A group of elderly women from the Vaimaanga community is rallying their peers together, aiming to provide mutual support and comfort.

The members of Vaimaanga Vainetini gather at the Vaimaanga Meeting House, where they sell hand-printed and tie-dye bed sheets and pareu to not only provide for their families but also for the elders in the community that need help.

On Friday next week, they will host a community event for elderly people to join, do some exercise and enjoy different kinds of food they will provide to cheer them up and boost their health.

One of the eldest members of the committee and group chairwoman Vaine Boaza explained that selling tie-dye bed sheets and pareu was not only a source of income, but also a way of keeping the art of hand printing alive.

Speaking about next week’s event, Boaza says their goal is to make the elders have a bit of fun away from home and to promote healthy living.

“It’s something different to get the elders together and help them live happily and in a healthy way, especially to get them away from their home,” she said.

“Hand printing promotes our culture through the designs and at the same time help our women here make some money and promote their talents in printing.”

Secretary of Vaimaanga Vainetini, Tumutoa Kairoa, 64, shared that after caring for her late blind husband, who passed away a few years ago, she turned to making donuts and hand-printing materials.

“When I lost my husband, I had to find something that would help me and my daughter get by and we started off with making donuts and now we’re selling our printed materials alongside the women committee of Vaimaanga,” Kairoa said.

“It really helps my family especially me and my daughter put food on the table and it’s a blessing to be able to do these things here in the Cook Islands to help us get by.”

According to Kairoa, she makes enough from selling her materials, and the highest she has earned in a single day at an event is $5000.

From Monday to Saturday every week, the Vaimaanga women sell a range of hand-printed materials such as super-king, king-size, double, and single bedsheets at the Vaimaanga Hall.