The Center of Manual Carpets was formed in 1999 with the aim to train orphan students in the art of making carpets manually.
Its purpose is served two fold; firstly it provides livelihood to poor families, and secondly it keeps alive the industry of hand woven carpets.
This first workshop for industry of manual carpets in Yemen is sponsorsed by Orphan Organization for Development and Charitable Islah Society. There are 24 training courses for orphan boys and girls.
The Center produces unique carpets that weave many antiquarian monuments.
Abdulmalek Al-Wahibi, Director of the Center said that most of the products of the center are scenes of Yemen history and its most significant monuments like the old city of Sana'a with its southern gate, Bab Al-Yemen, Dar Al-Hajer, The Palace of the rock, Al-Mehdar mosque, the throne of the Queen of Sheba and the Seiyoun Palace.
He stated that materials that are used to weave historical sights are all imported from Egypt. The centre mainly exports to the gulf countries.
The students initially use local cotton to learn weaving Abdulmalek said.
The training is a time consuming process. At first, a good pattern of design is made and then the students weave stitches as per the design.
Each stitch consists of a separate, small piece of silk or cotton thread, wrapped around the extended structural silk thread that runs through the length of the carpet.
Silk is an expensive fiber used for weaving manual carpets, pointed out Abdulmalek.
After the training gets over, students get good jobs and earn about 45 percent of the price of carpet. Some students even turn out as good teachers and trainers.
Abdulmalek informs that the project's income is utilised in training next batch of students.
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