BANGKA – Active, collective, and creative community empowerment is very important in the sustainability of cultural preservation activities. To realize this goal, PT Timah Tbk cooperates with the Mapur Traditional Institute to carry out Teaching Timah.
The Timah teaching program provides training in making typical Lum people's handicrafts. Where this training involved the people of Air Abik Hamlet and students from SD 24 Belinyu and SMAN 1 Riau Silip.
The training on making crafts was also enthusiastically welcomed by the students, one of whom was Desti Indah Wati, a student at SMAN 1 Riau Silip, who said that with the Teaching Lead Program she could get to know various crafts made from woven and woven.
He mentioned, previously he was not familiar with many crafts, but with this training, he has a lot of new knowledge.
"I am very excited to take part in the Timah Learning activities this time. Because crafts like weaving and weaving can broaden my horizons. This revives regional handicrafts to penetrate the national market," he said.
He hopes that activities like this can continue to be carried out so that the younger generation knows and loves the customs and culture that surround them.
“After attending this training, I know better how to weave and weave properly and broaden my horizons as a student. Hopefully, there will be more activities like this so we can explore local culture and crafts," he said.
Meanwhile, the Principal of SMA N 1 Riau Silip, Kurniati appreciated Timah Mengajar which was carried out by PT Timah Tbk and according to her, this helped support the Merdeka Belajar program.
"PT Timah's program is in line with the Freedom to Learn program in our school. This program is according to education. If possible this program should continue. Because when the children have graduated, they can infect others again," he said.
In the future, he said, his party also plans to hold extracurricular activities such as weaving and weaving. So that this training is also a provision to realize extracurricular activities.
“This program is extraordinary because there has never been an institution that has done something like this. This targets the world of education and involves many sectors involved in this activity, such as entrepreneurship, character education, and what is clear is the preservation of culture," he said.
Meanwhile, the instructor who taught weaving and weaving, Eva Deswanti, was grateful to be involved in this activity. He appreciated the participants who enthusiastically took part in the training.
"They were very enthusiastic about participating in this Timah Mengajar activity, both the students and also the mothers. I am very impressed with the participants because they were able to produce their woven and woven in two days," he said.
According to him, the products produced by the participants have a very high selling value. So this is a potential for Bangka Belitung to be able to export local handicrafts. If this can be done, it will have an impact on the economic independence of the community.
“The woven that is produced is used by them for home decor, miniatures, and souvenirs. After this training activity, we will continue to monitor and evaluate, so that the products produced can be exported," he said.
