As Russia's latest economic crisis continues, average Russians find they can't buy much these days, especially if it's imported. However, one valuable import isn't for sale. Rather, it's being given away. American business experts are donating their time and expertise to help Russians improve their agriculture and develop a prosperous market economy. These small farms and businesses are essential to Russia's economic and political stability.
American volunteers help by teaching planning, management, production and marketing skills.
For example, New York textile expert Jeffrey Silberman has made three trips to Russia, donating his time to help farmers and textile mills improve their operations. On his last visit, Silberman also brought four additional textile experts to assist ZAO Gavrilov-Linokombinat, one of the largest mills in Russia. Founded by the Czar in 1872, Gavrilov-Linokombinat was recently forced to lay off 1,500 workers. Privatization, while giving the mill new opportunities, also brought new taxes, supply shortages, and imports from Turkey that have damaged Russia's textile industry. Silberman, three textile specialists from Patagonia, and Shelley Gilbert, an international textile resourcer formerly from Liz Claiborne, Inc., are donating their business expertise to help the mill.