She was born on January 1, 1968, in the village of Dolon, located in the Tyup district. Together with her husband, she raised five sons and is now actively engaged in creating felt products alongside other craftswomen.
“I worked for 37 years as an elementary school teacher. Working with children was very exciting—they enjoyed making crafts with their own hands. I taught them how to make various items from paper and other materials suitable for their age,” shares Nurkamal aiym, reminiscing.
Throughout her teaching career, she experienced many bright moments with her students. Here’s one of them:
“Interacting with small children, I was always amazed by their sincerity. Once, one of my students explained why he hadn’t done his homework: he had guests at home. He said that because of that, he couldn’t do his math because the table was occupied. This made me laugh a lot. Working with such children is a pleasure; I still remember their antics with a smile,” she recounted.
After retiring, Nurkamal continued to work at the school for another six years, and last year she finally concluded her teaching career.
“With my friends from the village, we decided that we wouldn’t sit idle and started engaging in handicrafts. This interest in everything handmade was passed down to me from my parents: my mother was a craftswoman, and my father was a carpenter. Craftsmanship has always been close to me,” she explains.
Nurkamal makes olpoki, shyrdaks, and various souvenirs, which she showcases at fairs and exhibitions.
“We work together with fellow villagers, support each other, and create products. This is not only interesting but also beneficial. We try to use quality clean wool that we purchase. Products made from it have a positive impact on health,” she noted.
Nurkamal raised her sons and is now passing on the traditions of handicrafts to her granddaughter:
“I don’t have a daughter, but my granddaughter is very interested in handicrafts. She is only 8 years old, and she already makes various crafts on her own. I plan to take her with me and teach her the secrets of my craft.”
Among her sons, the eldest has followed in his parents' footsteps and makes metal products.
The prices for Nurkamal's works range from 800 to 20,000 soms, and among her clients are also foreign buyers.
“Foreigners are most often interested in felt seat covers. At the last fair in Karakol, tourists from India bought such seat covers for 800 soms,” she added.
