“As a single mother, I am so grateful for this program’s usefulness and support.  The women in my community all work together on this program, and being able to help other women in my community helps me in my own life.” - Oyuntseren Oidov, local coordinator and participant in Mongolia (read her story)

The Snow Leopard Enterprises program began in Mongolia in 1997.  It was initially known as Irbis Enterprises because “irbis” is the Mongolian word for “snow leopard”.  Over the last eleven years, the number of participants has grown to include over 350 households.  The program participants hail from 28 communities in seven different provinces of the mountainous west and desert south of the country.  Newly participating communities, such as those in South Gobi and Uvurkhangai, are currently being trained on how to get started in the program.  Long-established participants, such as the Jargalant Orgil community in western Mongolia, are currently participating in training in the use of new spinning wheels that their additional income has afforded.

In 2007, equipment loans and micro-credit loan programs were made available for Snow Leopard Enterprise participants in Mongolia.  Before this program was established, women made their products with drop spindles, which can be tedious and difficult.  We have been able to provide families with equipment like spinning wheels, drum carders, felting needles, knitting needles, and skills training to improve their product quality and quantity if desired.  The women are therefore able to increase their family’s income faster, and Snow Leopard Enterprises can keep a larger supply of goods on the market to meet the growing demand, and ensure that public interest in the artisan’s products stays high.  As their income increases, these women are able to make a greater commitment to our shared conservation goals.

As Snow Leopard Enterprises continues its track record of success in Mongolia, The Trust’s vital conservation efforts in Mongolia grow stronger with the help of the international scientific community.  Together, we have worked to improve the methods used for tracking changes in snow leopard populations.  We’re currently launching a ten to fifteen year study with the help of both local community members and researchers from around the world.

• View slide show of women making felt from wool

Learn how Snow Leopard Enterprises works in:

• Kyrgyzstan
  
• Pakistan