Rooted Hands began with a question: how can a disappearing cultural practice become a source of opportunity for the people who have kept it alive? In southern Azerbaijan, generations of women have preserved həsir weaving through knowledge passed from hand to hand, yet their work remained largely unseen and disconnected from wider cultural and economic opportunities. The project set out to change this relationship not by modernising the craft itself, but by building new pathways around it. Rooted Hands connects heritage, women’s participation and regional development, creating a system where an existing tradition can gain contemporary relevance while remaining rooted in the community that carries it.
Problem
The hands behind the craft remained invisible. Women worked in difficult conditions, with limited protection, recognition and access to wider audiences. As the craft disappeared from everyday life, so did its economic value. The task was not simply to preserve həsir, but to make the women, their knowledge and their work visible-without removing the craft from its roots,tradition.
Solution
Rooted Hands was developed as a long-term social initiative rather than a one-time awareness campaign. By connecting cultural preservation with women’s economic and social participation, the project created new opportunities around an existing local skill. The initiative brought visibility, institutional support and access to wider audiences to women whose knowledge had largely remained within their villages. Through healthcare support, safer working conditions, digital and business skills, and a permanent shared studio, Rooted Hands built an environment where the women could continue their craft with greater independence and recognition. At the same time, həsir was repositioned as a living part of contemporary Azerbaijani culture - creating new relevance for the tradition and new potential for the region.
Results
The impact extended beyond visibility. Women who had previously practised the craft in isolation became part of a growing collective with a permanent space, new skills and access to audiences beyond their region. Their work is now represented in official tourism locations across Baku with institutional support, creating a direct connection between local craftsmanship and the country’s cultural tourism ecosystem. International exposure in Milan introduced the tradition to a wider cultural audience, while the project itself gained strong public engagement, with its story reaching over 130,000 views organically. The initiative continues to grow: the studio is active, the women continue producing and developing their practice independent, and a new social collaboration with Baku Metro is bringing their stories into everyday public space. Rooted Hands also received Gold at Baku Flames, further expanding attention around the initiative. Most importantly, the project created a sustainable framework in which the women, the region and the tradition can continue to gain visibility, value and opportunity beyond the campaign itself.
