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RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1004/01 1021207
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZDS
R 121207Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2658
DIR FSINFATC 0001
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001004 
 
C O R R E C T E D   C O P Y - ADDRESSEE ADDED 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KPAO SCUL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: Supporting women and artisans in eastern Baghdad 
 
BAGHDAD 00001004  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This is a Baghdad ePRT-2 reporting cable. 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:   Baghdad has a vibrant artistic and craft community 
connected by a network of NGOs, mostly female-run, that help members 
earn a tenuous livelihood.   Baghdad EPRT-2 has undertaken a number 
of initiatives to assist these NGOs with business and marketing 
training.  With a QRF micro-purchase, the U.S. NGO Aid to Artisans 
developed an Internet-based course designed to expand the market 
potential for Iraqi artists and craftspeople, and presented it March 
10-11 in a pilot project to leaders of three NGOs.  The training 
will enable these NGOs to mentor the artisans within their 
organization in skills essential to growing their business and 
increase their earning potential.  The training program received 
good media coverage in the U.S. including the Hartford Courant 
newspaper and WNPR's "All Things Considered" radio program.   END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Iraq's rich heritage of art dates back to pre-Babylonian times 
and has evolved through time, stressing the importance of the 
country's strategic location and religious history.   In today's 
Iraq, with high unemployment and especially limited opportunities 
for widowed and disadvantaged women, many of these individuals are 
turning to native skills and learned talents to make a living for 
themselves.  Many of these have the ability to create works of art 
depicting the culture of Iraq, while others are trained in fine 
sewing and embroidery.  In the past few years, with the assistance 
of NGOs started either through the efforts of concerned Iraqis or 
through the support of U.S. or international agencies, many of these 
artisans have come together for training and support. 
 
¶3.  Using the QRF program, Baghdad ePRT-2 has helped to fund several 
initiatives designed to strengthen the network of women's NGOs in 
the Karada, Rusafa and 9 Nissan districts of eastern Baghdad.  Some 
of these projects provided sewing machines, generators and computers 
to organizations such as the Iraqi Business Women's Union in Karada 
(which offers sewing and computer training to women widowed by war 
and terrorism).  These organizations are then able to provide 
support to their members through mentoring, organized shows, and the 
occasional contract for piecework sewing. 
 
¶4.   Almost all local artisans attempt to sell their works through 
personal contacts, street vendors and occasional special events, 
such as an EPRT-2-funded bazaar at the Iraqi Businesswomen's Union 
held to celebrate International Women's Day March 8.   Some of the 
more "sophisticated" artisans have established relationships with 
local shops that resell the merchandise.  Many of these are 
family-based relationships, where a brother or father of the 
artisans will display the works in his shop with the hope of 
attracting a buyer.   But the concept of marketing and effective 
distribution to a much larger group of potential buyers is unknown 
to many of the artisans that these NGOs work with.   Many of these 
women have limited education and exposure to modern business 
concepts.   If they could receive the basic business knowledge 
necessary to profitably price their products and expand their market 
exposure, more could be employed and life improved for those who 
need to support themselves and their families. 
 
¶5.  Recognizing the potential of linking some of these organizations 
to a larger, international market, EPRT-2 identified the Hartford, 
Connecticut-based Aid to Artisans (ATA) to assist.   ATA is an 
international nonprofit organization that has assisted artisans in 
Qinternational nonprofit organization that has assisted artisans in 
over 110 countries by providing training in business skills and 
marketing, as well as facilitating distribution relationships with 
major retail outlets throughout the United States.  With QRF 
funding, ATA adapted its program for Iraq and organized a two-day 
training class in costing, pricing, marketing and market analysis. 
 
 
¶6.  On March 10-11, ATA conducted two four-hour training sessions 
using the conference room facilities at the Baghdad PRT in the 
International Zone.   Six women and two men from three local NGOs 
attended the training.   An ATA "business coach" in Hartford 
presented several modules addressing:  market trends for artistic 
materials, steps in successful product development, creating 
effective marketing, using the internet in product promotion, and 
costing and pricing.  The program was conducted using Adobe Connect 
and hosted through the State Department's Bureau of International 
Information Programs, whose assistance was invaluable.  This being 
Iraq, there were technical glitches.  Limited bandwidth in Baghdad 
meant that a two-way video feed was not possible, and a power outage 
on day two killed Internet and telephone linkages for about an hour. 
 Despite these difficulties, the training succeeded because the 
participants were able to observe the instructor in real-time, see 
the slide presentation in Arabic (translated by ePRT-2's staff) and 
address questions directly to the instructor (by telephone).  All of 
the participants said that they found the information appropriate 
for their work and very beneficial for their students.  They all 
indicated that would use and share these techniques in the future. 
 
¶7.  At the end of the training, two attendees from the Iraqi 
Business Women's Union remained behind to be interviewed by 
reporters who had monitored part of the class from Connecticut.  The 
 
BAGHDAD 00001004  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Hartford Courant newspaper published a story on March 12 and the 
story was also covered by WNPR's "All Things Considered" radio 
program. 
 
 
¶8.  COMMENT:   The ATA training program was an experiment that we 
think succeeded, despite the difficulties.  Proof of the concept 
will only come, of course, down the road when we can evaluate how 
well the NGOs have used what they learned to further train their 
members. 
 
Butenis