Malahat Alvasova was born in the Aghbaba region of Western Azerbaijan but was forced to resettle in Hanifa village, Balakan district. She reflects, “My childhood was spent in the beautiful Hanifa village. I pursued my education in Russia’s Voronezh region, returning to my village in 1988 to start a family. I have three children.”

A skilled weaver, Malahat learned the craft from her mother, who passed down not only techniques but also a deep love for the art. “Weaving is the most precious gift and legacy from my mother,” she says. Malahat has instilled this passion in her daughters, keeping the tradition alive.

Though she loved weaving from a young age, her greatest dream was to master carpet weaving. “I longed to weave carpets so much that I even saw myself doing it in my dreams,” she recalls. Her dream came true through ABAD. When the Balakan Regional ABAD Center opened, Malahat applied, presenting herself as a weaver and expressing her desire to learn carpet weaving. She was selected as one of 12 internally displaced families among 44 participants in the joint ABAD, UNDP, and European Union project, “Support for the Development of Small Family Businesses in the Sheki-Zagatala Economic Zone.”

“They provided me with the necessary equipment,” Melahat shares. “Now, I weave beautiful carpets, and my sales are growing. My goal is to create a platform to preserve the art of carpet weaving.”

Malahat’s handwoven carpets, rich with traditional designs, are available at ABAD ethno-boutiques, and grocery stores, supporting her family and Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage.