Carpets and Crafts

I was not in Turkmenistan for tourism but rather to help women (and a few men) artisans better understand Western markets so they could possibly sell their handmade goods to wholesale buyers in the US. I traveled through the country delivering a workshop called: “What US Buyers Look For” in products and in export partners, which covered Internal Business Issues: Product Development, Capacity Management / Quality Control, Pricing, Shipping; and External Business Issues: Marketing, Emphasis on Fair Trade, Communication. This is a workshop I’ve also given in Kyrgyzstan as well as countries in Africa, and while there’s definitely more information presented than can be reasonably absorbed in a day or two, it often plants seeds for what can be accomplished in the future.

Women with quite varied backgrounds and skills came together in the capital as well as small villages in the countryside to hear me talk about quality control, prices of competitive products and the critical importance of marketing their goods with a story that Western consumers can use to better understand Central Asian people and culture. This last point was one that was really resonated when I showed examples from India, Guatemala, Bolivia, Mali, Rwanda and other places around the world.

While much of the truly traditional clothes and cultural items are not easily translated to Western markets, by taking elements of these items there is certainly the opportunity to offer products that would be readily accepted. In particular, those artisans who incorporated old fabrics, patterns and embroidery with new styles and designs have a real opportunity. And if its carpets you’re after, Turkmenistan has some incredible choices – though they are not easy/inexpensive to export.

Unfortunately with the language barrier, a lack of regular and easy access to the Internet and a lack of clarity on the ability to ship commercially without hassle it will take a strong coordinator at the country level for most buyers to be able to access this market. The good news is that there is a regional Central Asian organization that is already in place and may be able to lend some more support to Turkmen artisans. It will require, however, that these artisans come together and cooperate more than they are currently used to doing. One big benefit of my workshops was that women started to realize that they can accomplish more by coming together than by worrying about competition with each other. This is not common for them as they are generally competing for scarce resources and thus don’t really have a culture of working together outside the family or perhaps neighborhood unit. The fact that an “expert” actually came to their market—and their villages—was also greatly appreciated as these sorts of activities are typically held in neighboring countries making it prohibitively expensive for artisans to attend.

Changes will not come overnight, but they will come and if I can have played a small role in helping this change come about then it will have been well worth the trip.

Two Weeks in Turkmenistan – Cold Place, Warm People

I’ve just finished a two week trip to this relatively unknown “stan.” In what can best be described as a country of contrasts I landed and deplaned on the tarmac at 3am and walked outside for several minutes in the freezing cold and finally entered the often unheated airport—despite the vast state controlled natural gas reserves. When the sun rose I saw the astonishingly large white marble capital city of Ashgabat that somehow recalled a weird combination of Washington DC and Las Vegas. The skyline is filled with huge white marble edifices adorned with enormous pictures of the Turkmenistan President (both current and past). The piece de resistance is the “neutrality arch” which one can enter and ride to the top (for 15 cents—note the largest banknote, 10,000 manat, is worth 50 cents!) via an elevator for an expansive view of the city. The top of the arch is adorned with a giant gold reproduction of the first President of the country and it literally spins with the rotation of the sun so that the leader is always being shined upon.

In addition to the myriad public buildings, palaces, libraries and even a “wheat museum” (a massive marble rotunda complete with a giant golden stalk of wheat on top) there are what seems like countless shining, new apartment buildings similar to what one might expect on Lakeshore Drive in Chicago or the Westside Highway in NYC. Unfortunately, hardly anyone can afford to live in them.

Once you realize that few people can take advantage of this fairytale city it quickly feels cold and deserted (it’s estimated that 600,000 of the 5MM country residents live in the capital) and yet the people of Turkmenistan could not be warmer or more welcoming.

Each time I visited someone in their humble yet warm and inviting homes I was showered with hospitality. I easily put on 5lbs eating endless plates of plov (rice with onions, carrots and meats that range from beef to turkey), countless loaves of the local round flat bread, and numerous bowls of candy—which is curiously put out before the main meal?! Though language was often a complete barrier, the locals always made me feel welcome and often showered me with handmade gifts along with the food, and of course a never ending cup of “chai” (local green tea) which is the staple beverage of young and old alike.

The good news is that as a whole Turkmenistan is slowly plodding toward a more open economy and perhaps someday these generous people will have a better chance to take advantage of the riches this “stan” offers. Regular citizens can now access the Internet, albeit in fairly controlled environments that are open only during business hours, have low connectivity, and in many cases require making an appointment. The Winrock offices (the organization that sponsored my trip), however, had recently installed wireless (!) and while it was not lightening fast, I’ve certainly experienced worse. The 11pm curfew I had read about has seemingly been lifted in the capital (at least around the pubs frequented by ex-pats) and I never felt as though I was being followed or monitored though I had been told that might be the case. My “private” hotel near the office was lovely though the state run places were pretty grim.

I don’t think Turkmenistan will top the backpacker list anytime soon (especially since a visa is still difficult to come by), but a trip here in spring or fall when the temperature is more agreeable can offer some very interesting sites, including the ancient city of Konye-Urgench which I had
the pleasure of visiting albeit on a cold and mostly gray day.

I understand a trip through the desert, on what I’ve been told are some of the best horses in the world, is also quite rewarding. My fantastic guide, host, translator and now friend, Mahri also tells me that the Balkan region along the Caspian Sea is quite lovely in the summer. The Turkmen Hamptons I’m sure!

Off to Turkmenistan

Equipped with a warm coat, my brand new passport and uncreased $100 bills, I'm off to Turkmenistan today! I'll also have a stopover in Turkey where I'll have the better part of a day to do some quick sight-seeing. For those of you who are not familiar with Turkmenistan, it became independent from the former Soviet Union in 1991 and is North of Iran and Afghanistan (the country in yellow below).

I'll be giving a marketing workshop to artisans interested in selling their wares to the US. Should be a fascinating trip and I hope to have ample Internet access and make a few posts.

Big Step for Small Country

Nestled among the negative headlines of Mauritanian suicide bombers and continued unrest in Kenya was a bright spot of news from the Continent as Rwanda announced the opening of its first stock market. As reported by the BBC:

The central bank of Rwanda has launched its own securities exchange in the country's capital, Kigali.

Initially it will deal in corporate and treasury bonds, but the Bank says it will include other products such as shares as the operation develops. Upon opening the Rwanda Capital Market, President Paul Kagame described it as a milestone for the nation. The hope is that the exchange will aid the economy, which has yet to bounce back after the 1994 genocide. "It's an important achievement which will provide the business community with a second option to financing that is long term and which will inevitably add great value to our economy," President Kagame said.

Earlier this evening I had the pleasure of hearing a talk given by Roben Farzad, the author of the December Business Week cover story 'Can Greed Save Africa' who noted that in the wake of what's happened in Kenya in the past few weeks, Africa needs a "shining example" of positive economic development based on investment. Perhaps the Rwandan stock exchange will be the economic spark of a growing financial bonfire in East Africa. Let's hope so!