Tahmina Hakimova-Rees - Central Asian Cultural Lead

Tahmina Hakimova-Rees was born in a region of Tajikistan strongly connected with the manufacture and trade of ikat cloth. As an entrepreneur, she saw the opportunity to use a resurgence of interest in this cultural style as a vehicle for social change. The result was Salomat Ikat, a brand that embraces all the principles of fair trade. Social responsibility is vital to Tahmina. As public speaker, she is a tireless campaigner for gender rights, disability rights and inclusivity.

Her firm commitment to these ideals underpins her fair trade clothing brand, Salomat ikat. The name was inspired by her own mother's struggles against gender based violence and she created the initiative to set up a framework for helping women who are at risk of harmful situations, as many of the brand's woman crafters are survivors of domestic abuse.

Earnings from the beautiful fabric they weave lay the foundation for achieving economic independence. But there is a second beneficiary to the brand. A ten percent portion of Salomat Ikat's profits go towards Nazari Digar, a non-profit organisation that aims to improve the lives of children and young people with Down's Syndrome.