A.N.S. – A NEW PROPRIETARY NAME TO IDENTIFY SHAKI

Aynur, Nigar, and Salima Karimova narrate their exulting story.

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aynur, Nigar, and Salimə Karimova could not even fathom that they would come out of the experience  with the new A.N.S. brand. Everything changed overnight. Mayis Safarov, chairman of the Board of Uluchay, a local NGO, approached the trio to join the EU-funded Urgent Start-up Support Action for Vulnerable Communities in Sheki Project.

– We are three sisters. We experienced financial constraints after we lost our dad eight years ago. Salima was the only employed family member. Now she works at a hotel but used to be a foreman leading her team at Shaki Silk Factory. Then the business ceased to operate, leaving her jobless. Driven to despair, she had to find a job to pay the bills. The three of us, plus Nigar’s little one, were barely making ends meet when the COVID-19 pandemic hit us inopportunely. Our flame of hope almost went glimmering.

One day there was a knock on our door. It was the representative of the EU’s project “Urgent Start-up Support Action for Vulnerable Communities in Sheki” who inquired about what we were good at doing. We said we could pickle fruits and vegetables. However, we did not have anything, neither can-shaped glassware nor vegetables, to start with. An old red lid-screwer was the only asset I had at that moment. To our great surprise we were told that the EU project could provide funding for the things we needed. We were very excited and immediately got to work.

As a matter of fact, pickling tomatoes and cucumbers is our age-old custom. Furthermore, the Internet closes any remaining knowledge gap. Nevertheless, there were some things we could only master through practice. Nowadays, the market is lacking glass jars with standard, tight-fitting lids. So we buy special glass jars – my recommendation for everybody to follow. Furthermore, we have distributed functions among ourselves. Salima scrubs vegetables and prepares them for pickling. Nigar has small and gentle hands that are fit for stuffing the jars with essential ingredients. My part comes afterwards – I have to sterilize jars and fill them with hot – almost boiling – water. I must be overly careful while holding the jar and preventing it from slipping out of my hands. Screwing the lid requires mastery. My red lid screwer is my long-time friend, and I would not change it for anything else. Frankly, I don’t count on new lid screwers at all.

With the support of the European Union’s project “Urgent Start-up Support Action for Vulnerable Communities in Sheki” we preserved 20 jars of tomatoes, 20 jars of onions, and 150 jars of pickles.

However, pickling is the job half done – you should get solutions smart enough to market your product. The project’s support came on time; they printed labels to be attached to the jars. As for our brand name, the project team told us that now everyone in Shaki knows us as the ANS sisters. Consequently, our brand emerged as A.N.S. We pin our hopes on acquiring permanent clients next year, and the project staff are assisting us that way. The European Union’s project “Urgent Start-up Support Action for Vulnerable Communities in Sheki” is not just financial support,  they also contributed to a new  lease on  life for us, making socializing and event attendance arrangements for us. Eventually, we started thinking about the future. In my opinion, the life of a human being depends on – and varies with – who they meet or come across. I could have become an artist had I enjoyed the corresponding support during my school years. After all, I was good at painting and gifted with a vital ability. However, I couldn’t pursue my education due to financial constraints. Therefore, there is a great need for projects and benefactors, giving us a helping hand and support throughout our life.