Born in 1977 in the village of Mazar outside of Talsint. Maimouna is divorced and has one teenage daughter, Fatima. Maimouna started attending the local women’s center as a child with her own mother and in many ways the women’s center became her school, the place where she learned the art of handicrafts. Today Maimouna is the resident expert in her community, sharing her knowledge of how to crochet, knit, sew, embroider, make baskets, rugs and much more. As the current president of the Talsint Handicraft Association, Maimouna has made incredible strides both personally and professionally. Taking on this leadership role has challenged Maimouna to become a strong communicator, a budding business woman and a true advocate for female artisans in Talsint. Maimouna has used the profits from her basket sales to purchase land and begin building a house of her own. Maimouna’s hope is to continue to build a successful cooperative and create more good work for the women of Talsint.
Pile knot rugs are plush, warm rugs commonly woven with traditional symbols that are unique to the surrounding region. During the winter, the pile side is placed up to keep things warmer and for the summer the pile side is placed face down on the ground to keep things cooler.
