients of the first stage were spinners from Maharuppa, Ambalangoda who had been badly affected by the tsunami. Despite the sweltering heat on the day of the handing over ceremony, the eager anticipation on the faces of the recipients brought a smile to many an onlooker’s face.

A 100 machines were donated to the spinners, majority of them women who had been spinning rope as a source of income for many years. The Hayleys Group of Companies donated 25 kg of fibre to each recipient. It takes three people to operate one machine and the daily amount of rope that is spun is handed over to the collector in the area who in turn hands it to the weavers. The average daily wage for the spinners is around Rs 450 and this is divided among the three people operating the machine. The rope that is bought by the weavers is used to make mats and geo-textiles.

Sri Lanka is the largest exporter of geo-textiles to Korea, exporting around 500 million square meters annually. Sourcing the Korean market starts in March and therefore it is essential that the spinners and the weavers make a comeback soon. Sri Lanka also exports geo-textiles to Japan, the US and Europe.

The industry initially came forward with 250 spinning machines and later, USAID and TCP came forward and funded another 500 machines. All the machines were made by a carpenter in the recipient villages itself, generating more income for the tsunami-devastated communities. The average cost of one machine was Rs 2500 and this differs according the person who makes it and also the wood that is used.

Jeffery H. Allen, Director, Office of Economic Growth of the USAID Mission to Sri Lanka said that by donating these machines, the communities will be able to restore their lives and the rope they spin will help exporters fulfill their contracts as well. This was the first project funded by USAID for the coir industry.

This home-based cottage industry has been the source of income for Agnes Rupasinghe, 68, for most of her life. She said that she has two women who operate the machine along with her. While they do sometimes encounter problems regarding their payments, this is one of the only ways of making a living in their village, she said. The new machines are the same as what they had lost and they would be able to resume their work again. There are some families where coir spinning has been the livelihoods for generations and on some occasions; the three people operating the machine are three generations of one family.

The donation of the machines was a great boost for the spinners and a positive move towards rebuilding their lives. The CCI said that these machines are similar to the machines that had been in use before the tsunami and the new machines were just a temporary measure in order to get the people back on their feet. A better machine is available but the CCI did not want to introduce new technologically advanced machines at this stage, as the people are still emotionally distraught and reluctant to bring about change while they were still in the process of rebuilding. While this new mechanized system requires only two people to operate it and therefore will improve efficiency.

It also produces better yarn and is more cost effective. A strategist has been recruited to do a study on how this machine can be adapted.These machines are from India but they can be made in Sri Lanka and this will generate income for the people who will also gain the know-how of new technology. The CCI is also looking at the housing needs of the people.

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