Deaf and mute girls learn to weave in Luang Prabang, Laos
A 20-minute bike ride from the center of Luang Prabang , there are about ten looms on which young girls learn to weave six afternoons a week. Currently, five young girls are hard of hearing and four come from poor families in northern Laos. The goal is to allow these young girls to learn a trade alongside their studies, in order to find a job they like and to facilitate their social and professional integration. Their teacher, Me Kam Kai, teaches them traditional Lao patterns as well as sewing.
11 apprentices in October 2019
Lucie spent several weeks with the girls and was able to discover their daily lives! We present each of them to you.
Phout, a young Laotian woman of the Hmong ethnic group who always has a smile on her face, especially when she signs! Not very shy, having just met her, she wanted to know Lucie's age and the number of people in her family... At fifteen, she is already a movie star: she is one of the children in the film Grandir , by the association Enfants du Mékong.
Korlee is from the Hmong ethnic group. Aged eighteen, she dreams of earning her living as a weaver. Moreover, this is evident when she weaves, immersed in her work, nothing seems to exist except the threads and the pattern that is emerging!
Sathid, at the age of fifteen, is deep in thought or dream, unless she is listening attentively to someone... we'll let you guess!
Yeu Thon, (pronounced Yeu Tow) with her beautiful smile, is a thirteen-year-old Hmong apprentice.
Vaja (pronounced Vatya) arrived at the learning center this year, after a few weeks she is already weaving a plaid scarf.
Ling is seventeen years old, she is still in 6th grade because she arrived at school older, she is here weaving a plain fabric.
Peng Kheo, from the Khmou ethnic group, finally let herself be photographed! Having arrived a few months ago, she is still starting out in weaving, but would like to learn how to sew.
Noy is also from the Khmu ethnic group. She prefers to weave with her fingers rather than with a comb, which is a different technique, also used for making tapestry. Aged eighteen, this is her last year at school, next year she wants to stay at home to work in the café and continue learning to weave.
Miahua, from the HMong ethnic group, is eighteen years old. Next year she wants to return to her village, located a few kilometers from Luang Prabang, and work there as a seamstress.
Petsemone is also of Lao ethnicity and is sixteen years old. Hearing, she continues her schooling at home because her family is very poor. For the moment she wants to become a teacher.
Opportunity for Women supports weaving training center for young girls
Opportunity for Women works with this center by placing fabric orders.
Opportunity for Women also supports training by teaching them to respond to specifications, by developing a catalog of patterns and colors and by approaching new clients with the center's team.
Two collections were developed: a first collection called “Luang Prabang” composed of checkerboard patterns in green and mustard and in pink and green.
As well as a second collection “Napee” , named after the young girl who most wove these diamond and beehive patterns on a pink, blue or green background.