The art of pottery, one of the prime examples of our national craftsmanship, has been passed down through generations over centuries, continuously refined and developed. While pottery items were once used solely for household purposes, they are now recognized as some of the most valuable works of art.
At the beginning of the 19th century, pottery products from Rishton were in high demand not only in the Fergana Valley but throughout Central Asia.
Today in Rishton, local residents engage in home-based production and painting of finished goods, ranging from household items to exquisite examples of artistic pottery.
We visited the family enterprise "Mingboshi Keramik" to admire the pottery samples of Rishton. We were amazed by the colorful items and works of art displayed there. Indeed, Rishton pottery has its own school, traditions, style, and direction. The products handcrafted by skilled potters stand out with their design, vibrant and natural colors, and richness of glossy patterns with pepper motifs.
The family enterprise "Mingboshi Keramik," led by Shokirjon Ahmadjonov, has established a large pottery cooperative. The enterprise, with a project value of 10 billion soums, provides permanent employment for 100 people and home-based work for 3,000 people. Currently, the company has signed export contracts to supply products to foreign countries. Nargizakhon Umarova works in the ceramic production and decoration workshop of the "Mingboshi Keramik" family enterprise.
"To date, I have trained many apprentices. I taught the art of pottery to women who were staying at home. Now, my apprentices are also earning income from the products they create. Today, both local residents and foreign tourists are equally interested in our pottery samples. When decorating our pottery with various patterns, we draw inspiration from atlas and adras fabric designs. I particularly enjoy depicting pomegranate images. I earn a good income from my craft. Recently, employees from Microcreditbank came and asked, 'What kind of help do you need? If you want to expand your activities further, we are ready to assist.' First of all, I was pleased with the attention we're receiving and the fact that our government is always ready to lend a helping hand. I aim to use preferential loans to purchase raw materials and necessary equipment," she said in our conversation.
In recent years, extensive efforts have been undertaken to create decent living conditions for the population, improve the business environment, and ensure employment through the socio-economic development of the country, support for active entrepreneurship, innovative ideas, and creative potential. The work carried out within the framework of the "Every Family - Entrepreneur" program certainly confirms this.
Taking into account the specialization of the Rishtan district in pottery, Microcreditbank has begun to provide preferential loans to further increase the population's income, create jobs, and ensure employment in the area.
During 2024, 254 artisans residing in the Rishtan district were allocated preferential loans amounting to more than 2.5 billion soums to support pottery craftsmanship, resulting in the creation of over 250 new jobs in the pottery industry alone. On the scale of the Fergana region, the total amount of allocated loans exceeds 5 billion soums. This year, nearly 450 artisans in the region have expanded their activities using the bank's preferential loans.
Karomatkhon Kholmatova from Rishtan, making wise use of these benefits, has started her own business. She was allocated a loan of 10 million soums by "Microcreditbank" JSCB to carry out activities in miniature art and painting. This enabled her to establish her business by purchasing raw materials and other necessary equipment.
Similarly, hundreds of our sisters from Rishtan, including Mashhura Alijonova, Tojikhon Hamroaliyeva, and Feruzakhon Otaboyeva, are utilizing the bank's loans on preferential terms and are now earning income for their households.
The Bank will continue its work within the framework of the "Family Entrepreneurship" program.
Bank Information service
See also
The annual reporting meeting of the WE-Finance Code initiative was held.
