MUSCAT – Handicrafts House (World of Handicrafts) is one Omani enterprise which has grown considerably since 2018, with a humble beginning with a kiosk at Al Mouj Muscat. This year it moved to a unit inside the Al Mouj Muscat’s Community Hub, a new facility serving 7,000 residents as well as the millions of people who visit every year.
Through Al Mouj Muscat’s support of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), hundreds of entrepreneurs are now located at Oman’s premier lifestyle destination and benefitting from support which is helping them grow. The handicrafts business, which sources and sells traditional Omani items is passionate about preserving and promoting the nation’s heritage, in turn supports around 800 artisans who live in the Sultanate and craft items by hand.
World of Handicrafts was founded by Zuwaina Sultan Al-Rashdi in 2012 when she saw a gap in the market for well-designed and packaged traditional products for tourists as well as corporate markets. Now CEO of the company which has four units and a packaging workshop, she was crowned Winner of the Best Female Entrepreneur Award for 2015 – 2016 and is a well-respected voice within the Omani business community.
Zuwaina’s vision for World of Handicrafts when it first started was to become a platform to showcase Omani products around the globe but she says it has become so much more: “We consider ourselves a development project and an independent crafters’ forum rather than a business selling goods as we work closely with our designers to help them make best use of their skills.
“From marketing and promotion and ensuring all items are of the highest quality and adhere to international standards, to advising them on how to explore new markets locally, regionally and internationally, we are here to help. We have also put in place strategies designed to improve the production and sales methods associated with traditional crafts.’
Commenting on World of Handicraft’s success, Al Mouj Muscat CEO Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani says: “I would like to congratulate Zuwaina and her team and of course all of the talented craftspeople for their hard work and for being so passionate about preserving our nation’s heritage and traditions. There is certainly a parallel between World of Handicraft’s ethos for supporting others and our SME Development programme which aims to give those just starting out with a step up onto the first rung on the ladder of business growth.
“The SME initiative is a system we are particularly proud of as whether kiosk or retail unit, at The Walk, Marsa Plaza, the Community Hub or the Marina, having a presence within Al Mouj Muscat gives entrepreneurs exposure from the 3 million visitors each year as well as the people who call our vibrant community home.”
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