About Turkmen handicrafts

Empowering Artisans

Turkmen Handicrafts was founded in 2005 through a collaboration with USAID and the Turquoise Mountain Foundation. The initiative was created to empower Turkmen artisans living in remote communities along the banks of the Amu River in northern Afghanistan. The kilim weaving group includes over 30 artisans. Dr. Ghulam, the founder and director, leads the project alongside his wife—both of whom are doctors serving their Turkmen community.

The organization offers skills training, entrepreneurship support, and education in sustainability and environmental practices. It also creates opportunities for the weavers to access international markets, where they can earn two to three times more for their kilims than they would locally.

This joint effort between Dr. Ghulam and Jody Slocum is grounded in a shared vision: to provide consistent, fair income to Turkmen artisans so they can continue weaving and sustain their traditional way of life.

Generations of artisans

a little girl peeks in the window

Community effort

Women coordinate skills to weave patterns together

founding opportunities

From Afghanistan to International Markets

Dr. Ghulam Muradi was born into a Turkmen artisan family and grew up weaving kilims while living as an Afghan refugee in Pakistan during the Soviet-Afghan war. After returning to Afghanistan in 1991, he went on to graduate from Kabul Medical University as a surgeon. Alongside his medical work, he has remained a strong advocate for his Turkmen community—supporting kilim weaving, design, and sales.

In 2010, Dr. Ghulam met Jody Slocum in New York, just as she was launching the international home décor store Cultural Cloth with Mary Anne Wise. Since then, the two have worked closely together to support Turkmen artisans. Now retired from Cultural Cloth, Jody is focused on helping Dr. Ghulam expand the market for Turkmen kilims, bringing more income and opportunity to the weavers.

Dr. Ghulam

Dr. Ghulam is the founder of Turkmen Handicrafts. He lives in northern Afghanistan and the in-country representative for the weavers and their community.

Learn about afghan artisans

Jody Slocum

Jody represents Turkmen Handicrafts in the United States and has working with Turkmen Handicrafts for 15 years. She and her business partner Mary Anne founded Cultural Cloth and has years of retail experience. She lives in rural Wisconsin

Contact Jody and Turkmen Handicrafts