> TURNING AN ECOLOGICAL PLAGUE INTO A NEW ECONOMIC RESOURCE

The revival of local handicraft know-how using water hyacinth has created an alternative source of livelihood for 25 poor women of Prek Toal village.

Saray is a cooperative of women, from the floating villages of the Tonle Sap Lake, who weave water hyacinth to create soft, supple and luminous 100% natural, 100% Cambodian bags, mats and accessories.

Water hyacinth is an aquatic plant that has one of the highest growth rates in the world, one of the reasons it’s known as one of the “world’s worst aquatic weeds”. It also has a wonderfully pretty flower, which is why it was introduced to Cambodia about 100 years ago. Since then, it has infested certain parts of the lake, blocking waterways and limiting boat traffic, recreation and wildlife use. By shading and crowding out native aquatic plants,this exotic species reduces biological diversity in aquatic ecosystems. It also has impacts on fish species that cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen. As vegetation falls to the bottom of the water, it decays and consumes oxygen. One acre of water hyacinth can deposit approximately 500 tonnes of decaying plant material on the bottom of a water body each year.

For parts of the year, the villages around the core area are completely paralysed by water hyacinth. However, during discussions with families in the villages in 2003, Osmose discovered that the women knew how to weave hammocks from the dry stem of this invasive plant. The practice had fallen into disuse however when cheaper, artificial imports were introduced on to the market. With this information, Osmose set about restoring the tradition, and in 2005 Saray was created with 16 women who had been trained to weave new styles of mats, bags, bowls and other accessories. Since then, Saray has grown continuously, and today almost 50 women are implicated in the project from the villages of Prek Toal and Pech Kantiel. By the end of 2010, another 25 women from Kbal Taol will also be earning sustainable, year-round environmentally friendly incomes under the project.

From this beautiful blight the women of Saray create beautiful products. Floor mats, bags, bowls, trays, boxes, baskets, table mats, fans, hats, sandals, umbrella stands, cushions, yoga mats, seats and lamps, and many other products are all created by the women, some of which are pictured on this page. Much of the work is performed on the specially constructed Saray Platform in Prek Toal. This was built to allow the women to create some of the larger mats, which can be seen in hotels such as the Amansara Hotel in Siem Reap. It is also the principal selling point for the products for tourists who come to Prek Toal, or are passing through on the way to or from Battambang. We also have a catalogue though and, if you’d like a copy, please contact our Saray Manager by clicking here: saray@osmosetonlesap.net. you can also speak to him about custom orders for your home or business, or if you’d like to sell Saray products in your shop.

But, you don’t have to go all the way to the lake to buy these lovely items. Osmose has opened a small shop in order to support the women from the villages of Pech Kantiel and Kbal Taol, where very few tourists go. You can find us in Siem Reap, only a 2 minute walk away from the Old Market and centre of town: Map Here. Saray products are also available in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, at the following outlets: Siem Reap:         Samatoa (Pub Street Area, opposite the Provincial Hospital)                         Rajana (Sivutha Blvd.)                         Senteurs d’Angkor (beside Old Market)                         Angkor Cookie (opposite Sofitel, on road to Angkor Wat)                         Angkor Market (night market, Sivutha Blvd.)                         Siem Reap Night Market (Sivutha Blvd.) Phnom Penh:       Friends International Shop (Street 13)                         Beyond Interiors (Street 306)                         Citadel (Street 110)                         Rajana (Russian Market area)