Courageous women weave life

Handicrafts out of banana fibre:

Suharshi Perera

The handwoven colourful table mats, bags and many other show pieces spread on the table are the proof of hardwork and enthusiasm of their makers. The women being the proud owners of the creations were watching the lovely outcome of their sweat and toil, with a smile of content on their face.

They ignored the distance and gathered to accumulate knowledge and sharpen their skills at Thalawa, with an ultimate goal of supporting their families through a new art and craft.

These women from Rajanganaya, Thambuththegama and Kekirawa of the North Central Province converged on the Thalawa Vidatha Recource Centre which functions under the Science and Technology Ministry to master the craft of making handicraft out of the fibre extracted from the banana tree.

“Banana is a multipurpose tree. But the bark of the tree and the parts of the trunk go waste without any use. Being a common crop in the area and a natural raw material we wanted to mobilise women to make use of the banana fibre to promote the indigenous handicraft industry while supporting the economy,” said Anusha Sagarika at the Vidatha Centre.

The participants for the 10 day training programme were selected from the families that grow banana and interested in handicraft, Sagarika added.

“The training organised by the North Central Province Industrial Development Department involved 40 participants. During the course the women were trained to extract the fibre from the trunk and weave fascinating items like wallets, hand bags, marketing bags, table mats and wall plaques. They not only mastered the art but also became amazingly innovative,”she added.

The bags woven out of banana fibre also act as an alternative for polythene. “The project which aims at exploring self employment avenues for rural women also seeks to promote natural raw material,” Sagarika added.

“It is an ideal way to utilise natural raw material in economic development while causing zero environmental pollution,” Instructor of the project R.M Padmawathi said.

The projects of this nature were already conducted in Medirigiriya and Mihintale, She added.

Padmawathi attached to the National Crafts Council has won Presidential Awards for her capability in handicraft skills in 2004 at the Handicraft Exhibition organised by the North Central Province Industrial Development Department.

Hailing from Kahatagasdigiliya, a remote village Padmawati has

 mastered the making of handicraft using rush and reed and also serving as an instructor at the Non-formal Education Unit of the Education Ministry.

Being disabled due to polio Padmawathi earns her bread and looks after her aged father and brothers and also won awards for her talent.

“Anyway having served for many projects for several years still I’m on contract basis. I request the authorities to consider my plight and to provide me with a permanent job,” Padmawathi said.

Pictures by Saman Sri Wedage

Flower up your house

How to make flowers last longer

1)Always use clean vases or containers.

2)Remove all leaves which will be under water in the vase. Submerged leaves will rot and create bacteria, shortening the life of your flowers.

3) Always add cut flower food, obtained from your florist, to the vase water - it really does make a difference. Change the vase water (and flower food) every three to four days. Use the cut flower food mixture to top up containers using floral foam too, as this will help to prolong the life of the flowers.

4) Always condition your plant material correctly, according to its stem type

5) Most flowers should be picked when they are in bud or half open. You will then have the pleasure of seeing them slowly open up. The colour of the petals should be starting to show. If picked too tightly in bud, they may never open. This is especially true of Tulips, and Roses.

6) Don’t place your finished arrangement in full sun, over a radiator, or in a draught. This will cause excess water loss from the flowers, and they will wilt very quickly. A cool room is the best place to put your flowers for maximum life.

7) Use a container in proportion to the amount of flowers you are using. Too small a container will not hold sufficient water, and may dry out before you realise it.

8) Lightly spray your finished arrangement with clear water from time to time, to create a humid atmosphere around the flowers. (Don’t spray the flowers near furnishings or electrical appliances though - move the arrangement first!)

Yogurt

softens skin and hair:

Yogurt is not only a delicious, healthy food but you can also use it for your skin and hair, as it is a natural softener. Make your own yogurt at home by adding a spoonful of yogurt to a bowl of boiled and cooled milk.

As a hair conditioner:

Yogurt is recommended as a natural hair conditioner. Wash and rinse your hair, then rub some yogurt into the scalp and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse and then wash again.

For dandruff:

An hour before shampooing your hair, work a liberal amount of yogurt into your hair, then shampoo and rinse thoroughly.

For nail care:

Your hands and nails can also benefit from yogurt. Mix some yogurt with lemon juice. Keep it in the fridge for a few hours and use to massage your hands and nails. Your hands will become soft and supple and your nails will acquire a healthy shine.

As a face pack:

Mix yogurt with a pinch of turmeric to make a face mask. This paste can also be applied and massaged on your arms and legs. Rinse with cold water and wash with gram flour. This serves as an excellent pack for your skin.

As a pre-bath gel:

Mix eight spoons of yogurt, one spoon of vegetable oil and three spoons of lemon juice. Apply this pack on your body with firm upward movements. Rinse off after 10 minutes. This rejuvenates your skin.

As a skin softener:

Take a bowl of yogurt, petals of six roses, and two spoons of talcum powder. Mix them well and apply on your face. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Mix yogurt with wheat flour and apply this paste on your skin 10 minutes before taking a bath.

In a bowl, mix together four spoons of plain yogurt and one egg. After shampooing, apply the mixture on your head and thoroughly massage into your hair. Work from root to tip to make sure all your hair gets coated.

Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. This is specially good for softening dry hair.

(Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle)

Veggie Pizza Supreme

Ingredients:

Pizza crust dough mix

4 thin slices of low-fat

mozzarella cheese

14.5 oz pizza sauce

1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms

1 cup fresh broccoli florets,

chopped

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 cup sweet red pepper,

chopped

1/2 cup sweet green pepper,

chopped

1 cup hot pepper rings1 1/2 cup low-fat (or fat-free)shredded mozzarella cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Prepare pizza dough as directed on package. After dough rises, place on cookie sheet or baking stone (14x10 or 12x15) that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cut the mozzarella slices in 2-inch strips and place across the crust—evenly spaced.

Cover the dough with pizza sauce. Finish topping the pizza with the ingredients in the order listed above. Bake the pizza until the crust is nicely browned, about 25-28 minutes. Remove from the oven and let set for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Notes: This pizza is so good and colorful from the vegetables you don’t even miss the meat. Sometimes I prepare a whole wheat crust from scratch to make it even healthier.