With your support , CAI can continue to assist entrepreneurs like Dovutova , Yoqutkhonova , and Qadamalieva to develop thriving businesses that provide income , create jobs , revive folk crafts , and inspire other women in the community . •
“ My favorite thing is basket weaving ,” says 61-year-old Turamoh Qadamalieva . Qadamalieva lives in the village of Namangut in the Ishkoshim district in the southwest of the Gorno Badakhshan region .
Like Dovutova and Yoqutkhonova , she learned the artisan craft from her mother when she was a child , just as her mother had learned from her mother before her .
Qadamalieva ’ s grandchildren live with her and they are learning the art of weaving . “ In September and October , the reeds ripen and turn white ,” explains Qadamalieva . “ We collect them as reserves for the winter .”
“ At home we clean them for one or two hours in clean water , and then begin to weave them ,” says Qadamalieva with a smile , showing her granddaughter how to thread the long reed .
She started her basket weaving business in 2010 and regularly participates in festivals , showcasing an array of products from vases to bowls and taking custom orders .
In 2019 , the women ’ s committee of Ishkoshim district informed Qadamalieva that a two-week training was being held by CAI in Khorog .
She says she learned how to better run
Qadamalieva her business and manage her finances . She also met other female entrepreneurs , trading their tips and finding support in one another . “ I ’ m very grateful to the trainers . We want there to be many more training sessions in the future ,” she says .
Since taking part in the trainings , Qadamalieva started teaching basket weaving to 15 other women in her small village so that they , too , can earn their own income .
Today , Dovutova , Yoqutkhonova , and Qadamalieva use their skills passed down from generations before them to continue the country ’ s cultural legacy and support their families . They hope their children will do the same . “ My daughter and my nephews also bake with me ,” says Yoqutkhonova . “ We cook together , and we share ideas of how to develop our business together .”
With your support , CAI can continue to assist entrepreneurs like Dovutova , Yoqutkhonova , and Qadamalieva to develop thriving businesses that provide income , create jobs , revive folk crafts , and inspire other women in the community . •
Next year , CAI plans to assess the ASPIRE program — now in its fourth year — to determine which businesses have been successful and identify what additional support might be needed to help them flourish and expand . Other women whose businesses have faced challenges will be provided with additional oversight and supervision to help develop their capacity .
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