By Ani Berberyan | Public Relations Officer
Kapan is a town in remote Syunik region located far in the south of Armenia. Low economic opportunities leave the locals with no other choice than migrating from the region. Kapan Crochet is HDIF’s producer partner, and employs a group of talented and hard-working women who chose to stay in Syunik and face the difficulties instead of migrating from the place. They create beautifully crocheted toys, coin and pencil cases, magnets and other intricate items.
Gohar Hovhannisyan – now the leading woman at Kapan Crochet, was introduced to Robert Matevosyan - a local tour guide in Kapan. Robert knew that Timothy Straight, the founder of HDIF, was looking for women who knew how to crochet and make handicrafts, and introduced him to Gohar. Every contact is a contract. Gohar presented Timothy Straight with the single toy that she had made and the fruitful cooperation started.
Funds obtained through Global Giving helped HDIF to organize trainings for the start-up Kapan Crochet, and accordingly its staff was trained in human resources management, accounting, marketing and sales. In addition, high quality tools and materials were provided to women to make their work more efficient.
On July 2-5, Kapan Crochet products were exhibited and sold at the Navasartian Games in Van Nuys, California. On August 29 – September 1, their products were exhibited in Tendence 2015 International Fair in Frankfurt – one of the world’s largest annual gift and interior fairs. The world got to know about the remote Kapan and its wonderful products, which boosted the quantity of orders from abroad. On September 20-21 Kapan Crochet products were exhibited for the locals and tourists at the expo Countries under the Same Roof at Swan Lake, Yerevan.
Kapan Crochet is now at HDIF online shop, where visitors can choose any product, order any quantity they want and get them shipped to any part of the world. It also has its own website and Facebook page, where potential customers can get information about Kapan Crochet.
The women employed by Kapan Crochet currently have no other means of income. Not having a separate space to work in, the women gather at Gohar’s home and work 8 to 16 hours a day to complete their tasks.
By supporting Kapan Crochet, you are having your valuable input in the lives of women who have no other source of income. As a result, the women feel empowered to provide income for their families and help their children to succeed in life in a place with limited economic opportunities and low living standards.
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