USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Änjali Kaur met with Turkmen women entrepreneurs and artisans participating in USAID’s Handmade Export Program on Wednesday. With the support of USAID, 24 women launched eBay stores, displaying over 265 items worth over $100,000, USAID announced on Twitter.
In 2021-2022, USAID's Handmade Exports startup incubator program involved 42 women entrepreneurs and craftsmen. The 24 program participants opened individual stores on the eBay platform featuring more than 265 items worth over $100,000. Through the eBay platform, the program participants have sold 49 items worth $7,500 to U.S. and international buyers, including customers from Canada, Japan, and European countries.
According to the report of the US Embassy in Turkmenistan, the total volume of sales by traders in the domestic market in the past year amounted to 1.75 million manats, a sign of healthy growth due to the introduction of new sales channels such as local online marketplaces, increased participation at local trade shows, and improved marketing.
Empire of Carpets, Touched by Karakum, Hemdem, and Eco Asia are some of the successful Turkmen stores on eBay, offering authentic handmade carpets, quilts, and ethnographic handicrafts.
Exhibition of handicraft products to support the launch of the Lebap Handmade Exports (Lebap HME) startup incubator program was held on March 30 at the Lebap Regional History Museum in Lebap province of Turkmenistan.
