Ngak Mang Women's Development Project

Women and girls are often the most vulnerable members of any society, and NMI believes that it is crucial to provide them with the education and skills necessary to gain confidence and financial independence. NMI is thus developing and overseeing a new program to teach Amdo Tibetan women traditional handicraft production methods to improve their economic situation. The project is currently based in Mahlo County, Qinghai, a remote and mountainous region where many nomadic women live at or below the poverty line. Mahlo is a unique locale because of its status as a Mongolian autonomous region, home to both Tibetans and ethnic Mongolians who consider themselves culturally Tibetan and speak Tibetan instead of Mongolian. Many of these ethnic Mongolians first settled in Tibetan lands during the conquests of Genghis Khan and have remained there ever since.

The Ngak Mang Institute will market the handicrafts both domestically (P.R. China) and internationally (NMI International braches). All net profits will benefit women and girls throughout ethnographic Tibet. Upon paying the nomadic women responsible for producing the handicrafts, the remainder of the profits will fund scholarships for Tibetan girls. Average education levels are far lower throughout ethnic Tibetan regions than in China as a whole. As girls are less likely than boys to receive a proper education, their situation is even more dire and desperately needs attention.

At this point, we are preparing to produce woolen cloth. Over the next couple of months, Ngak Mang Institute Tibet staff will begin to work with local women to design bags and other products.

Traditional Tibetan Handicraft Production: An Inside Look into the Process

Local women working for the Women's Development Project will produce handspun yarn from yaks (black and white) and sheep (white). This is perhaps the most time consuming part of the entire production process.

According to the local weavers, 3.5 kilograms of yarn produces approximately 5 meters of woolen cloth. Local Amdo women use homemade looms to weave the yarn and wooden boards to push the woven rows tightly together.

The women can make fabrics of varying gauges and patterns.

Traditionally, local women produce handicrafts to meet a variety of needs. For example, although motorcycles are gaining currency in remote Tibetan regions, horses remain a part of the Tibetan way of life. Women weave 'equestrian messenger bags' to facilitate the movement of goods throughout ethnographic Tibet.

Household items, such as decorative wall hangings, pillows, and small ottomans are also in use. These photographs were taken in Mahlo and are meant as examples of traditional Tibetan handicrafts. However, we will produce bags and other household items that preserve Tibetan tastes while reflecting both local and Western aesthetics. We welcome questions, comments, and suggestions as we spearhead this project.

Please consider making a donation to this worthy project or joining the Ngak Mang Institute as a member.

Photo credits: Julia Famularo, NMI