Achievements of the women groups in Naryn oblast within the project “Improving Livelihoods of Smallholders and Rural Women through Value-Added Processing and Exports of Cashmere, Wool and Mohair” , IFAD Grant 1107
October, 2009 - May, 2013 «CACSARC-kg» works with 70 artisans in Naryn oblast. The artisans form 5 ppgpilot groups – 4 of them are involved in the project since it started in the fall 2009, and the Kulanak village group joined in January 2012. The distance from Bishkek, the capital, to the villages is 300-380 km, from the regional center – Naryn city – the distance is about 35-50 km.
RdtNRoad to Naryn, Marc h 2013 The institutional development of the pilot groups Enhancing project sustainability through the institutional development of the pilot groups
In November 2010, at the training for the pilot group leaders and activists in Bishkek a SWOT- analysis of the pilot groups was made, their strong and weak points were identified, as well as their opportunities and risks and the ways of enhancing the groups’ institutional development.
IthbiIn the beginn ing o fthf the pro jec t on ly one group o f ar tisans (“Ak-BkBayrak”At”, At-BhBashyvillage ) ha d its own work space.
By the present time: 9 All pilot groups have their own or rented premises for felt production; 9 4 groups have felting machines, 3 groups have wool carding machines; 9 All groups have the needed equipment (work tables) and implements for felting; 9 All groups are provided with raw materials - wool, dyes, silk; 9 All groups have a set of methodical and visual aids corresponding to the assortment of their products, design and color combinations etc.
Group members started specializing in specific products and types of activities. All the groups have monitoring and accounting systems that record the production volume, the costs, remuneration, administrative costs and shares of the profits. Increasing local production of wool using new technologies, design, etc.
Development of the assortment of felt products
The main technique used in Naryn oblast is shyrdak, this technique is used for making felt carpets by women in the region for generations. Shyrdaks are popular at local market and used for decorations of homes. The Project provided an opportunity to women from Naryn to learn new technologies of producing a variety of styles of felt products for interior design, clothing or accessories.
The group from At-Bashy village with chair mats after Artisans from Acha-Kaindy village with scarves produced training, trainer K.Toktosynova by them during the fellowship Demand for different assortment of felt products
As the assortment of products was developing, we were conducting market research and established the following segmentation:
Local market – shyrdaks, seat cushions of shyrdak and alakyiz method with tranditional ornaments, felt slippers.
Regional market – slippers, scarves.
International market – slippers, seat cushions, felt scarves, felt and silk scarves.
Based on this information, the winning products demanded at all markets were: felt slippers with leather soles; felt scarves and silk & felt scarves.
New models of slippers that artisans from Naryn have learned to produce during the Project Increasing the competitiveness of products produced by the pilot groups
Kyrgyzstan has the most advanced designers among Central Asian countries. There is a wide variety of high quality felt products, especially in Bishkek, there is active export of several artisans to countries of Europe and to the US. This leads to high level of competition among the artisans. Two models of Naryn artisans have demonstrated their competitiveness in local market – two-sided ala- kyiyz seat cushions and new models of slippers. To ensure the competitiveness of the production, the Project has cooperated with well-known designers and artisans who produced the samples for the products, developed methodological guidebooks and conducted training sessions, professional development sessions and consultations.
Designer K. Abdykadyrova provides consultation for the artisans on Lead artisan K. Toktosunova conducts training for artisans from the quality of the raw mater ia l. After the discuss ion, the group will Ku lana k village on ala-kikyiyz seat cushions product ion start producing felt and silk scarves. Contest among artisans on the best product sample
The contest for the best chair-mat set was announced with the aim to enhance creative competitiveness among the pilot groups.
The jury praised the high quality work of the artisans of the group “Uz-Nur-ayim” (Min-Bulak). These artisans -Chinar Mamyrkanova, Gulzin Ibraeva and Cholpon Solpieva - won in all categories of competition and got monetary prize. In addition, the jury awarded encouraging prizes: Gulnara Omurkeyeva , Ainura Naamatova , Zina Mambetova.
The gro u p from Min-Bu lak v illage won the competition for best seat cushions. Training on design, technologies and marketing
In 2010 the Project conducted 12 local training sessions.
In 2011 – 6 local training. 5 members of each group participated in professional development sessions in Bishkek on the production of slippers.
In 2012 - professional development sessions in Bishkek on the production of slippers and scarves. The Project has also organized one training on natural dyeing techniques in Min-Bulak village. The dyed wool was used for the seat cushions that were awarded the Certificate of Excellence of UNESCO.
Training allowed the artisans to • Widen the variet y of their prod ucts ; • Increase the competitive value of their products; • Learn how to assess the quality of raw material and develop the skills of quality work with raw material; • Recognize that the quality of product is a primary condition for successful business; • Learn the basics of marketing and pricing; • Monitoring of the training allowed to identify the most talented and committed members of the groups. Professional development and work at the workshops
Most talented and committed artisans were invited to participate in professional development sessions on specific products/techniques.
In 2012 several artisans from Acha-Kayindy, Lakhol and Kulanak villages spent from two weeks to two months in the workshop of Kamala Abdykadyrova working with her on producing felt scarves. It was a good training opportunity.
In addition , young artisans from Acha-Kaindy, Lakhol and Min-Bulak villages (5 persons) who study at universities in Bishkek are regularly invited to attend master-classes on design and technologies conducted by CACSARC-kg.
Artisans from Min-Bulak village in the office of CACSARC-kg during their professional development session on producing felt slippers Quality of raw materials
Providing the groups with quality raw material remain a challenge.
Wool
At first the project decided to use merino wool for all types of products. But practical experience showed that merino wool is currently quite a rare type of wool, in addition merino wool purchased in 2011 was of very low quality and its cleaning was very labour consuming. Therefore, for such products as chair mats merino was successfully substituted by crossbred of very good quality which was supplied by Dr. Ajibekov from the farms of Lakhol village. It allowed reducing the net cost, maintaining quality of products and avoiding extra labor for the initial cleaning of wool.
Scarves production requires the use of merino wool about 17-18 micron thin. The project did not have merino wool of needed quality. Therefore, scarves production used tops - factory cleaned thin merino produced at the processing factory in Tokmak town, Kyrgyzstan. Tops was regularly purchased both at the expense of the project and for the incomes from the sold products. Felt
Felt slippers were produced from felt purchased at the factory “Asia – Runo”. Currently, its quality is very low; the felt is dirty, not evenly thick and has defects that cause big losses when making the cutout. The project achieved a very attractive shape of slippers, and slippers have a sustainable market demand, but the quality offf felt does not allow to reach high standard production. In addition, felt at the factory is quite expensive 550 – 600 Som (USD 12 – 13) per 1 kg, what causes the increase of net cost.
Silk
Production of scarves depends on the imported raw material – silk, which is supplied from Uzbekistan. Quality of silk is different in different times, but as a rule there is no choice, all suppliers bring silk of the same quality at the same time. It is planned to accumulate incomes from sales in 2013 and to buy quality silk in the amount sufficient for a long period of work. Quality of products
Quality of products depends directly on the quality of raw materials, design and technological production.. Implementation of requirements to the quality of products is a continuous day-to- dayypj work of the project team.
Every product designed for order or for sale is examined by designer, who makes her comments to the products; during the fellowships the artisans take examinations. Artisans are encouraged to produce quality products: best producers are awarded with special prizes, are invited to participate in crafts fairs at the International Annual Festival “Oimo”. Kamala Abdykadyriva, designer involved in the project, makes quality control of products, elaborates sample designs of the products, provides consultations to artisans.
In Min-Bulak and Acha-Kaindy groups the group leaders Burulush Zhamanbaeva (Min-Bulak) and Toyunbubu Amanova (Acha-Kaindy) can already make quality control quite professionally. New Markets for wool products
Participation in the International Festival “Oimo”.
Participation in different craft fairs is an important marketing tool. Every year from 2010, two artisans from the project pilot groups are invited to participate in the International Festival “Oimo” which is organized annually since 2006 by CACSARC-kg in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic; the Festival lasts one week and is held in the end of July-beginning of August, the first 3 days in Bishkek then in Cholpon-Ata, central resort area of the Issyk-Kul shore.
In 2011 году artisans cooperating with the Project sold products of their new assortment (slippers, seat cushions, pillows, scarves) for more than $2000, in 2012 году for about $3000. In 2013 the artisans of the project pilot groups will participate in the Festival at their own expense.
Preparations to the Festival at CACSARC-kg Office Local and regional market
The Project participants are actively getting involved in local market. The groups sell their products in Naryn, sell scarves and slippers to mostly tourists.
The Lakhol group is in the most difficult situation with selling their products at the local markets because of remote location of the village, bad roads and severe climate. Therefore, the project team tries to buy quality products of this group to be further sold at the fairs in Bishkek and regional markets.
Almaty is a key target of the regional market. The Project found customers for slippers and seat cushions, our partners are read y to bu t regu larly these products paying cash.
Bishkek craft fair, September 2011 Products orders
The artisans have some local, regional and international orders placed for their products.
The Project team has identified interested partners. During winter when part of the technological aspectiits is imposs ibltbible to be comp ltdileted in ex treme ly co ld Naryn oblas t, a group o f st ud ent s f rom Naryn work on fulfilling the orders.
Project artisans express special gratitude to the ICARDA Tashkent Office for placing the order to them on production of souvenirs for participants of the ICARDA Committee Meeting in Kyrgyzstan, September 2012 (15 scarves, 46 chair mats).
Dr Zakir Khalikulov, Deputy Head CGIAR-PFU and Deputy Regional Coordinator ICARDA-CAC, Dr Kamel Shideed, ADG International Cooperation and Communication, ICARDA, Burulush Zhamanbaeva, group leader from Min- Bulak villagg,e, Boom , Sep tember 2012 US market test Test marketing of the pilot groups’ products in the USA, Wisconsin is made since 2010 by Dr. Liba Brent. Results of the test-marketing in the USA show that such products as silk-felt scarves are more profitable, because of a good difference between the cost price and the market price and because of the light weight of scarves what reduces the transportation expenses. Based on test-marketing results in 2010 – 2011, the project focused on selling felt and silk scarves in 2011 – 2012. Although the demand for felt and silk scarves at the Fair Trade Festival was very good and the scarves received many compliments, the overall market for luxury clothing and accessories in Madison, Wisconsin is limited. There are few stores that sell luxury, hand-made products, and some of those storescarry products made by local or US artisans only. In order to expand the market for luxury felt accessories, it will be necessary to market these products in larger cities in northern United States. To solicit orders from retailers in these cities, it will be important to display the products at trade shows or crafts fairs that are visited by wholesale buyers. To do this , additional funds need to be allocated for test-marketing products . The project also plans to send samples of felt and silk scarves to potential retailers in these cities and to advertise them on the project website www.adventureyarns.com. CACSARC-khkg has an oppor titttunity to parti tiitcipate at tGiftShiN a Gift Show in New YkiAYork in Augus t 2013. Kyrgyz delegation of the artisans will have about 10-12 participants. In order to take part in this trip with the catalogues and products, the participant need to cover travel expenses. The profit of three fall -winter period of $1418 was used to buy a sewing machine for felt and leather and other tools as well as raw material. Market test in Europe
Hungary In 2012, the Project tested the products of Naryn artisans to the 26th Festival of Folk Arts in Budapest, 17 – 21 August 2012 . We have reached an agreement with the Hungarian Association of Folk Artists that artisans from Kyrgyzstan will be invited as guests to the next Festival to be held in August 2013.
Studying the market demands, dialogue with buyers
In Amsterdam, Holland, the interest to the products was shown by the owner of «Shirdak» Salon Ms.M.Tuerlings, www.shirdak.nl , who works with many artisans from Central Asia. She bought scarves and ordered slippers of big sizes 43 - 45.
The project cooperates actively with the Holland Company “Felt for you”; the products are already sold through the web-site www.felt4you.nl and at the fairs in Hague where the Company has its office. For the period from 2012, September to 2013 ,May the Company has bought products in the amount of 2400 Euro: scarves, c ha ir ma ts, s lippers. Saule Kalyy,sheva, co-owner of the comppyany www.caravanistan.com sold as a test a small order of scarves in Belgium.
Saule Kalysheva (www.caravanistan.com) with scarves of Naryn artisans at the fair in Belgium
Products purchased by the project from the artisans are also sold at international fairs attended by the staff of the office and the project. Thus, in November 2012 specialist of the project, designer Kamala Abdykadyrova sold successfully products of Naryn artisans – slippers and chair mats at the annual Fair in Germany.
Test of Europe market so far has indicated the demand for felt slippers with leather soles, especially bigger sizes. Introducing internet sales
The Project made first steps towards internet sales through popular artisan websites, including www.felt4you.nl (Netherlands) www.caravanitistan.com (Bel g ium )
We also agreed to cooperate with internet sales site www.Globeinin.com, (US, California, representative in Bishkek Pete Rognli).
The Project explores an opportunity to advertise and sell the products via another site - www.Edventureyarn.com www.cacsarc-kg and www.cacsatrade.kg are on the reconstruction now. Growing income of wool workers in Naryn oblast
900 800 700 600 500 400 Average annual income 300 Income 2011 200 Income 2012 100 0
Using the profit from the sales Total income for 12 months of 2012 from selling products of artisans by the project team is $US 5018. This money is re-invested into the project and is used as circulating means for regular purchase of products from the artisans, payment of artisans’ work on orders, purchase of raw materials and instruments needed to implement orders, expenses on marketing. In the first reported period, products were bought from the project budget in the amount of $US 773; in the second reported period all products were bought using the circulating means. Products are bought from the artisans at the retail selling prices which include the income of 20 % - 40% for different types of products. Products are sold to buyers and customers at individual negotiated prices. The project team has successfully sold all products purchased from the artisans from the project budget and circulating means; by the end of December project has no products remained for sale. Income $US5018 from selling artisans’ products by project team in 2012 was distributed as following: • Purchased products from the artisans using the circulating means: $ 1533 • Payment of artisans’ work on orders: $ 664 • Purchased raw materials for implementation of orders and on-site work of the groups: $ 1255 • Payment to designers for elaborating designs of scarves, dyeing wool and silk for orders, elaborating samples of templates for slippers : $ 273 • Payment for meals and travel expenses of artisans who worked on orders in Bishkek: $128; • Purchased equipment and implements for the groups: $529; • Expenses on marketing related to selling the products outside Kyrgyzstan: $448; • Communication expenses, transport: $60 • Remained amount from sales by 31 December 2012: $128. According to the information received by the project team from the groups, by the end 2012 artisans themselves sold their products in the amount of $ 18000. Survey of Felting Groups in Kyrgyzstan on their needs in wool
58 groups have been questioned in 7 oblasts of Kyrgyzstan and in Bishkek city
The analysis of the survey:
Sources of wool: 50 % surveyed groups buy wool directly at the farms, 54 % buy wool from mediators, 56 % have wool in their own households and buy wool from neighbors, 21% buy wool from fabric in Tokmok (60 km near Bishkek) - the groups in Bishkek and Chui oblast.
Wool processing:
38 % of the survey participants buy cleaned wool; 62 % clean wool themselves and use the service of initial wool-processing.
Equipment - 43 % have wool-carding and (or) felting machines.
90 % of the surveyed people think that the quantity of merino wool is decreasing and its quality is deterioratinggp. Respondents note that wool is inhomo geneous ,y, dirty and needs multi ple cleanin g. Wool is not properly classified according to the sort, actually there is no pure merino. All the respondents have the same opinion that it is difficult to buy wool of good quality. Conclusions of the survey: The most full survey was made in Bishkek (19 respondents) and Naryn oblast (13 respondents); below are the results of the survey in these two regions: • In Bishkek, 85% of sheep w ool u sed for processing is merino. In Nary n oblast: 13 % is merino, the rest types of the wool used are: semi- fine, coarse, crossbred, semi-coarse. • AliAnalysis o f expen ditures on raw ma tilterials an did incomes rece idhived shows thtththat the use of merino for producing stylish exclusive products (souvenirs, accessories, scarves) increases value added 15 times compared to the processing of semi-coarse and other types of wool (basically for shyrdaks). • As per 1 worker, value added in Bishkek is 4 times bigger than in Naryn oblast. • Absolutely all respondents have noted that they are interested in buying good- quality raw materials – wool and colors for wool dyeing. Success stories
In November 2012 an international jury of UNESCO Certificate of Excellence in Tehran awarded a Certificate to the products of the groups from Min-Bulak and Acha-Kayindy. 387 products of the artisans from Central Asia and Iran were presented to the jury, 212 product (about 55%) were awarded certificates.
On behalf of Min-Bulak group, B. Zhamanbaeva presented a line of two-sided wool seat cushions, using natural dyes derived from vegetative raw materials - barberries, onion peels, walnut membranes.
On behalf of Acha-Kayindy group, Т.Amanova was awarded UNESCO certificate for a round shyrdak.
Kyrgyz artisans who were awarded UNESCO Certificates of Excellence T. Amanova as a winner of the UNESCO Award of Excellence has been invited by the World Crafts Council to Kuwait for participation in the international crafts fair on 20 – 25 January 2013, where she will present the art of Kyrgyz shyrdaks. As awardees of the UNESCO Award of Excellence for Handicraft Products, women from Acha- Kayndy and from Min-Bulak have received an order for felt slippers (50pairs) and felt scarves (50 units) to be presented at the UNESCO boutique during the prestigious Santa Fe International Folk Art Market to be held in July 2013 in Santa Fe. Project artisans participated in preparation of nomination documents submitted to UNESCO for inscribing Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets ala-kiyiz and shyrdak in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Application, submitted by Kyrgyzstan to UNESCO in March 2012, was signed by all group leaders of the project pilot groups. In December 2012 in Paris Kyrgyz Traditional Felt Carpets Ala-Kiyiz and Shyrdak have been inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
TAT. Amanova cond uc ts a mast er-clhdkiKitlass on chyrdaks in Kuwait. Fundraising
CACSARC-kg is actively fundraising to secure additional resources to the further project goals.
2010
• Grant from the foundations «AUB-Charity» for support of the artisans from Naryn, Talas and Jalal-Anad oblasts. Groups of felt artisans from Min-Bulak and Acha-Kayindy were among beneficiaries of this grant. Thanks to this additional funding, «CACSARC-kg» was able to conduct training for all 4 pilot groups of ICARDA project (Training for 2 groups was covered by the IFAD funding and 2 other training from “AUB-Charity”). Additional funding was about 8,500 USD.
• Leaders of 4 groups took part at the Training of trainers on local level, Bishkek, 21 – 23 September 2010, within the framework of the Festival “Oimo-2010”, with financial support of ADB.
• Marketing support to the pilot groups was provided through participation of their representatives in the Fifth International Festival “Oimo” (for the funds of the project supported by “AUB-Charity” and funds extended by Asian Development Bank for the crafts sector development in Kyrgyzstan).
• In September-November 2010 CACSARC-kg implemented the FAO project on training artisans of Tajikistan by trainers of Central Asia (with financial support of IFAD). The trainings covered 91 women-artisans of Southern and Northern Tajikistan from the pilot groups of ICARDA/IFAD project “Improving Livelihoods of Smallholders and Rural Women through Value-Added Processing and Export of Cashmere, Wool and Mohair”. 2011 • CACSARC-kg received additional financing to conduct training on weaving for artisans in North Tajikistan. In August 2011, trainer from Kyrgyzstan Gulmira Akmatova trained 12 artisans to work on a weaver’s loom purchased by CACSARC-kg in 2010 for the funds of the FAO grant.
2013 • In April 2013 three group leaders from Naryn and a representative of the ICARDA project in Tajikistan Farhod Kosimov took part in a training for trainers and on marketing in Issyk-Kul. The TTToT was organidithfized in the framework kfth of the proj jtAdiect «Advancing women ’s econom ic oppor tititunities in Fergana valley handicraft and textile supply chain», funded by the US Department of State.
• In the framework of the same project, a training took place in May on knitting for Ashta artisans in Sogdh oblast of Tajikistan, forthcoming training will cover weaving, and specially weaving of carpets as well as marketing. Research on changes of income and their effects on gender roles, decision making and status of women
The increased income earned by women from developing handicraft business improves considerablyyyygg the social status of women; their ability to contribute to the family budget gives rise to the trend of social re-distribution of roles in the society. The Naryn women’s families, their husbands and children see a good potential of handicraft business development for the improvement of their livelihoods, therefore they support the women morally and technically in the developpypgpment of their business. We can see it evidently on the example of the families of the group leaders and activists. As a rule, their husbands maintain the machines, help with transport, premises and take part in the discussions of strategic issues. Such attitudes in the rural areas testify to the increased role of women in their family and social life and recognition of their contribution to the familyyg budget.
In addition to the economic component of the project’s importance, it has a great educational meaning – it expands women’s outlook, impacts their activities based on the optimistic expectations of their future, associates them with cultural values and market economy principles.
Participants of CACSARC-kg project from Naryn oblast are now well integrated to the artisans community in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia in general. Lessons learned, conclusions and possible solutions :
The women artisans have a good potential to produce high-quality and market-demanded products, but they cannot organize a regular and continuous production because of: • Climatic conditions; • Not regular supply of quality raw materials, • Absence of needed amount of circulating funds;
Currently, production possibilities lack behind the market demand for such products as felt slippers, for ex ample. Direct selling channels are complicated because of: • Absence of modern communication means; • Remoteness from big centers; • Language barriers .
To solve these problems for the project sustainability it is necessary: • To create working conditions for the artisans in winter time (raw materials stock, warm working premises) with the use of relevant technologies (for example , stitched slippers , shyrdaks, other products in stitched techniques); • To initiate a separate project on creating quality raw materials bank for the artisans in Naryn oblast and its further work on self-supporting basis; • To open a low interest micro-credit line for handicraft activities; • To create a marketing center (HUB) to provide sustainable links between the Naryn producers and buyers at the local and international markets, which will further function on self-supporting basis; • To continue training programs with the aim to develop the assortment of products and improve their quality. THANK YOU
Contacts: “CACSARC-kg” Public Foundation 162-a Manaschy Sagynbay street, Bishkek, 720017 Kyrgyz Republic. Tel.: (+996 312) 620385, 624181 fax: (+996 312) 662445 e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] website: www.cacsarc.kg