For women trying to rebuild their lives after domestic and gender-based violence, economic independence can be an important part of moving forward. In Dagana, a locally available plant is now at the centre of an effort to help survivors develop skills that could eventually provide them with a source of income.
A week-long training organised by the RENEW Community Centre is teaching women from four gewogs how to turn nettle plants into yarn. Participants are learning the entire process, from extracting and preparing fibre to spinning it into usable yarn.
The initiative is particularly suited to rural communities because nettle grows abundantly in the area, allowing participants to access the basic raw material without having to purchase it.
For some of the women attending the programme, the training offers an opportunity to supplement incomes that are often uncertain.
“Most families in the communities face economic challenges, particularly when there is domestic violence. Women are especially affected economically. Through this training, we hope to improve and strengthen the livelihoods of women. I have a small business, but I cannot rely entirely on it because there are fewer customers,” said participant Pema Choden.
Another participant, Geeta Gurung, said livelihood programmes could help women contribute more towards household expenses.
“These days, there are more training opportunities and programmes for youths and women. We need to make the best use of these opportunities to supplement our family’s income and household expenses. I found that the training was very beneficial,” she said.
The participants are being trained by Dechen, a resource person from Trongsa who has more than 20 years of experience in nettle fibre extraction and Bhutanese textile weaving. The practical sessions take the women through each stage of production, enabling them to learn techniques they can later use independently.
Dechen said nettle-based products already support livelihoods in her community and believed Dagana had similar potential, particularly because the plant is readily available.
“In my community, people depend on nettle yarn for their livelihoods. We don’t have many income-generating opportunities. But there is a good scope for income generation here since they don’t have to buy nettle plants,” she said.
The RENEW Community Centre plans to take the initiative beyond the week-long programme. A group of participants will be formed to continue producing nettle yarn after the training concludes.
Further training is also planned to help the women turn the yarn into finished products, creating opportunities to earn from different stages of the value chain.
According to Pujan Rai, Manager of the RENEW Community Centre in Dagana, market prospects and the price commanded by nettle yarn make the skill particularly promising.
“I found out there was a lot of market for nettle yarn. And then the price of nettle yarn is also very attractive to the participants so that they can earn after the training,” he said.
By combining an abundant local resource with practical livelihood skills, the programme aims to give survivors a way to generate their own income. For the participating women, nettle growing around their communities could become more than a familiar plant—it could provide another avenue towards financial independence and a more secure livelihood.
