AKF in Tajikistan - Aga Khan Development Network

The AKDN bridges at Tem, DarwazTAJIKISTANand Ishkashim facilitate over 15,000border crossings per year, as well asover US$ 3 million in traded goodsincluding food, constructionmaterials and electronic appliances.PartnersAsian Development Bank/Japan Fund forPoverty Reduction (ADB/JFPR)Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA)Department for International Development(DFID)Embassy of JapanEuropean Commission (EC)Government of AustriaGovernment of Germany (BMZ, GTZ)Government of NorwayGovernment of the Republic of TajikistanHumanitarian Aid Department of theEuropean Commission (ECHO)International Fund for AgricultureDevelopment (IFAD)Master Card Foundation (MCF)Netherlands Organization for InternationalDevelopment Co-operation (Novib)Organization of Petroleum ExportingCountries (OPEC)Swedish International Development Agency(SIDA)Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation(SDC)The Christensen Fund (TCF)United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID)United States Department of Agriculture(USDA)World Bank (WB)Contact InformationAga Khan Foundation Tajikistan137 Rudaki AvenueTojikmatlubot, 4th Floor734003 Dushanbe, TajikistanTel: +992 37 2247650/2218001Website: www.akf.orgAga Khan Development Network8-10 Gani Abdullo Street734003 Dushanbe, TajikistanTel: +992 37 2246500/2246508Website: www.akdn.orgcertification. In 2010, the CertificationCommittee included government officials,members of parliament, representativesfrom international agencies and leadersof local CSOs. The National Associationof NGOs in Tajikistan, established underthe programme, played a central rolein lobbying legislative changes andconsolidation of CSOs in Tajikistan. Atotal of five legislative changes have beenintroduced; changes include legislationaimed at regulating government support toCSOs and allowing VOs and SUDVOs toofficially register with the government.Regional InfrastructureSince 2002, the Foundation has builtfour bridges over the Pyanj River at Tem,Darwaz, Ishkashim and Vanj, which nowconnect remote regions of Tajikistan andAfghanistan. A fifth bridge in Shorobod iscurrently under construction. Rehabilitationefforts have significantly increasedthe capacity and safety of the bridges.These construction efforts have beenaccompanied by the building of borderposts and cross-border markets to facilitatethe flow of trade.For relevant Afghan communities,the bridges have provided better foodsecurity, offered access to criticalsocial services such as emergencymedical treatment at Tajik hospitals, andThe Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a group of private development agencies working to empower communities and individuals, often indisadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities, especially in Africa and Asia. Its agencies work in over 30 countries for the commongood of all citizens, regardless of their gender, origin or religion. Its underlying impulse is the ethic of compassion for the vulnerable in society.© AKDN, January 2012. Information contained in this brief can be reproduced with acknowledgement to AKDN.created efficient channels for deliveryof humanitarian aid to otherwise remoteand inaccessible areas. On the Tajik side,they have facilitated access to a widervariety of better-priced goods transitedfrom China, Iran and Pakistan by Afghantraders. During 2009, more than 28,000people crossed these bridges to accessthe border markets. The bridges alsofacilitate exchange of ideas and serve tostrengthen relations across the border.They represent an important step towardsachieving peace and stability in the region.Other cross-border collaborations includean irrigation project launched in 2010,which enables the Tajik village of Rogak toobtain water from Afghanistan, while theZingiryo village on the Afghan side obtainswater from Tajikistan. In the power supplyarena, the PamirEnergy company, in2008, opened a cross-border transmissionline between Tajikistan and Afghanistan,enabling it to share its surplus power duringthe summer months with the Shugnandistrict of Afghanistan. In 2010, the linewas extended to serve an additional 500households, bringing the total to more than1,000 households.The Foundation has also contributedtowards various other infrastructure projectswithin Tajikistan, including the constructionof roads that serve remote regions such asthe Kulma pass, Khorog and Darwaz.Photo credits: AKDN/Jean-Luc RayAga Khan FoundationThe Aga Khan Foundation (AKF)has been implementing innovativedevelopment solutions in Tajikistan since1993. Central to its efforts have beeninclusive, community-based developmentapproaches in which local organisationsidentify, prioritise and implement projectswith the Foundation’s assistance.The Foundation’s programmes in Tajikistanfocus on four areas: rural development,health, education and civil society. Itsinitiatives address cross-cutting concernsincluding gender equality, pluralism,human resource development and publicawareness of development issues. Throughits activities in all four regions of Tajikistan,AKF is reaching over one million people.Overview of ActivitiesOne hallmark of AKF’s approach inTajikistan is its long-term commitment.It has been the Foundation’s experiencethat quick fixes rarely take root; rather,sustainable development requirescareful, culturally appropriate anddisciplined application of best practicesover periods that may be longer thantypical funding cycles.The Foundation’s activity in Tajikistanbegan in 1993, when it mounted aresponse to the acute food shortages in theGorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast(GBAO) resulting from the collapse of theSoviet Union and the ensuing civil war.Since then, AKF has begun makinggrants and implementing projects withpartners. When an appropriate partnerdoes not exist, the Foundation will createone. To address rural development issuesin Tajikistan, in 1998 AKF founded theMountain Societies Development SupportProgramme (MSDSP). MSDSP has evolvedfrom a humanitarian relief programmeinto one of the most respected local nongovernmentalorganisations in the country.The Foundation also plays a catalyticrole in the activities of other Aga KhanDevelopment Network (AKDN) agenciesand partners committed to developmentin Tajikistan, including the mobilisation offinancial and technical resources. As partof its efforts, AKF operates an internalevaluation unit that conducts researchstudies for the Foundation, stakeholdersand partners in order to review the impactof its activities and inform future efforts.Rural DevelopmentAKF’s MSDSP has worked to mobiliseand organise local community-basedorganisations (CBOs) throughout Tajikistanand provide support to strengthen theircapacity to identify, prioritise and realizetheir development agendas in GBAO,Khatlon and Rasht Valley.To date, MSDSP has supported over 1,400Village Organisations (VOs) and nearly100 Social Unions for the Development ofVillage Organisations (SUDVOs) totallingmore than 140,000 village members – ofwhich over 40 percent are women. It isalso working increasingly with sub-districtand district authorities to strengthen thecapacity of local governmental institutions.MSDSP seeks to increase rural incomesAGA KHAN DEVELOPMENT NETWORKwww.akdn.org

In an effort to increase ruralincomes, the Mountain SocietiesDevelopment Support Programmehas assisted 15 families inthe construction and use ofgreenhouses in order to improveagricultural output.AKF provides scholarships each yearto outstanding students in Tajikistanfor undergraduate and graduatestudies. The AKF InternationalScholarship Programme has enabledover 50 Tajik students to pursuegraduate studies at institutions ofhigh calibre in Central Asia, Europeand North America.The Foundation is also focusingon early childhood development(ECD), bringing together variousAKDN agencies and partnersto collaboratively enhance ECDprogramming. AKF, AKHSand IPD, in particular, are jointlydeveloping modules for trainingcaregivers on child rearingpractices to ensure the healthydevelopment of young children.Cover Photo: The Vanj Bridge is one offour between Afghanistan and Tajikistanconstructed by AKF.and employment by fostering developmentof micro and small-enterprises, facilitatingtheir access to capital and businessdevelopment services and promotingcross-border trade. Through its Centresfor Business Development Services,MSDSP supports entrepreneurs with awide range of integrated offerings, fromtechnical training on production to adviceon marketing, business regulations andfinancial services.Innovative approaches to natural resourcemanagement are also encouraged bypromoting community-based resourcemanagement systems, facilitating accessto appropriate technologies and inputs,and improving the conditions for marketbasedagriculture and processing. MSDSPhas also developed and demonstrated awide range of habitat improvement andenergy efficient technologies includingthermal insulation and fuel-efficientstoves. To protect investments in the builtenvironment, MSDSP is an implementingpartner of the Disaster Risk ManagementInitiative (DRMI) whereby it is theleading agency for structural safety andengineering.MSDSP supports the construction andrehabilitation of economic and socialinfrastructure projects, which are nowlargely implemented and maintainedby the communities themselves underconsideration of environmental aspectsand energy efficiency. Over 2,500 smalland medium sized infrastructure projectshave been finalized for a total investmentof nearly US$ 16 million.EducationAKF’s activities in the education sectorseek to improve the skills and knowledgeof teachers and students, and supportnational educational reforms. Activitiesinclude strengthening local educationalinstitutions, engaging in dialogues with theGovernment to influence education policy,and enhancing the quality of children’slearning opportunities.AKF has recognised the need for astrong partner that can offer continuousassistance and development opportunitiesto teachers. In this vein, it worksclosely with the Institute of ProfessionalDevelopment (IPD), an agency of theGovernment of Tajikistan. Tajikistan’sMinistry of Education has chosen toincorporate into its national teachertraining programmes many methodologiesdeveloped by IPD in partnership with AKF.IPD is implementing the Whole SchoolImprovement Programme in GBAOto improve the region’s primary andsecondary educational systems. Activitiesinclude mentoring initiatives, trainingsto introduce teachers and schooladministrators to innovative methods,establishment of over 110 LearningResource Centres and communityengagement through building capacitiesof over 300 Parent Committees. To date,312 schools have benefited from theseinitiatives, including over 5,400 teachers,500 school administrators, 30 districteducation officials, 46,000 students andan additional 600 Afghan teachers aspart of the cross-border programme. Toimprove access to reading materials, 42mini-libraries were established in remoteareas enabling parents to borrow books toread to their children at home.The Foundation, through IPD, alsocontributes to the development oftextbooks for primary schools andsupports a decentralised curriculumdevelopment process at the national level.In addition, AKF has piloted a communitybasedEarly Childhood Development(ECD) model, which it plans to expandacross Tajikistan. The model has beenapproved by the Ministry of Education asan alternative to the current ECD model.With the support of UNICEF, IPD is scalingup activities in Rasht, Khatlon and Sughdregions. Over the last two years, 65community-based ECD centres have beenestablished, which provide access for1,450 children to ECD services.HealthIn health care, AKF supports the workof Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS)by mobilizing resources and providingtechnical assistance. The Foundationaims to improve the health status ofcommunities in GBAO, select districtsof Khatlon and bordering areas of theBadakhshan region of Afghanistan. Inthis vein, AKF seeks to improve primaryhealthcare services with a particularfocus on Family Medicine. It promotesclinical excellence through trainings andestablishment of Clinical ExcellenceCentres, which ensure regular access toupdated medical literature. Clinical auditsare also being piloted as a method ofmeasuring changes in clinical practices.In 2009, AKF initiated a Community-BasedHealth Financing Scheme in pilot VOsas a mechanism to increase financialaccess to health care. By mid-2011, almostUS$ 10,000 had been collected, and 91patients had benefited from the scheme.Moreover, a revolving pharmaceuticalfund was developed in GBAO in 1997to ensure the availability of high quality,low-cost, essential pharmaceuticals.Funds generated from sales of medicinesare used for procurement, delivery anddistribution of additional medicines. Thefund will likely be self-sustaining in thenear future.AKF started the Cross-Border HealthProject in 2009 to leverage regionalresources to create greater access tohealthcare services for rural Afghancommunities bordering Tajikistan. Theinitiative has enabled treatment of over2,800 Afghan patients by Tajik healthprofessionals, including over 500 surgeriesduring routine and emergency visits.Moving forward, AKF will work closelywith other AKDN agencies to addresscontinued and burgeoning health problemsincluding under-nutrition, substance abuseand migrant health issues. Furthermore,regional solutions to increase access toquality healthcare services are currentlybeing explored, including eHealth, creationof a regional diagnostic and imaging centre,and improvement of nursing education.Civil SocietyLaunched in 2006, AKF’s Civil SocietyProgramme aims to strengthen the civilsociety organisations (CSOs) by facilitatingtheir establishment and building theircapacity to improve the quality of life ofcommunities. The programme also seeksto increase the knowledge and appreciationof good governance in society. Since2008, over 160 CSOs have completedthe process of self-assessment and“It has always seemed to me thatbridges are among the most powerfuland important symbols in humansociety - symbols of connection, ofcooperation and of harmony.In the recent past, in this region,bridges have opened at Tem,Darwaz and Langar. Like them,the Ishkashim Bridge is a concreteexpression of cooperationamongst the Governments ofTajikistan and Afghanistan andthe Aga Khan DevelopmentNetwork. It symbolizes our commondetermination to help open up theregion to new development andimproved prosperity.Links and meeting places createdby the bridges do more than simplyfacilitate commerce. We exchangequestions and answers. We trade inproducts, but we can also trade inideas. Communities on each sideof the border will know one anotherbetter and be better able to help oneanother grow, prosper and share thelessons of life.”— Remarks by His Highness theAga Khan at the Inauguration ofthe Ishkashim Bridge. Ishkashim,Tajikistan, 31 October 2006In collaboration with the Institutefor Professional Development, theFoundation has designed nationalCurriculum Enrichment Frameworksthat have been endorsed byTajikistan’s Ministry of Education foruse in schools nationwide.