Processing for development

Strengths: Inexpensive and abundant raw material which normally would be a waste product
Challenges: Develop business plan to guide expansion of production and markets and obtain means of transportation for raw material

Contribution of the business to rural development

How the business started?

The business was originated as part of a project which promoted small businesses run by women which improved the environment. The project provided key support in the organization of the cooperative and the set up of simple infrastructure for meeting and working. The women learned about paper making on a field outing to a women's cooperative in Honduras. They received technical and business training through the project and financial support for equipment and a small building.

Steps in the the elaboration of paper from banana bunch stems

Collection of raw material thrown away as waste

Banana bunch stems are collected from local open markets. The municipal garbage collectors do not pick up this material and local traders must pay to transport it to the local public garbage dump.
Generally the cooperative receives the bunch stems for free, although there is a tendency for a small charge. The cooperative uses public transportation to deliver the raw material to their workshop.

Chopping	Soaking
The stems are chopped manually into small discs to simplify handling and to shorten the fibers.	The small discs are soaked in water for 2-3 days to facilitate the separation of the cellulose fibers which are the primary input in the final product.

Grinding in a blender

The boiled stem discs are ground in an industrial blender to reduce the length of the fibers and to further the separation of other materials in the bunch stem.

Preparation of solution		Filtering liquid paper
The ground stems are diluted with water to a consistency which facilitates the later steps. This solution is prepared in a large container adequate for dipping the frame with a fine screen.		A wooden frame stretched with a screen is then submerged into the solution with fibers in suspension. When the frame is lifted, a thin layer of fibers remains on the screen. Once dried, this becomes the sheet of paper. The amount of fibers in the solution and the size of the frame determines the basic characteristics of the sheet of paper.

Draining and laminating	Pressing	Transferring and drying
The water is drained from the frame and the thin layer of fibers is transferred out of the frame onto a cloth covering a solid board. The cloth with the moist layer of fibers is then pressed to eliminate water and to compact the fibers. The moist sheet of paper can then be separated from the cloth for further drying.