MS CAROL Fraser, founder and Vice-President of the Guyana Natural Fibre Industry Association (GNFIA), has collaborated with Mr Epliffe Lindie, Toshao of Kimbia, Berbice River, to start the Kimbia Natural Fibre Industry Association (KNFIA).

The new group will be a branch of the Guyana Natural Fibre Industry Association, which aims to nurture innovative minds, and help resuscitate the craft industry in Kimbia and contiguous Amerindian communities.

Members of the newly-appointed Board of Directors of the Kimbia Natural Fibre Industry Association are as follows: President Mickale Linton, Vice President Vinneta Boyle, Secretary Corina Fleming, Secretary/Treasurer Irving Lyte, Public Relations Officers Jocelyn Lindie and Kay Gordon; and Consultants Evelyn Walker (former toshao) and Epliff Lindie (current toshao).

Committee members are Noel Smith, Kevin Kurtzious, Claudel Morris and Velma Kurtzious, and there are fifteen members currently on register.

Toshao Lindie, believing that Ms Fraser’s voluntary intervention and support to establish the Kimbia branch of the Guyana Natural Fibre Industry Association is timely and vital to the growth of the community, strongly urged residents to capitalize on the training provided by Ms. Fraser. He pointed out that this training initiative will help craft producers to be more proactive in their innovation and in branding themselves, which he believes will resuscitate the craft industry in Kimbia, generate more jobs for the community, and raise the standard of living of his people.

Ms. Carol Fraser highlighted that in the near future, members of the KNFIA will benefit from voluntary training she is now organizing with a team of other craftsmen, which includes leather artistry from Shawn Carrington, sewing from Valda at the Merriman’s Mall, sculpting from Francis Ferreira and soft furnishings and fashion designing from herself.

Ms. Fraser will be travelling to other remote areas in Guyana to form similar associations and sensitize persons about the use of natural fibres in the fashion and craft industry. The Guyana Natural Fibre Industry Association is collaborating with the Small Business Bureau within the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, and intends to work very closely with that ministry to help to raise awareness in the use of natural fibres, provide training, and preserve natural fibre innovation in the remote communities in Guyana.

 Under the leadership of Ms Carol Fraser, the Guyana Natural Fibre Industry Association aims to train, expose and mentor interested groups on issues relative to growing a diverse and green economy through the arts, with specific emphasis on export and global market integration.

She also pointed out that there is a hungry and available market for eco-friendly fashion, leather art and craft within Caricom.

Ms. Fraser emphasized that there are thousands of underutilised natural fibres in Guyana. She said she has some new, innovative ideas that will blow the minds of Guyanese. This high-end product will generate quite a stir in the home furnishing sector in Guyana and the Caribbean, she further pointed out.

To learn more about the Guyana Natural Fibre Industry Association, readers are encouraged to log on to Face book, or to Carol Fraser’s personal website at www miraclehandsdesigns.com.

Ms. Carol Fraser, who is seen by many as the ‘Organic Queen’, will be very instrumental in training and resuscitating sewing factories around Guyana. She said it is a tall order, but with the help of NGOs and God’s strength, it will be possible.