Akgul Emei

Mongolia

Year(s) attended: 2009

Altai Craft, Women’s Project

Embroidery

Akgul Emei co-founded the Altai Crafts Women’s Project as a means to help women of the Altai Mountains in eastern Mongolia whose households had no consistent income.  Using embroidery hooks made from bicycle spokes by the men in their families, Kazakh women cover decorative and utilitarian items for their yurts with colorful chain stitch embroidery.  The art form dates back 3,000 years and these master craftswomen continue to learn as girls from their mothers.  The money earned goes into the project to pay salaries.  Today, there are 19 women working at the project and a male caretaker.