UNS – A group of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta students organize training on making dreamcatcher handicrafts from chicken feathers for housewives in Pakang village, Andong Sub-district, Boyolali District on Thursday (30/1/2020). This activity was organized due to the excess of chicken feathers waste from the chicken slaughterhouse in the village which pollutes the environment and disturbing the comfort of residents.
Dreamcatcher or a decorative hanger is chosen because one of the team members Siti Zulaikhah from the Textile Craft study program has mastered the material.
“Moreover, dreamcatcher currently become viral and have a fairly high selling price. The material is also easy to find and can utilize the existing waste material,” said Chrisnatama Tangguh Prasetyo, a student from Indonesia Literature study program FIB UNS, Monday (2/3/2020).
The housewives in the village, Chrisna added, are enthusiastically welcomed this training because it coincided with the planting period. Therefore, they can fill their spare time by practicing making dreamcatchers. The enthusiasm can be seen from the number of attendees which reached 48 people.
Some even want to practice after the training is finished, thus the KKN UNS Students opened an intensive training in KKN post.
“The training time is limited because we need to manage other programs,” he explained.
During the making process, the participants are focused on practice on weaving thread but remain free to be creative. Chicken feathers that used as decoration are colored with natural dye, thus it is aligned with the eco-printing program.
When asked about the follow-up process, Chrisna said that the housewives will be given an online marketing training, thus they can market the product independently.
“Hopefully, our presence in the Pakang community can benefit and increase community productivity,” he concluded. Humas UNS/Kaffa
