Handicraft exhibitor Akanisi Smith organized Fiji’s first-ever Solo Craft Exhibition and says the COVID-19 pandemic should not be seen as a hurdle.

Smith is one of the big names in artisanal handmade crafts and says the exhibition is aimed at helping women in Nausori seeks other ways of uplifting themselves.

“Things have come to a standstill and this is something just to lift up the spirit for the local women in the Nausori corridor rather than just thinking of COVID-19 and we cannot do this, we cannot do that.”

Smith uses recycled items to make handicraft together with traditional and natural resources.

“The crafts that have been exhibited, most of them are from scraps like used recycled bottles and recycled bottle lids, and also I have used natural dye instead of the dye we buy from the shop.”

Fiji Arts Council Director Peni Cavuilagi says Smith has been a great asset to the Council.

“This is the first solo exhibition to be done by one of the top crafts-people of the Arts Council, she is also a licensed holder of Fijian made Fijian craft.”

Smith has won numerous prizes and certificates for being the best craft exhibitor around the country.