Ms Bountee wearing the traditional dress of her ethnic group
Ms Bountavee “Joy”
Leader of Cotton Artisan Group
Savannakhet Province
Ms Joy is a high school mathematics teacher and a prominent figure in her village community. Cotton handcrafts are an important income supplement for the enterprising 46 year old. She is able to earn more money producing cotton products than her full time job as a teacher, a job that gives her great satisfaction and happiness.
Proud of her cultural heritage, Joy loves to wear the indigo ikat cotton clothing that is hand made in her home village. “I am so happy when I see young people wearing our traditional clothes, it looks so beautiful” she explained.
Ikat weaving on the loom
Joy is a highly skilled artisan. “I like preparing the complex ‘mutmee’ ikat designs and dyeing with natural indigo” she explained. ‘Mut mee’ is an ikat tie-dye weaving technique that is so special to her people of the Phu-Tai ethnic group.
To the customers that buy her cotton products, Joy says “thank you for your support. Please show your friends our products and tell them about Saoban. And finally, if you have any ideas for product design and development, please give us feedback so we can continue to improve our work.”
A social enterprise
Saoban is a member of PADETC, a Lao NGO that integrates socially sustainable programs in education, agriculture, micro-finance, handcrafts and community leadership.