KUCHING: Age and a lack of skills are no barriers to trainees of the Juma’ani Pavilion Sewing Squad.
At the Centre for Technical Excellence (CENTEXS), various courses, classes and training are held for individuals, of whatever age, who are interested to venture into the craft industry seriously, thus helping them make their hobby into a side business.
CENTEXS is right now holding the Community Technical Outreach Programme (CTOP) on keringkam, songket and bead making for the trainees at the academy.
For Idaismawati Fazahari, 46, producing the keringkam is not only complicated, as it needs advanced skills, but also needs requires accuracy and patience.
“Before this I did learn how to make keringkam, but I left it for a very long time, so I came here to re-learn the entire thing.
“I have always watched my mother-in-law making the keringkam whenever she has free time, and whenever she goes to work, I would continue her keringkam-making,” said Idaismawati
For Maspaun Sapaee, 44, it has always been her interest and her husband supports her interest.
“He helps me with day-to-day activities so that I can continue pursuing my interest,” said Maspaun, adding that she will complete her training sometime in 2024.
.
Idaismawati, whose husband is also supportive of her, said making keringkam could generate good income, depending on demand from customers.
A total of 180 seamstresses will be recruited into the Juma’ani Pavilion Sewing Community Squad within the next three years.
