Khanim

Xanim is a sweet woman in her fifties. She was married at a very young age, a simple village girl following in the expectations and pressures of the society around her. Her husband quickly became abusive and squandered everything they had. She had two children, a son and a daughter, and did her best to provide for them, working many menial jobs to make ends meet. A few years ago, her husband died, releasing her from the marriage, but not the pain and hardship that he caused. She had to continue to work hard to pay off the debt he had incurred.

A few months ago, Xanim discovered Azerbaijani Socks through social media and reached out to us. She has always loved knitting and sewing and has a natural talent for it. Xanim has many health issues, which make physical labor impossible for her, so she is very grateful to find work that she enjoys and can do from home.

Her children are now grown. Her daughter is married, and has a three-year old daughter (pictured above). Her son will marry this month. All of her salary from the last couple of months have gone to prepare for the upcoming wedding. In a traditional Azerbaijani wedding, the groom’s family is responsible for buying the wedding dress and gold for the bride (a little like a dowry), they are also expected to provide a house for the couple once they are married. Oftentimes, the bride will move into the groom’s family home, creating a multi-generational home. The bride’s family provides new furniture for the house.