MOCHIRA TURSUNOVA

OSHOBA VILLAGE, TAJIKISTAN

Mochira is 30 years old and married with two children. Her husband travels to Russia for work every year, like other men in the village. When her husband is gone she does all work around the house herself. She does not like to work as an agricultural laborer as most other women in her village but prefers work that brings at least a little profit. Earlier she knitted socks for sale on the local market. Now she learned how to make yarn and is very happy about that. She is glad that she can make high quality yarn that knitters in America like to work with. She does not consider herself very talented and her success in spinning makes her proud. She likes to go to the workshop and spin and discuss local news with other women. She spends the money she earns for her son's school. Mochira hopes that her son will study and find work in the village as opposed to having to go to Russia like his father.