Members of the Berd Women's Resource Center – with Anahit Badalian (front row, red dress) – are … [+]
ANAHIT BADALIAN
“My entire professional career I’ve worked with and for women,” says Norwegian and Finnish Honorary Consul to Armenia, Sir Timothy Straight, who in 2013 founded the Homeland Development Initiative Foundation (HDIF) social enterprise NGO to carve out a niche for ‘Handmade in Armenia’ products within the global economy. Providing sustainable jobs for some 200 women crafters across 14 rural communities, HDIF is Armenia’s only fully guaranteed member of the World Fair Trade Organization.
Sir Timothy Straight, founder, the Homeland Development Initiative Foundation (HDIF) social … [+]
HDIF
With nearly $150,000 in total sales in 2020, HDIF disbursed nearly half of that in wages to skilled women artisans across 18 groups producing handmade products including home décor, jewelry and accessories for men, women and children. The crocheted, knitted, embroidered, and sewn handicrafts as well as ceramics, woodcrafts, beeswax candles, printed and decorative painted products attest to the nation’s proven artisanry. Except for two men, the remaining crafters are all multi-generational women living in rural communities.
Born out of the Homeland Handicrafts project launched by Straight, HDIF is committed to Armenia’s rural economic development since poverty-stricken residents make up nearly 25 percent of the country’s nearly three million population. Various organizational partners support HDIF’s mission, including the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA), which aligns with HDIF’s commitment to empowering women.
Revitalizing Armenia’s Rural Economy By Empowering Women
Anush Badalyan one of the HDIF women crafters.
HDIF
“The massive emigration in Armenia left women, mothers and children behind as the men went abroad to find employment. Women need more opportunities in the job market internationally, not just in Armenia,” says Straight, who as executive director of HDIF Foundation and HDIF Trading LLC, first came to Armenia in 2000 as the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Country Director to lead a staff of 15 and build some 1,500 houses and apartments for refugees. Witnessing the dire poverty, unemployment and total lack of social and economic development opportunities in Armenia’s rural areas, he remained in Armenia, offering his extensive experience in product development with a Sri Lankan fair trade organization and to Fair Trade development in Europe.
With Armenia’s NGOs lacking a legal frame to earn an income, Straight’s idea to develop a handicraft organization as an income generation source received a resounding positive response from the NGOs and started a “snowball roll.” He involved American Peace Corps volunteers in the southern city of Goris and in the far eastern part, at Berd, which jumpstarted HDIF to empower rural women with employment opportunities.
HDIF’s signature Teddy Bear Berd.
HDIF
“We don’t discriminate against anyone–our oldest crafter is 65 years-old. We select the women crafters based on their capacity, motivation and family status,” explains Berd Women’s Resource Center founder, Anahit Badalian. Berd crafters produce crochet, sewn and knitted handicrafts–and HDIF’s signature Teddy Bear Berd. In 2020, the Berd group also produced certified organic jams sold solely in Armenia. Annually, Badalian says, the group can produce 20,000 jars, but exporting will be a challenge.
HDIF’s full-time women crafters earn nearly $130 per month–above Armenia’s minimum wages. Working from home allows the women to earn an income while attending to their families and domestic responsibilities. With a shoestring operating budget, HDIF’s two-and-a-half staff–including Straight, are “paid humbly”.
HDIF's crocheted animal stick rattle.
HDIF
The Fair Trade world was HDIF’s largest sales channel in 2019. The animal themed crocheted baby rattles, and animal stick rattles are the most sought after products by the international Fair Trade organizations. In 2020, the highest sales volumes came from the Armenian Diaspora following the “#BuyArmenian tsunami” campaign, says Straight, launched in protest to the 44-day Turkey-backed Azerbaijan war in the disputed, predominantly Armenian populated region of Artsakh.
Extending HDIF Into North America
Since Armenia doesn’t service PayPal and other e-commerce payments, HDIF continues to search for a viable financial structure or functioning system for local producers. In 2017, HDIF launched its first international affiliate–HDIF-USA.
Beth Broussalian, founder and executive director of the 501-c3 HDIF-USA
BETH BROUSSALIAN
“One reason HDIF-USA was set up is to provide HDIF with an online sales channel connected to PayPal,” explains Beth Broussalian, founder and executive director of the 501(c)(3) HDIF-USA. “We import and sell Armenian handicrafts in North America as well as give U.S.-based donors a way to make tax-deductible donations to HDIF.”
HDIF-USA is an enormous advantage in supporting the economic development initiatives in Armenia, says Straight who in 2018 established HDIF Trading LLC to manage the daily operations of HDIF’s Fair Trade shop in Armenia, product manufacturing and supply management. As the U.S. and Canada distributor, some 90 percent of HDIF-USA’s sales are via its eCommerce site through Shopify. Broussalian also offers wholesale and resale price points to customers, and hopes to attract U.S. Fair Trade retail shops interested in unique products with an ethnic look, like the pomegranate oven gloves.
“Our first-tier sales come from the Armenian community, followed by the Fair-Trade community where we’re trying to get a foothold, and then we will set our sights on the larger well-known retailers,” explains Broussalian.
Each Product Reflects A Piece Of Armenia
Crocheted finger puppet.
HDIF
“Each product tag conveys the uniqueness of the product and the region,” Broussalian explains how HDIF products promote Armenia’s cultural heritage traditions by including a photo of the crafter, a map, and a description of the region from where the craft originated.
Crochet handicrafts are HDIF’s top sellers since crocheting became a national pastime for Armenia’s women during the 1993 economic blockade imposed by Turkey. The protest over the Armenian control of the predominantly indigenous region of Artsakh, deprived Armenia of electricity, heating oil and gas.
Crocheted Baby Rattle – by HDIF.
HDIF
“Most women sitting in the dark were knitting and crocheting clothing for their children,” explains Badalian. “That’s why they’re now professionals at it.”
Crocheting wasn’t considered “sexy” Straight says, “but I dare say we revolutionized crocheting in Armenia.” Armenia has become a crochet country with techniques that amaze the visitors to the annual international Fair Trade shows in Germany.
Employing displaced Syrian-Armenian women, now living in Armenia, HDIF has introduced a new layer of Syrian “story telling” with unique embroidery designs reflective of historic Armenian regions (now Eastern Turkey) uncommon in Armenia. HDIF also employs displaced women following the war in the Artsakh region, who now live in Armenia.
Sustaining Employment With EcoTourism
“Our focus is to keep people gainfully employed throughout the year to meet and fulfill our mantra: “Roof over your head, food on the table, education for the kids,” Straight meets this demand by combining sales across various markets, the Fair-Trade world being easier and the largest.
Organic jam produced by Berd Women’s Resource Center.
ANAHIT BADALYAN
The Bears & Berries Eco-center, an initiative of Berd Women's Resource Center, supported by HDIF, Fund for Armenian Relief/FAR, UNDP, and Prague Civil Society Center, will be the town’s first multi-functional center focused on ecotourism development through women's empowerment. Offering a safe, art therapy space to help the women destress, it will integrate the last decade of HDIF’s achievements. Raising eco-tourism levels by the year’s end and into 2022, will involve transforming some houses into B&Bs, and offering tourism workshops on hosting, safe food preparation and management. While the agritourism will unify the HDIF brands, B&Bs and restaurants will leverage the region’s rich biodiversity, Badalian explains, connecting scenic rural mountain roads with overnight and extended stay attractions. It will also boost the growing interest in social entrepreneurship among the women crafters who hope to impact progress in their rural communities.
Janna Eghikyan is one of the HDIF crafters.
HDIF
“Integrating eco-tourism with food service, B&Bs along with handicraft production will increase the women crafters’ income. In making small changes we can have a large impact in our communities,” Badalian says small life-altering changes brought by HDIF have translated into big successes in the women’s lives. “Working together has helped the women realize their own needs–there are obvious changes in the way they think and live.”
If at least four functioning B&Bs are completed by this September, Straight will be “very proud, and can double the number of women employed.” Determined to create more jobs for the women crafters this year, Straight faces many unknowns–from the pandemic’s continuation, to #BuyArmenian campaign’s lifespan, to whether Armenia’s high tourism rates will be revived. Regardless, HDIF is on track, developing an Easter collection, engaging all their producer groups.
A set of Easter eggs embroidered in different traditional Armenian techniques by Syrian Armenian … [+]
HDIF
HDIF-USA will engage the American and Canadian Fair Trade sectors for expanded sales, which Broussalian says will lead to buying larger quantities from Armenia–ultimately employing more women and increasing production levels.
“With the world moving toward up-cycled products, we also plan to use Armenia’s natural sheep fibers and recycle the damaged transport pallets to create new products. We are particularly interested in meshing new products with Armenia’s cultural heritage,” says Straight.