tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32426300534383340842024-03-04T22:01:32.668-08:00Homeland HandicraftsHomeland Handicrafts is a grass root, non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of jobs for women in the regions of Armenia, using traditional techniques and materials.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-48382531707823870572012-05-15T06:44:00.000-07:002012-05-15T06:51:15.882-07:00Time Flies When You're Working Like Crazy!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The last blog posted was some months ago, in the depths of winter in Yerevan. That seems like light years ago. So just to catch us up to speed, hold on tight, it's going to be a long one!<br />
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The dolls of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003787471298">Talin Women's Resource Center Foundation</a> are taking off! Four months of 'no, sorry, not good enough, body too skinny, head too big, eyes too far apart, it doesn't stand properly, please do it again' have resulted in a fabulous series of dolls from the Armenian communities of Khotorjour, Vasourakan, Sebastia, Moush, and others. In all, we hope to create a series of at least a dozen women and their male counterparts, each of them bearing information about how many Armenians lived there, what their main areas of work was, etc. Already, the Armenian National Gallery and Khor Virap Church have shown interest in having these in their souvenir shops.<br />
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This week the Talin Women's Resource Center Foundation has been officially registered. Their goal will be to spread information on issues of child health, nutrition, hygiene and other issues concerning the women of Talin. Already they have meet with Mission East and a Finnish organization that focus on disabled children. The future looks bright in Talin, thanks to Gayane Khachatryan and Peace Corps volunteer Brian Bokhart, both mentioned in an earlier blog here.<br />
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And then there is the Berd Bears from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Berd-Womens-Resource-Center-Foundation-BWRCF/182467455159249">Berd Women's Resource Center Foundation</a>! Taking off in a spectacular way on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/525757888/berd-bears-old-world-meets-new?ref=home_location">Kickstarter</a>, we surpassed our contribution budget in only about 30 hours after it was launched. Exciting times in Berd!</div>
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Also focused in Berd and the Shamshadin region where it is located is a new initiative that we are calling the Shamshadin Development Initiative. The whole idea is to launch a whole series of projects that together will lift the Shamshadin region up a few notches economically and thereby give that region more jobs, more activity, more optimisme. So far, dozens of individuals and organizations have shown interest and are actively participating. Not wanting to delve too much into details here, be sure to follow the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Homeland-Handicrafts/224555134224123">Homeland Handicrafts page</a> on Facebook.</div>
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And always new, interesting little crocheted animals coming out of the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Goris-Womens-Development-Resource-Center-Foundation/278254622188152">Goris Women's Resource Center Foundation</a>. These sea creatures were requested by a client marketing them in Dubai. Also a Norwegian client has ordered hundreds of the 50 or so different animals made by these hard-working women. Presently, we are working on getting one of Armenia's largest milk product producers to market the cute little cow made by them. The list of possibilities for these animals is long, very long, and the orders keep coming in.<br />
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The women in Vardenis are very busy churning out quantities of their sewn products, which have been selling smoothly since their launch in February. The challenge there has been finding enough fabric to keep up with the demand. The sky fabric on this one, for example is nowhere to be found in Yerevan, as is the striped material used as a background on the pomegranate series. Still, the baby blankets in both wool and satin with the same Ararat theme on them are flying off the shelf. We are happy and glad for the ladies in Vardenis!<br />
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And in Gyumri, there has been great success with baby booties made of hand made felt. What a tedious, difficult process making felt is! Hours and hours of hands in soapy water, getting the fibers to entwine and hold together. A small shipment has already gone to the U.S., and more orders have come in here in Armenia. I am so happy that we discovered the Shirak Diocese Social Educational Center, thanks to Peace Corps Volunteer John Kelly. These products have a bright future, as items for babies are hard to find in Armenia.<br />
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Chinchin, our lovely Chinchin! Hasmik there is busy at work making the second of these gorgeous Armenian alphabet bedspreads in a month. And little does she know that there is a third one in the pipeline. This is an intensive piece of work, taking three solid weeks to make. A massive 2,4 meters square, I have one that I have been using for over 10 years, and am in love with. I took it up to Chinchin a couple months back and asked her to reproduce it. Imagine, an order for 15 of these or so would keep her busy for an entire year!<br />
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Well, that was a lot, way too much, actually! Thanks for tagging along for the ride.... There is so much so incredibly positive stuff going on, that I can hardly keep my head above water. For anybody coming to Armenia this summer, you are most welcome to contact me for a cup of coffee, or perhaps a visit to one of our projects. They would love it, I would love it, you would love it!<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-56459383622442213402012-03-20T04:39:00.001-07:002012-03-20T05:55:26.882-07:00Things Can Only Get Better - In Honor of the Women of Berd<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTZflF4wd26B0SN4euj6yBRd8GCCtSufJlkvQ99vT7LEtap0-hMQ38Qn-x8BkEdbaiROYr8YW9sqQghNyJelfCXRHqkHR3MsfTXQx2oCB28TM7gGVw8l2BfsoMplWASKZ65dB3xKdgxo/s1600/IMG_0900%5B2%5D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTZflF4wd26B0SN4euj6yBRd8GCCtSufJlkvQ99vT7LEtap0-hMQ38Qn-x8BkEdbaiROYr8YW9sqQghNyJelfCXRHqkHR3MsfTXQx2oCB28TM7gGVw8l2BfsoMplWASKZ65dB3xKdgxo/s320/IMG_0900%5B2%5D" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>With the Berd Bears being launched on Kickstarter in just a couple of days, I am reflecting a bit on a woman up there in Berd whose whole life has been nothing but hardship. She doesn't walk around complaining that life is tough, but she has every right to. She is the very symbol of a tough life- Married as the Soviet Union crumbled. First baby as the pogroms started, second as the war broke out. Her husband went to Russia just as the ink dried on the ceasefire, and she has no idea if he is alive today. Alone with two kids to feed, clothe and educate. Border closed. No job. Sporadic electricity. Can't afford gas heating. Muddy, potholed streets. All that tough stuff that Berd has been the past 20 years, for all of them there. <br />
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Then a random foreign guy comes along and says that a German nun did a great job with teaching them how to knit bears, and that in a year's time all the ladies will be making bears and bear clothing. Yeah, sure, what planet are you from? <br />
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Fast forward a year. Kickstarter is going to splash their teddy bears all over the internet, and people around the world are going to go amok hitting the 'support' button- support for the women of Berd. It is not only a teddy bear, it is a message of hope and optimism from one of the most difficult areas of Armenia to live in. It is jobs. It is shoes for the kids. And it is a fab teddy bear.<br />
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I have been watching the women in Berd during that year. 20 years of Armenian independence has been a long, cold winter for them. It has been a tough life. And now, because of a teddy bear, a small window has opened for them. They are growing, blossoming like flowers. They are working hard. They have a purpose. They have a goal. They giggled gleefully as we filmed them for the Kickstarter film clip. They fuss over the teddy bears, making sure the smile on each one is exactly correct, the length of the dress just right. It's great to see.<br />
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Respect for the women of Berd.<br />
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Things can only get better.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwWfE4DAyao&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwWfE4DAyao&feature=related</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.berdbears.com/">www.berdbears.com</a><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-72462581069618436872012-01-24T05:07:00.000-08:002012-01-24T07:26:02.843-08:00Talin Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuqEGOHdIHKO2q10zvOt77JqnszbfnkhUNoBbU-IVttX3rhIinrhC0IjtmuviqA0SsVMVBXdnU4MugR4VIhR3U6dyQWxuVlrqJfhv5kicOtOYJ7aCflSeBMlWbiSeNPfRWXIYqlAz_9A/s1600/IMG_0638%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuqEGOHdIHKO2q10zvOt77JqnszbfnkhUNoBbU-IVttX3rhIinrhC0IjtmuviqA0SsVMVBXdnU4MugR4VIhR3U6dyQWxuVlrqJfhv5kicOtOYJ7aCflSeBMlWbiSeNPfRWXIYqlAz_9A/s320/IMG_0638%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Two times the past three weeks I have been up in Talin. It is a new region for Homeland Handicrafts, in Aragatsotn marz. Talin is the place you whiz past on your way up to Gyumri. Everybody has heard of it(Isn't that the capitol of Estonia?), but nobody goes there. In my going on 12 years in Armenia, I had never been in Talin, charging past it like everybody else. It is literally a two minute drive off that main Yerevan-Gyumri. It is in a flat, barren stony region of the country, almost desert-like.<br />
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Yet in this town are two amazing people. One of them is a piano-playing Peace Corps volunteer by the name of Brian Bokhart from Indianapolis, Indiana. The other is a young woman named Gayane Kachatryan who wants to make a difference in her community. Brian contacted me and suggested I come and take a look. I did during the second week of January this year. <br />
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</div>Talin is in many ways typical of many Armenian towns and villages. High unemployment rates. High emigration rates. Not a lot of hope for the future. While waiting for Brian to meet me in the main square on my first visit, an older man started talking to me. I asked him about Talin and its future. He said 'It is not good. Two of my three children are in Russia. They send a little money, but it is difficult. During the Soviet times we had lots of apple orchards, but now the irrigation system is not working, so there is nothing. Not one single new government building has been built since the Soviet times'. A hard first message to receive in a town during the first five minutes, it was. Still, Talin is neater, tidier than many Armenian towns I have been in.<br />
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Now, I like challenges, so already we are planning on developing a series of hand crocheted dolls in traditional Armenian clothing. One for Isfahan, one for Artvin, one for Moush etc etc. Several wonderful women have already said they want to participate- Ani, Margarit, Sahakanoush(lovely name!), and two women from the village of Verin Sasunashen a few kilometers away. But I want it to be right. I have never liked those carpet dolls that are sold in the market in Yerevan. Too ratty, too rough if you ask me. I was up there yesterday again, and they had made eight samples. None were good enough, so I explained what changes need to be made, and am looking forward to the new samples to be finished in a few days. No pictures will be posted until it is just right!<br />
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Big thanks go to Gayane and Brian for inviting me along on another adventure with Homeland Handicrafts!<br />
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It's Talin time!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-13873915756098878222012-01-08T06:27:00.000-08:002012-01-08T06:27:54.188-08:00Simply Amazing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeburjHnpaJcFaYXeVtWF1yASD-SKfgNlllzgmUhz800vXb27eJ3Zq716ePEn7mL0PYggYAULQOf845kW7nsOS0757EXBLftOb0j1IWcDS-JDNzjv2HKY3IALe1FYoxxoz-mEBCkZ88OM/s1600/120104+old+sewing+machine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeburjHnpaJcFaYXeVtWF1yASD-SKfgNlllzgmUhz800vXb27eJ3Zq716ePEn7mL0PYggYAULQOf845kW7nsOS0757EXBLftOb0j1IWcDS-JDNzjv2HKY3IALe1FYoxxoz-mEBCkZ88OM/s320/120104+old+sewing+machine.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Those of you following my profile or the Homeland Handicrafts page on Facebook(what exactly is the difference between those two things?) know that I have started 2012 with exciting trips to two opposite sides of Armenia: Vardenis in the east on January 3rd, and Talin in the west on January 6th. <br />
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These were two vastly different experiences in this tiny country. Vardenis is cold, windy and icy. Talin is sunny with not a lot of snow on the ground. Vardenis has mountains on one side, and Lake Sevan on the other, Talin is on a flat plain. Vardenis is an established organization, Talin has an individual woman who wants to help the women in the villages. Vardenis is two and a half hours away from Yerevan, while Talin is about 50 minutes. I pushed them in two distinctly different directions, in an attempt to give each group something distinctly theirs, as I always do. In Vardenis we will do sewing, quilting and applique, while in Talin we will focus on crocheting a series of new, innovative items(which I am very excited about!)<br />
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In Vardenis, the need for a new sewing machine was crystal clear. I remember my Mom sewing on an old Singer like they have up there when I was a kid in the 60s, and even then that was a clunker. So I posted a photo and told the story on Facebook- and it took off. The Norwegian Armenian community circled around the idea of raising money for a new machine first, giving first USD 200, and then another USD 100. Then a U.S. diaspora kicked in with another 500. Within about 6 hours of me posting the request, I had enough to buy them a good, solid machine. Is that not simply amazing?<br />
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Yesterday I met with Laura Maas, the U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Vardenis, and we discussed how to set this up. She will tell the ladies in Vardenis that there is money to buy a new machine. They will come to Yerevan to help choose the machine(take mental ownership). A rotating fund will be set up in Vardenis, where a percentage of all sales of products goes into the fund(teaching administrative and planning skills). The money accumulated in the fund can be used by the organization to purchase what they need later, with the agreement of Laura and myself(organizational development through collective decision-making). My instinct says save towards more attachments to the first machine(piping attachment, for example), or buy a new machine that does embroidery. We shall see, learn together how best to do this.<br />
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Through this USD 800 in seed capital, we have the opportunity to create the basics of a sustainable production unit in Vardenis. It won't be easy. There will be bumps in the road(goodness knows there are plenty of big icy bumps in the roads of winter Vardenis already!). Still, this is what Homeland Handicrafts does- we start with a little something and we work hard to make it bigger and better, for the benefit of women in the villages of Armenia.<br />
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Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of the diaspora, both morally and financially. It would not be possible without wonderful women in Vardenis who want to work. It would not be possible without Laura Maas! Thanks so very much to each of you who are making this possible.<br />
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That was Vardenis. The first samples are due to be finished by January 15th. Can't wait!<br />
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Now, on to Talin....<br />
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I love my life.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-70197799410232982812012-01-04T01:41:00.000-08:002012-01-04T02:42:41.049-08:00Zorro in Vardenis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzz-b61QqYHBxi0SDgyicouI6ygX2o46f3jl-d3MjPJIMFPukFTft94qH9iQT4oXaAJ7RJdUbfW89xTZqESzA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>The new year started with a blast of cold air as I got into the car with Peace Corps volunteer Laura Maas, her friend Cal from the U.S., and Arshak from Yerevan. We headed up to Lake Sevan and swung right to Vardenis, rather than my normal left to Berd. Laura has been in Vardenis since August, and has encouraged me to bring Homeland Handicrafts there. 'It's needed' she said. Little did I know. We stopped off at Noradus on the way up, and it took us only about five minutes among the beautiful, snow dusted khachkars there before we lost the feeling in our fingers and toes. Cold!<br />
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Back in the car, we head out to Vardenis, which lies out beyond the very end of Lake Sevan, a good two hour and ten minute drive from Yerevan in a fast car. Vardenis is a lot farther away from Yerevan than I thought...and a lot windier and colder. We wait at the roundabout in the middle of town to meet up with Melanya the head of Astghavank, and I film a 360 degree clip from the middle of it. Cold, bitter wind, and not a lot happening in Vardenis an early January day. But Zorro smiles nicely from a mobile phone ad. <br />
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Astghavank is an organization working with the parents of disabled kids, and have experience with sewing clothing. It is difficult, surprisingly enough, to find good sewing skills in Armenia. Maybe here in Vardenis we can do something. With a set of designs for potholders and table mats in hand, we visit the Astghavank center, an old kindergarten building that the mayor of Vardenis has given them the right to use for the next 50 years. Because of the freezing temperatures in the building, we stay only a few minutes, but see that they are in need of new machinery. They produce decent quality with what they have, but it is not good enough for export quality, which is our goal.<br />
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Off to seamstress Lena's house through icy bumps in the road that are bigger than ski slope moguls, we huddle around the wood stove in her living room, and discuss potholders... Mt. Ararat, 'hamov e', and other concepts are discussed, but we settle on a donkey and pomegranate...as a test of many things: quality, aesthetic understanding, willingness to try something new, attention to detail, communication, and all those other things that need to be in place to develop a successful line of products.<br />
<br />
Done with the potholders, we are whisked off to the overloaded Christmas table, and toast, eat and discuss unemployment(very high among women), emigration(35% have left Vardenis since independence) and such before jumping in the car and heading back to Yerevan as the sun goes down, and a sudden snowstorm turns the road into a sheet of ice with swirling snow.<br />
<br />
Also swirling are the thoughts in my head. Vardenis is not what I expected. It is colder. It is windier. It is emptier. It is sadder. It is a perfect place for Homeland Handicrafts to try to make a small difference.<br />
<br />
Boy, does Vardenis need Zorro. But in the meantime, let's make potholders.<br />
<br />
Check out: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.336561073023528.86051.224555134224123&type=3">http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.336561073023528.86051.224555134224123&type=3</a><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-67037984364969061642011-12-31T06:06:00.000-08:002011-12-31T06:06:42.364-08:00Thanks for coming along...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFbJOS81HndZjx6dg7YGXzfYocjWquDmsynRyO2FARnjsqw-K-6thwOvRSgGiM12hHsw7qNZulR5WcBCxqzDIWJ-8W0O9arRMhYbb2W9_W_YenZZTY9G9ZfUapwwwXlC_etVvRECTkgc/s1600/IMG_0493%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFbJOS81HndZjx6dg7YGXzfYocjWquDmsynRyO2FARnjsqw-K-6thwOvRSgGiM12hHsw7qNZulR5WcBCxqzDIWJ-8W0O9arRMhYbb2W9_W_YenZZTY9G9ZfUapwwwXlC_etVvRECTkgc/s320/IMG_0493%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div><br />
What a heck of year it is has been. The terrorist attack in Norway that deeply affected me personally, the world economy that affects each and every one of us. In Armenia, domestic violence, environmental issues, deaths of young Armenians in the military and the usual discussions of corruption, nepotism and oligarchs and a visit by the Norwegian foreign minister. Hectic. In the middle of all this, I have kept myself positively busy with Homeland Handicrafts. It has been my savior, my life jacket in choppy seas. <br />
<br />
Hours and hours in the car, thoughts to myself, getting out to the far reaches of Armenia. Coffee, lots of coffee, and those that know me best know that I love a chicken kebab in lavash, with ketchup and onion.<br />
<br />
It is those individuals that I meet in those villages that keep me going. Good, warm, humorous, decent, hardworking people who only need a chance to show what they are capable of. Thanks to Mariam, Hasmik, Gohar, Robert, Nver, Ashot, Nune, Anahit, Seda, Tamara, David, Lilit, Knarik, Satik and all the others that I have been introduced to during the year.<br />
<br />
So, let's see where 2012 takes us. Vartenis with applique work, Gyumri with beadwork, and maybe Talin with I'm not sure what. <br />
<br />
Thanks for coming along, either as a producer, a customer, a donor, a cheerleader. <br />
<br />
You all make it possible!<br />
<br />
Happy New Year!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-58136959510945567782011-12-24T08:49:00.000-08:002011-12-24T11:31:54.574-08:00This night...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;">...a lot of kids like these, both in Armenia and abroad ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw7-KRLcQoD3mAIbuxVK26oWTCOBl-NcjzZgQdTTLGHYTSs-c9gdHjFYOZVhoEEGh6XX56h4HTpUJaesGSTnWq5v3vUHXWCcfGGsChvGO8VbS6FPXvczW4yVEtGWMkUo14HR55pbpjC0/s1600/Picture+of+Armenian+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw7-KRLcQoD3mAIbuxVK26oWTCOBl-NcjzZgQdTTLGHYTSs-c9gdHjFYOZVhoEEGh6XX56h4HTpUJaesGSTnWq5v3vUHXWCcfGGsChvGO8VbS6FPXvczW4yVEtGWMkUo14HR55pbpjC0/s320/Picture+of+Armenian+kids.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">will receive a bunch of things like these... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK7E2TJrPSHRfkcFg5W2Z3raifPlrcAyPfz9jLaLLXTKQebrCFv6Ejzh5SVmXjYC9y9Bhm_TfBRXdRxoirQYF2v4VTy20GhBrioZ-IjlrGUOcYanT31ZxbDKGPaXMu2rnc9Ktfd1g2Bk/s1600/IMG_0548%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK7E2TJrPSHRfkcFg5W2Z3raifPlrcAyPfz9jLaLLXTKQebrCFv6Ejzh5SVmXjYC9y9Bhm_TfBRXdRxoirQYF2v4VTy20GhBrioZ-IjlrGUOcYanT31ZxbDKGPaXMu2rnc9Ktfd1g2Bk/s320/IMG_0548%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> which will provide income for women like these..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BzHxdnRRY7R9jFowmPvx2zyJ27G7wHPk1s8G9Ib12yNxN3GZhLQT5vFJsh1oQ7eEwVKUY0moS0t_9wWYQ-xvtHzh2ahLRM13qENOixz0KFziC-ei1Mjipa-JG_sUcwG58IBQYlcCEdg/s1600/IMG_0106%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BzHxdnRRY7R9jFowmPvx2zyJ27G7wHPk1s8G9Ib12yNxN3GZhLQT5vFJsh1oQ7eEwVKUY0moS0t_9wWYQ-xvtHzh2ahLRM13qENOixz0KFziC-ei1Mjipa-JG_sUcwG58IBQYlcCEdg/s320/IMG_0106%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">..so they can provide a better life for kids like this one..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDlnOiZcwVtVDemspIawhhHFwVgWrjC4mgzgM4iyGymFVxN8hJRuHDrSqrntmgsehGBQcdDYzRmYHDlHeYha0iqhKNDNEamwSSjYi92UDQW1fSGu9o74Vs160VeD0bthu3FchBr1i8Js/s1600/IMG_0105%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDlnOiZcwVtVDemspIawhhHFwVgWrjC4mgzgM4iyGymFVxN8hJRuHDrSqrntmgsehGBQcdDYzRmYHDlHeYha0iqhKNDNEamwSSjYi92UDQW1fSGu9o74Vs160VeD0bthu3FchBr1i8Js/s320/IMG_0105%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That is what Homeland Handicrafts is all about.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">May peace be with your every step</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-14581935961893258102011-12-18T09:47:00.000-08:002011-12-18T09:48:15.862-08:00A Fair Wage for a Fair Day's Work<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMrnZsYBFANqNjffZ5fIIqJTZXz-ZiJGx7OLyibw6WwmmKpLKWWveoNsc9guECSv4-UEL-V8amXGH9UTANaYxDIhhpLlzOSDkmN1G0QOnTXTaRu0wbt2Fb-4jLPaAPSDH5jMa5ByGyTo/s1600/111218+Artaboynk+pillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMrnZsYBFANqNjffZ5fIIqJTZXz-ZiJGx7OLyibw6WwmmKpLKWWveoNsc9guECSv4-UEL-V8amXGH9UTANaYxDIhhpLlzOSDkmN1G0QOnTXTaRu0wbt2Fb-4jLPaAPSDH5jMa5ByGyTo/s320/111218+Artaboynk+pillow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is sometimes astonishing what a difference a couple of days can make. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just yesterday it struck me that perhaps it was time to re-launch a series of exquisitely embroidered cushion covers from the villages of Vayots Dzor. We worked intensively last year on the development of these items after being told a story that borders on modern day slavery. The women in these villages are known for the high quality of their embroidery, their accuracy. And, the women have only a garden and perhaps a beehive from which to create income. That is why Turks in the business of high priced cushion covers and wall hangings regularly send their Armenian representatives to these particular villages and ask the women to fully embroider large pieces of cloth- because the quality is good, and the women have no other choice. For a piece of cloth the size of a table runner taking two months to embroider, they receive about USD 50, much less than minimum wage in Armenia. The finished pieces are shipped to Turkey and sold at exorbitant prices.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is not about the Armenian-Turkish relationship. This is about paying a woman a fair wage for a fair day's work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we set about asking the women to embroider a much smaller swatch of cloth, and framing it in a nice piece of fabric to match a rich looking cushion cover. They made a few of them, but the market didn't want them for some reason. Expectations were not fulfilled, so we put these products to the side for a year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then yesterday I brought them out again. And tonight I have orders for nine cushions from warm-hearted people who know a quality product when they see one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So tomorrow morning I start breathing new life into those products-because these women deserve it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-39874142253753058822011-12-09T03:52:00.000-08:002011-12-09T03:52:15.006-08:00The Bags Are Packed...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyAUTQoIl_6CgrBz9iS_22VwfRK29a_L__cnhFzt_7IyaerbKw80NP85KpTL8PlcPfNYK14_vfwb1n6hShWkv8am5Z_Z1pnh20asgz2ukjVrz6ztv1FFMgdF0eyamVR1-FmRJoszyf6g/s1600/IMG_0470%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyAUTQoIl_6CgrBz9iS_22VwfRK29a_L__cnhFzt_7IyaerbKw80NP85KpTL8PlcPfNYK14_vfwb1n6hShWkv8am5Z_Z1pnh20asgz2ukjVrz6ztv1FFMgdF0eyamVR1-FmRJoszyf6g/s320/IMG_0470%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div>The bags are packed, two fairs ahead of us this weekend. The Dzmer Pap runs tomorrow, and the International Womens Club annual charity bazaar is on Sunday. Christmas is upon us! In the boxes in bags at my feet as I write this are lots of goodies. Many of the animals from Goris, the santas and snowmen from Kapan and the coasters from Chinchin have already been spoken for, so it promises well. All of the remaining plum jam from Berd has been put to the side for a woman who in panic wrote to me saying she couldn't come to the fairs, so please please lock it away at home for her! Done. <br />
<br />
To think that a year ago we had just started. Homeland Handicrafts was in its infancy(and in many ways, still is!). Still, when I think of the fact that we went to a handful of employed women at this time last year to perhaps up towards 60 today, we have to be happy with the results. The teddy bears from Berd are almost about to be IPOed(just kidding, but big plans are sailing up!), and the crocheted animals from Goris are in more demand than they can produce. Chinchin, a village almost nobody every heard of just a couple months back is now on the map- the home of three wonderful things: Fab handcrafted coasters with a gaggle of determined women behind them, an incredible view out over the mountain tops from the edge of town, and a young determined woman by the name of Mariam Yesayan, whom without we never would have set foot in Chinchin. The House of Hope and Faith in Kapan is churning out those cute little santas and snowmen this year, too, and has added a dragon, next year's Chinese symbol.<br />
<br />
Disappointments we have had. Meghri has proven a tougher job to get things on their feet than we thought. Sevan and Noyemberian the same. Though some of the issues of why it didn't take off are based on the people involved, the biggest issue has been finding the right product that the market wants. The will to work is in all of these places.<br />
<br />
The commercial contacts are starting to come. A major telephone company has asked us to locate producers for items they will use in marketing- by the thousands. An exporter has asked me to put them in contact with talented crocheters and knitters for her clothing collection, so the ladies of Noyemberian and Chinchin have a positive challenge in front of them for next year. Diasporan visitors to Armenia have asked me to take them to our producer groups to see if they can have their product ideas developed her, in Armenia. Good friends in Philadelphia, Boston and LA are clamoring for more products. The ball is starting to roll, and roll quickly.<br />
<br />
The goal for Homeland Handicrafts still stands: 500 jobs in 5 years. We are 18 months in, and have 60 of those created. We can make it. Berd will increase dramatically in the next months, it seems, and Kapan might as well. Chinchin should develop nicely, too. <br />
<br />
And more and more villages and towns want us to come have a look- Vartenis up by Lake Sevan, Gyumri, and a group of Armenian-Iraqi refugees near Yerevan, just to name a few. There is no lack of women wanting to work. We just need to keep plugging away at getting the word out.<br />
<br />
The bags are packed, let's go create some jobs!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-20708504834698115202011-11-15T19:08:00.000-08:002011-11-15T19:08:30.085-08:00Bowl Me Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiei1vCTYAfbngFUDlvt_ZW3Rj7YzLm_wVYf2IvFEpVbQwFnQcza0PGdYtq7_jVEmsPDUqod1JysV_0qSe2wVPcXP0V_OpSrtbBHq_Ix5q2yn43kYiJ9I21GMXLQb3XsAwx5QRVxJbq4/s1600/111115+Al+Eisaian+372828_289740881055012_907514639_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiei1vCTYAfbngFUDlvt_ZW3Rj7YzLm_wVYf2IvFEpVbQwFnQcza0PGdYtq7_jVEmsPDUqod1JysV_0qSe2wVPcXP0V_OpSrtbBHq_Ix5q2yn43kYiJ9I21GMXLQb3XsAwx5QRVxJbq4/s1600/111115+Al+Eisaian+372828_289740881055012_907514639_n.jpg" /></a></div>Sometimes I get blown away.<br />
<br />
I went to the Yerevan StartUp Mixer a couple weeks back, and met a room chock full of smart, savvy, techie young people- the next generation of Armenian IT ground breakers. <br />
<br />
In the midst of all the riveting techie start-up discussion Al Eisaian, the man who took the initiative to arrange the mixer, did a shout out on Homeland Handicraft's little knitting start-up in Chinchin. Techie entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship are two branches of the same tree, he said. He showed the little CivilNet TV clip of Mariam Yesayan - 18 years old with cerebral palsy in a village of 400 - and her ambition to bring jobs to her village. <br />
<br />
And I wondered if these techie kids with the next Facebook in their eyes would care about the plight of a little village on the outer edge of their reality? But they did. They clapped, they asked questions, they were curious. <br />
<br />
It was a great day, an inspirational day, that mixer day.<br />
<br />
The Tuesday after, when I was already in bed in the evening, an SMS ticked in. It said that a big chunk of the entrance fee collected at the mixer was to be donated to the project in Chinchin. Knock me over with a feather. Great. Wow.....<br />
<br />
So, soon I will be going up to Chinchin and help them create a revolving materials fund. They buy yarn and knitting needles and such with the money, make the product, sell the product, and then pay the material cost back into the revolving fund, perhaps with a small interest paid so the fund grows. This will not be a subsidy, it will be a seed that helps the Chinchin group grow. With this generous contribution and a bunch of hard work, we will soon see a growing, sustainable, thriving handicrafts organization in Chinchin.<br />
<br />
Thanks, Yerevan Start-Uppers, you guys rock.<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-64322946902762364162011-11-12T23:36:00.000-08:002011-11-12T23:59:40.681-08:00We're on to Something<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMInxqCIBKXhyh1tebYKI8SM3hQaAVjqtQ8xtXypenGJ1XYrKtFzcRxoA7WxBxi7aMBAuJsTdKaFdHO1Gfzm6_Jwdx4qkmntXJ4BbW8ySePhEMfyKyNXI-o52CHyLJfPsev2QHHr-AU0M/s1600/IMG_0185%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMInxqCIBKXhyh1tebYKI8SM3hQaAVjqtQ8xtXypenGJ1XYrKtFzcRxoA7WxBxi7aMBAuJsTdKaFdHO1Gfzm6_Jwdx4qkmntXJ4BbW8ySePhEMfyKyNXI-o52CHyLJfPsev2QHHr-AU0M/s320/IMG_0185%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div>I am in Sri Lanka today. I will be here for the next three weeks or so. During breakfast this morning, I got into a conversation with a bright young Sri Lanka law student. Her name is Selyna, and she is the daughter of the founder of the fair trade company I design products for here- Selyn Exports. Despite the differences in the size(SL 66.000 sq. km.\ AM 30.000), population(SL 21 million\ AM 3 million), and history of the two countries, both Armenia and Sri Lanka are emerging economies. Both have large emigration rates of workers that send money home. Both struggle to create jobs at home. Both have rich handicraft traditions.<br />
<br />
Selyna lamented the big projects being done in Sri Lanka, often by large international organizations, saying that they are not sustainable due to a lack of local mental ownership of them- somebody rich from the outside comes and plops a project down in a village and leaves. She pointed out a particular project where large sums of money were put into building a coconut fiber processing plant, while no plan was made for the electrical line to the plant, or how the electricity being used was to be paid. That plant stands unused today, with the villagers there waiting for someone else from the outside to come along and pick up the pieces. She said that Selyn, in contrast, is doing it right- privately owned, building on the weaving and sewing skills of the average village woman to make the product, while Selyn itself does the designing and marketing of them- at the same time guaranteeing a reasonable wage and decent working conditions to the women who make the products. And they employ well over 400 women.<br />
<br />
And I thought about Homeland Handicrafts. We don't go into a village in Armenia with big promises, we go in with a product idea or two, and see if we can find the entrepreneurs. We build on the skills the women have. We do the marketing, and hope that a businessman or woman in the U.S., France, Russia or Australia will pick up on the idea, and work commercially with the groups we have created. We don't make factories, we make groups of women who want to work. <br />
<br />
Armenia doesn't need big bucks projects, it needs lots of small ones. And it doesn't need brilliant new ideas, it needs bodies on the ground to implement them. <br />
<br />
I am in the process of developing a talk where I look into the importance of small and medium enterprises(SMEs) in other developing countries like Guatemala, Kenya and India -and yes, Sri Lanka- and take a look at the importance of products like teddy bears, crocheted animals and other handicrafts as a percentage of the total economy, and then at how many jobs for women have been created through handicrafts in those countries as a percentage of the total population. I hope to be surprised.<br />
<br />
If they can create thousands upon thousands of jobs for women through handicrafts, well then so can Armenia. And this at a time when the world is tired of factory-made products, and wants the authentic, the hand made.<br />
<br />
I think we're on to something, Selyna and I.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-13571040289273104082011-11-11T07:45:00.000-08:002011-11-12T21:37:22.133-08:00Charge My Batteries, Feed My Soul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaTyIJHs6PBBmhLReIkauUhLFfpHbWIwPKedj_-KKcw23oiZgG2RX0RZcUXT8Hd6Px0GOJ7mVGSzyzxeGNcfN-B7wIsKPZxUebj4bZLpvmkFicntrS1c729RVdPMEZ5pA4-AEYSgkBSE/s1600/IMG_0304%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaTyIJHs6PBBmhLReIkauUhLFfpHbWIwPKedj_-KKcw23oiZgG2RX0RZcUXT8Hd6Px0GOJ7mVGSzyzxeGNcfN-B7wIsKPZxUebj4bZLpvmkFicntrS1c729RVdPMEZ5pA4-AEYSgkBSE/s320/IMG_0304%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div>I had one of those evenings yesterday that reaffirms my belief in the human spirit, the human will to do good. Pretty numb and tired after a (very fruitful) visit by the Norwegian foreign minister, I was asked by my friend Jussi in Norway to send as many as possible of our teddy bears from Berd and crocheted animals from Goris to Norway as soon as possible. But how? <br />
<br />
Ann the psychiatrist who traveled with me to Shamshadin was due to fly home to Oslo next week, so I decided to try to get ahold of her...but have no number to her. An SMS arrives, asking me if I could join a group of Norwegians in town for the launch of a clean hydropower project for dinner. Am exhausted, but these are quality people, and it just might be the chance to get those teddies and animals to Norway. At the restaurant, Ann is there(Yerevan is a small town, Norwegians find each other) and the group pounces on both the teddies and animals, and within a few minutes, seven of the 13 teddies I had brought were sold, and every single one of the crocheted animals, too. All I had to do is explain that they are hand made by women in villages in Armenia, and they were snapped up. <br />
<br />
Then they cheerfully insisted on transporting the balance six teddies to poor Jussi in Norway who wanted all those items, but will end up with just a few!<br />
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It is not the first time I have met spontaneous, honest, enthusiastic interest in the products that Homeland Handicrafts develops and the women behind them. Three or four times this summer in Yerevan the same thing happened- a group of Americans once, a group of Dutch with some Russians mixed in another time, and now the Norwegians. And then there are the great folks in Philly, Boston and LA who also are doing their best to promote what we do, and not from a profit motive, but from the bottom of their hearts. The ladies in Berd and Goris just can't keep up with the demand, so slowly more and more women are being added- jobs created.<br />
<br />
Each decent person just wants to do good, to contribute in a positive way, given the opportunity to do so in a practical way. That principle was proven again last night.<br />
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Such spontaneous acts of genuine generosity charge my batteries, feed my soul.<br />
<br />
Thanks!<br />
<br />
We have only just begun!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-43933263685088532852011-11-05T12:36:00.000-07:002011-11-05T12:36:30.429-07:00The Small Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKI1LwfVnJwATFkdd4JNCf8oOC7ycGMUcIAtL1xJ-71FIfhbDVfVxw0y9GICRAukhPFzQuFmKNRSmzhrbYyJQB_cJdhzxIT-ufUiFjtD_xF-Y4CEWiRpuCZmaCp88yNXWCGGAtnXHwog/s1600/IMG_0294%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKI1LwfVnJwATFkdd4JNCf8oOC7ycGMUcIAtL1xJ-71FIfhbDVfVxw0y9GICRAukhPFzQuFmKNRSmzhrbYyJQB_cJdhzxIT-ufUiFjtD_xF-Y4CEWiRpuCZmaCp88yNXWCGGAtnXHwog/s320/IMG_0294%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div>On Thursday I was up in Shamshadin again.<br />
<br />
This time I took Ann, a Norwegian psychiatrist and Al, an American Armenian with me. Al had been touched by my CivilNet.tv interview with Mariam Yesayan in Chinchin, and wanted to meet her. But as we rolled into the village I thought I would take them up to the 'top of the world' in a park outside of Chinchin. There they were blown away by the panorama view, the beauty of the rough nature, and the purity of the air. Al has found his new yoga place.<br />
<br />
And then to the Yesayan house, where the knitting women came in and presented their wares- over 100 snowflake coasters in a range of colors. Al had ordered a bunch of them, and paid the women then and there. Their faces were precious as they saw the cash lay on the table. Smiles ear to ear. They had earned money for the first time in a long time- hard earned and sorely needed money. Hasmik and Lilit leaned over the table, eager to show a better suggestion on how to finish the edges of the coasters so they wouldn't curl so much. They chattered away, flush with the excitement of a new situation in Chinchin. It was the strength of these women, combined with a wonderful Shamshadin sense of humor that impressed Al and Ann, and always impresses me. Ann got caught up in the positiveness of it all, and ordered 50 coasters as Christmas gifts on the spot. The women cackled in excitement- Do we have enough yarn? When do you need them? <br />
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After a fabulous village snack of fresh bread, pickles and home made cheese, we rolled full of impressions out of Chinchin towards Nerkin Karmiraghbyur. I had interviewed a young man there named Vardan a few weeks earlier on CivilNet.tv, so I tried to call him to say we were coming. But he didn't answer- hadn't answered for the past few days. That probably means he is at the front line as a hired soldier. Hope he is safe.<br />
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On to Berd, we visit the ladies of the Berd Womens Resource Center, and Tamara and Seda as always are knitting away, bear body parts strewn across the table, waiting for assembly. They had five more bears ready for us. We talked about the future, about how to increase production, lower prices, export, make these beautiful little creatures into a thriving business. Seeds were planted. They need nourishment to grow, but it will come.<br />
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Rushing home on the Berd-Chambarak road, we cannot see more than ten meters in front of us due to thick fog. Nothing of the fantastic view on the left side of the road for about 50 kilometers is visible. Oh well, at least the tree poachers were also kept off that road- a few trees saved today, maybe. And so home to Yerevan.<br />
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These trips are so important to me. They make me physically tired, but spiritually happy. Al and Ann and all the others that have joined me on trips to Shamshadin will remember them- Mariam, Hasmik, Lilit, Vardan, Anahit, Seda, Tamara and all those other women up in our beloved Shamshadin.<br />
<br />
But in addition to these great people, I will remember the small things, like this little flower at 'the top of the world' in Chinchin.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-14585019018638900122011-10-30T02:33:00.000-07:002011-10-30T02:40:56.490-07:00Not So Creepy Critters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqI_Ny8CDUiIJwSbsJmI4WgJ_byFtW3OlpGKPcy4dfA75_2E-psyweHjq2b5m-ct7cDRhjqlZdkoa9iTYmPamMyaHQMsDwMPHa9lsiI5eVczRcX3rR1w29JgKGPovFEG9fhJTgovCNok/s1600/IMG_0288%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqI_Ny8CDUiIJwSbsJmI4WgJ_byFtW3OlpGKPcy4dfA75_2E-psyweHjq2b5m-ct7cDRhjqlZdkoa9iTYmPamMyaHQMsDwMPHa9lsiI5eVczRcX3rR1w29JgKGPovFEG9fhJTgovCNok/s320/IMG_0288%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div>A couple months ago I was contacted by Karine Grigoryan, president of Agate NGO in Gyumri. Karine has cerebral palsy, but that isn't holding her back. Her limitless optimism and energy shined through on her very first message to me on Facebook. She wanted to work with Homeland Handicrafts, and nothing was going to stop her. I knew that Karine and I would get along famously because when I asked her to SMS me rather than call me due to a hearing impairment I have, she said that it was no problem as her own impairment prevents her from speaking clearly in the phone.<br />
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What a perfectly functional match we are!<br />
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I asked Karine to send me photos of what they make already, a normal first step. The photos came, and were as expected- products that I have seen many times before, definitely nothing that will be appreciated as new in the market, nothing that I thought I could have an success in marketing. We needed to come up with something new. <br />
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I do not believe in sympathy purchases - a 'poor them' purchase. I want people to buy Homeland Handicraft's products because they are exciting, new, interesting, quality products, good products for the money. That is where sustainability will come from for Karine and Agate NGO- not sympathy for their impairments, but appreciation for their products, their talent and their hard work.<br />
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I noticed a beaded tree among the photos. A large tree, very intricate, certainly haven taken many many hours to make and therefore expensive- not sale-able. But the beading technique was what caught my eye. I suggested to Karine that we focus on that technique, but make new, different, eye-catching items.<br />
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Thus, this queen ant.<br />
<br />
And spiders.<br />
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And scorpions.<br />
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It takes a special person to appreciate these not so creepy critters. Are you one of them?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-88849934674571034052011-10-29T07:41:00.000-07:002011-10-29T12:08:53.081-07:00Crocheted Elephant, Anyone?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZO6SSxbv9bEqXPpzdtWaZnTbeRQBxvs3boqbja-FABVwddfspmsfkcBuJVwEgLL2eAkGE1qqB8h9XpkE7OgSSQzEYee-e9EIt37kuWnZUBrLmZNP1io6r0X6DjUJMwESth9q6tNiTtvA/s1600/IMG_0286%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZO6SSxbv9bEqXPpzdtWaZnTbeRQBxvs3boqbja-FABVwddfspmsfkcBuJVwEgLL2eAkGE1qqB8h9XpkE7OgSSQzEYee-e9EIt37kuWnZUBrLmZNP1io6r0X6DjUJMwESth9q6tNiTtvA/s320/IMG_0286%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div>When you believe in a cause, there is no such thing as down time, days off, or 'can't be bothered' moods. Today is Saturday in Yerevan, a day of the week that has become one of my most important days for delivering the Homeland Handicrafts message: Jobs for women. Jobs in the regions. Jobs based on existing skills, techniques and materials. Jobs through handicrafts.<br />
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And today was a good one. Generous people, good people met with me to help me spread the joy. Narek from Yerevan picked up his two hand-crocheted elephants from the Goris. Adrineh from Canada, living in Yerevan picked up two half liter jars of jams and butter from Berd and a wooden bowl from Goris. Marie from San Fransisco, a frequent visitor to Yerevan(and miraculously enough born and raised in an Ohio town not far from the one I grew up in) picked up three teddy bears and a bear shoulder bag from Berd as well as 40 Armenian heart magnet party favors from Kapan. Then Sara from ArmeniaNow interviewed me about Homeland Handicrafts, with focus on the teddy bear project in Berd.<br />
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A good day indeed.<br />
<br />
I never dwell on the amount of money that has come in to the women. I prefer to look at the number of working hours the purchases represent. Today's sales represent about 165 working hours in total, or about one month's work for one woman. Now, these hours were spread over Berd, Goris and Kapan. But still, maybe a winter coat or a month of gas heating for a household was paid for today- not through charity, but through the skills of these hard-working women. A small, yet significant victory.<br />
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And just now, an SMS arrived from Ursula saying that she wants two sets of six of the Armenian fruit coasters from Chinchin. That will be our first little success with actually selling those coasters- the first little piece of work created in a new village. Nine hours of work, for Chinchin. Thanks, Ursula!<br />
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The day is young. Crocheted elephant, anyone?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-33035761538269845402011-10-28T03:36:00.000-07:002011-10-28T03:36:16.501-07:00By the Hair of Their Chinny Chinchin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjs_DHJO5zBSzhhHAFZQHdlHQjA7iAxBXO02V8pNbFi9WjavS54h9B0DVtG-rSlnAKYhAomcdtE1ApH6c5H3PWByD7FnJqSg5mCj_fAxCF_UXBEKtHV_9wUNvy3Gk8aWuWqssOBDBtjrI/s1600/IMG_0270%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjs_DHJO5zBSzhhHAFZQHdlHQjA7iAxBXO02V8pNbFi9WjavS54h9B0DVtG-rSlnAKYhAomcdtE1ApH6c5H3PWByD7FnJqSg5mCj_fAxCF_UXBEKtHV_9wUNvy3Gk8aWuWqssOBDBtjrI/s320/IMG_0270%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div>I thought we had it all planned out- arrival at 11, meet Arev- the newly designated leader of the knitting women in Chinchin- at the school. There was quality to control, there was knitting needles and yarn to distribute. A phone call to Arev the day before was not entirely understood by her or me, but the assumption was that that was the plan. It's like that in Armenia. You think it is all planned, but it never turns out that way.<br />
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We arrived on time. The school was open, but empty. We were puzzled, and couldn't figure out who to meet or where- what had gone wrong? An umbrella in the corner of the entryway told us somebody was in the school building. We went from door to door until we heard a voice in a room at the end of the hallway upstairs. Two ladies are in the room, huddled around a wood stove. 'School holiday today' we were told, the occasion not quite clear. And where is Arev, I ask? 'She is in Idjevan'- no further explanation to be had. Clearly, my phone call to her had gone all wrong. I explain that I am here to collect Armenian fruit coasters, as if that was supposed to make any sense. But indeed, one of them puts on her coat and goes out. Ten minutes later, after we have been served freshly sliced apples by the woman who stayed behind, the woman who went out comes back. Not a word of explanation. We ask 'and?'. 'Klini' is the answer, 'shall be'.<br />
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In the next 10 or so minutes, a parade of women excitedly arrive. The first one with six pomegranate coasters, the next with six cherries, then another with six apples, then six orange-looking peaches, then the watermelons and pears. The strawberries are not quite ready, I am told. They eagerly show their work, and wait for my response- the 'shat lav's shower down on them. One young woman seems upset. She shows me a half-finished apricot coaster, and unhappily explains that they only have three pairs of knitting needles in Chinchin, and that she only got a hold of one of those pairs yesterday. No problem, I say, no stress. She shows me an orange apricot with a black line down it. I say sorry, I would like an apricot that is two thirds yellow and one third orange, with no black line please. She firmly disagrees- apricots should be two thirds orange and one third yellow. I choose not to disagree with a determined Chinchin woman.<br />
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I pull out the new five sets of knitting needles from my bag of goodies and they distribute them immediately to those that need them. I strikes me that a pair of knitting needles costs 300 drams- 80 US cents - but in Chinchin, every dram counts as we enter the long hard winter, so they have not invested in any extras, and sent the three pairs they had around the village, taking turns. Chinchin hangs on by the hair on their chinny Chinchin you might say.<br />
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When I pull out the 25 skeins of yarn in a rainbow of different colors to make the snowflake coaster that we already have orders for nearly 150 of, the excitement grows. I explain how many of each background color are to be made of the snowflake, and they are off... cackling between themselves on who will make which color, they almost forgot I am there. I try to say goodbye a couple of times, but flush with the excitement of new knitting needles, new orders for coasters, and the very idea that some hub-bub is happening in Chinchin in late October, they are too absorbed in who will make the navy blue and who will make the burgundy to notice that I was leaving.<br />
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As we make our way to the car in the burrrrr cold of the Chinchin frost, the strawberry knitter comes running, rosy cheeked and worried that she had missed us. Her strawberries were beautifully done. She is happy, and heads into the school to get her slice of the snowflake order.<br />
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All is good in Chinchin. A small start has been made. But it is the positive energy I will remember, their excitement about being offered work. I am not sure if it is the money they will earn, or the feeling of having something to do during the long winter season. But these women do want to work. They are eager to work. I will do my very best to give them work. Because work is not just about food on the table during a long, hard winter. It is about pride, about allowing them to provide for themselves in a hilly village where the only source of income is potatoes. It is about the future of their village. The future of Chinchin.<br />
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One coaster at a time.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-13851932549402348012011-10-27T10:08:00.000-07:002011-10-27T10:08:32.692-07:00If Only for an Hour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCzQ70-iKtu5VF7uQM3UexVpxyTJIqAqDTIn4L9MIXTQ8nG2A9F0IQq06frYpf3Nlen5Q6CRlhHlC8QBkybD1NPA4pzi1mvjIL1xjLitTwcYHBlrELskYnVgEd8dLgQYmAQOQ3KEEetc/s1600/IMG_0248%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCzQ70-iKtu5VF7uQM3UexVpxyTJIqAqDTIn4L9MIXTQ8nG2A9F0IQq06frYpf3Nlen5Q6CRlhHlC8QBkybD1NPA4pzi1mvjIL1xjLitTwcYHBlrELskYnVgEd8dLgQYmAQOQ3KEEetc/s320/IMG_0248%255B1%255D" width="240" /></a></div>Somewhere between the Navoor and Chambarak where the road snakes along the Azeri border, winter laid its grip on the trees and bushes. It made it easy to leave the stress of city life behind, if only for an hour or so. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioklKrObJpGiizdYElz-Ga23LKy12YlJ4X6rESH5lKhUbAVNzFiIBhUQRcahmJYXhNH0IJ-P-Gy-vlD6NshQxwuD9BqKBV9WIWknacb6dfHu9wqbVZTz3MKV66HgUGkVU4nQnDS28FRR8/s1600/IMG_0247%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioklKrObJpGiizdYElz-Ga23LKy12YlJ4X6rESH5lKhUbAVNzFiIBhUQRcahmJYXhNH0IJ-P-Gy-vlD6NshQxwuD9BqKBV9WIWknacb6dfHu9wqbVZTz3MKV66HgUGkVU4nQnDS28FRR8/s320/IMG_0247%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-74266316771375117312011-10-27T09:57:00.000-07:002011-10-28T00:09:50.285-07:00A Passion for What You Do....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluRNQsMn91FwsWne98to1QqwrmaOgVpMQbQhlazjCJk6BbbRmu8yKEA2VDlJOTQ04LFWBjTMw9Xt5V8aVGfczIboSw6SokQ0NpABYhnSV7SScbYSe1roMvewNyoWMi2mse759pDXSafI/s1600/IMG_0251%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluRNQsMn91FwsWne98to1QqwrmaOgVpMQbQhlazjCJk6BbbRmu8yKEA2VDlJOTQ04LFWBjTMw9Xt5V8aVGfczIboSw6SokQ0NpABYhnSV7SScbYSe1roMvewNyoWMi2mse759pDXSafI/s320/IMG_0251%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div>Just back from another long, demanding, exciting, interesting day in Shamshadin.<br />
<br />
The Armenian fruit-themed coasters got picked up from Chinchin. The ladies there were thrilled with the orders so far for the snowflake patterned coaster, too, and eagerly distributed the yarn and extra knitting needles I had brought with me among themselves. They got so wrapped up in who was going to make the blue ones, and who the red ones, etc., that they hardly noticed that I said goodbye and sneaked out the door. <br />
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On to Berd, where the ladies had churned out 15 more of their beautiful, high quality teddy bears and a pile of clothing. They have become a well-oiled teddy bear machine, churning out the teddies and their clothes at a good pace, and are adding new women to the project every couple of weeks. Customers in Philadelphia, Boston and Los Angeles await!<br />
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Home in Yerevan, I reflect..... You don't need a million dollars to make a difference. You need only to have a passion for what you do, and the guts to take action. <br />
<br />
And I do.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-41818352531690997762011-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:002011-10-26T06:03:03.039-07:00Nerkin Karmiraghbyur - Every Long Journey..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l6LMbz7z6N1JBJee6nG-xoGpvD4HmmSmXOICdxO5Vd0wTqqdqdzVIKhENsn0CDdFiPM8fYqmfKYMIsyQV3AU7FknTFpfeUpG96lHShU8B12DHOl-1PWlYGdthe7mbDYBSQzv5SRUWe8/s1600/IMG_1117%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l6LMbz7z6N1JBJee6nG-xoGpvD4HmmSmXOICdxO5Vd0wTqqdqdzVIKhENsn0CDdFiPM8fYqmfKYMIsyQV3AU7FknTFpfeUpG96lHShU8B12DHOl-1PWlYGdthe7mbDYBSQzv5SRUWe8/s320/IMG_1117%255B1%255D" width="320" /></a></div>I want this blog to be a window into the villages, the people, the stories behind the goods that Homeland Handicrafts designs and promotes, not just a string of pictures of nice-looking products. Nerkin Karmiraghbyur, for example, is a seven minute stroll from the border with Azerbaijan in Tavoush marz. The village's most fertile agricultural fields are right on the border and mined- by the Armenian army, in order to defend the border. Almost every house in the village took a direct hit by bombs during the war. The community building, the ruins of which are shown in this picture, was no exception. Nerkin Karmiraghbyur struggles with the same issues many other villages struggle with- emigration, lack of jobs, etc. We know that we would need to sell a mountain of magnets, key tags or bookmarks to re-build this building. Still, every long journey starts with the first step.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-31436694537845144582011-10-25T08:56:00.000-07:002011-10-25T08:56:42.706-07:00From Our Little Chinchin to the World - Snowflake Coasters for Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aW-h5cEMFXmwhbkjKWutlT_p08Klt6KbKg4b4sRsF-74aG0n2SBpKc0k0XcZzVh42x07gXNpwhgAWm4eAU829RiRQkwYLqcLak5fWEA9sB-ZtP2eR0Li48FBTrbcQrV6EqbLAc2NIo8/s1600/IMG_0241%255B1%255D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aW-h5cEMFXmwhbkjKWutlT_p08Klt6KbKg4b4sRsF-74aG0n2SBpKc0k0XcZzVh42x07gXNpwhgAWm4eAU829RiRQkwYLqcLak5fWEA9sB-ZtP2eR0Li48FBTrbcQrV6EqbLAc2NIo8/s320/IMG_0241%255B1%255D" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Thursday, October 27th, we will be making a new trip to Shamshadin to visit two producer groups. One of them is the very newly formed group of women in the village of Chinchin. With only about 350 residents and perched on a ridge in a rugged mountainous area, Chinchin is perhaps the most remote of villages that Homeland Handicrafts has ever worked in. I had planned to launch a series of coasters with Armenian fruit motives, but during our last visit, one of the ladies showed me this one with a snowflake on it. I loved it, and promptly posted it on Facebook the next day. By that evening, I had received orders for 138 of them in a variety of colors. So, Thursday's visit will start with a 'hurra!' for their first success in the market, and then nose to the grinding stone to get quality, size, colors, delivery deadline, labeling, and all those other things that make a finished product under control. I think they are still in shock up there over the response. Finally, some light in the tunnel in Chinchin, Shamshadin!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-81325290515595786582011-10-25T08:37:00.000-07:002011-10-25T08:37:14.156-07:00Homeland Handicrafts - The Focus- <i>women</i>, because they are the backbone of any society, and are higher on the unemployment statistics<br />
<br />
- <i>in the regions</i>, because jobs for women are more scarce than in Yerevan<br />
<br />
- <i>traditional craft techniques</i>, because Armenian women are talented and experienced at a whole range of craft techniques like knitting, crocheting, weaving, embroidery and moreAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-3415974409343251592011-10-25T08:25:00.000-07:002011-10-25T08:25:55.323-07:00Why Homeland Handicrafts?<div class="art-Block-body"> <div class="art-BlockContent"> <div class="art-BlockContent-body"> Why Homeland Handicrafts?<br />
<br />
<em>Because</em> unemployment in rural Armenia is in the double digits<br />
<br />
<em>Because</em> a net of 67.000 reportedly left Armenia during first six months of this year<br />
<br />
<em>Because</em> there are talented artisans throughout Armenia who can't find a market for their products<br />
<br />
<em>Because</em> handicrafts can provide a stable income for hundreds if not thousands of individuals in Armenia<br />
<br />
<em>Because</em> we believe in the future of Armenia<br />
</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3242630053438334084.post-35506747646303910592011-10-25T08:21:00.000-07:002011-10-25T08:21:59.731-07:00Homeland Handicrafts - join us on our journey!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB5KwXvkpYkfOjA_HtzPmoIndL6YXkfMZV_xTRWv5mBQoSzJvFsQYGTpbesiRP1_vpzjdHvyM5FkdH2d0M1m_RgeS2s3S0pq9dQ0-kmsBcqc3o1y0dndgsFvvPU43PryglMlDt_bNScI/s1600/100913+new+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB5KwXvkpYkfOjA_HtzPmoIndL6YXkfMZV_xTRWv5mBQoSzJvFsQYGTpbesiRP1_vpzjdHvyM5FkdH2d0M1m_RgeS2s3S0pq9dQ0-kmsBcqc3o1y0dndgsFvvPU43PryglMlDt_bNScI/s320/100913+new+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A little over a year ago a Peace Corps volunteer by the name of Zoe Armstrong asked me why I didn't have a project in Armenia for the creation of jobs through handicrafts, like I work on in Sri Lanka a couple months out of each year. It was the kick in the pants I needed to start Homeland Handicrafts(HH). One year and a bit later, we have had volunteers from the USA, Brazil, and Australia working for us, have participated in a half dozen different fairs, and most importantly of all, have about 40 jobs created. This blog is intended to let you follow us as we make out trips to places like Chinchin, Nerkin Karmiraghbyur and Berd in Shamshadin and Goris and Kapan in Zangezeur, Syunik. Hang on tight, it's a bumpy ride!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10754172822920768145noreply@blogger.com1