Handicrafts Association Restores Old Traditions, Creates New Opportunities in Azerbaijan

A Mercy Corps program is helping Azeri women displaced by conflict generate income through traditional handicrafts. Photo: Mercy Corps Azerbaijan

It has been a difficult task for many Azeris to cope with the hardships between Azerbaijan and Armenia associated with the continuing conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Due to the loss of a steady source of income from the conflict, many women have turned to selling their traditional handicrafts.

For rural Azeri women it has not been an easy transition from the role of a traditional housewife to serving as the producer and seller of handicrafts. Without a background in business and marketing, many did not produce handicrafts in response to the market demand and were not turning out a profit. Luckily, several of the internally displaced women from Fizuli were introduced to Mercy Corps' Community Employment and Economic Opportunities Program (CEEOP), where they were trained in business skills.

With the knowledge gained from Mercy Corps' business skills training, they came together to form a Regional Handicraft Association in Fizuli. This action spurred other women in their community to realize the extent to which increasing their knowledge and coming together was critical for developing their businesses.

"Since ancient times Azeri people have conveyed their life and history, feelings and dreams through handmade carpets, rugs and knitted crafts. Despite the fact that these traditions have faced many challenges throughout the ages, today we can restore and cherish our old traditions," says Ms. Sanam Mamedova, the President of the Regional Handicraft Association in the Fizuli region of southern Azerbaijan.

To date, the Regional Handicraft Association has extended its activities into five additional conflict-affected regions of southern Azerbaijan - Beylagan, Imishli, Saatli, Sabirabad and Bilasuvar, and boasts of 400 artisans as full members, the majority of whom are internally displaced persons (IDPs) and women. The members of the association mainly produce handmade carpets, rugs, knitting, carving, embroidery, socks and other marketable handicraft products. In addition, association members, especially IDPs, reinstated old Karabakh designs, so that this type of folk art could be passed on to future generations.

The Regional Handicraft Association brings together people involved in similar types of business activities and creates an environment that has resulted in decreased costs, increased productivity and profitability, increased access to good quality business input, market expansion, and access to advocacy and lobbying. Trade fairs have enabled the handicraft artisans to sell their products and increase their profits.