Institutional Activities in Tajikistan

Any Institutional activities in the world
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MSDSP prints a tourist map of Gorno-Badakhshan

DUSHANBE, April 3, 2013, Asia-Plus - A color and illustrated map of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) in English has been printed. The map is an essential tool to promote development of ecotourism in this high mountain area.
The map has been compiled and printed by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF)’s Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP) in cooperation with the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) Cartographic Factory under the State Committee for Land Management and Geodesy of Tajikistan, AKF Afghanistan, the Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA), the FOCUS Program and the Khoushkor Design Company.
According to MSDSP, this map entitled “The Map of the Pamirs: Tajikistan GBAO and Border Areas” is intended for the use of tourists visiting Tajikistan, in particular Gorno-Badakhshan.
The map reportedly contains geographical and historical background information about Gorno-Badakhshan and border areas of Afghan Badakhshan.
The Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP) is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the people of the mountainous areas of Tajikistan. The Programme was initiated by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in 2003 with the goal to improve living conditions in select mountain communities in the country. To achieve its goal, MSDSP operates a multi-sector program which engages in natural resource management, early childhood development (ECD) and community health.

http://news.tj/en/news/msdsp-prints-tou ... AKDN040513
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http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news ... an-due-may

Asianet

April 12, 2013 14:19

Sixth bridge linking Tajikistan and Afghanistan due in May

The Ministry of Transport on Friday announced about completion of construction of the bridge across the Pyanzh river, which will link the country with Afghanistan.

The bridge will connect Nihol village, Shurobod district (250 km to the south-east of Dushanbe) and Hohon village in Afghanistan.

The length of the bridge is 182 meters. Bridge construction cost $3.57 million. It carrying capacity will be 30 tons.

Construction of the bridge started in late October 2011. The project was implemented by Aga Khan Foundation with financial support of the German Government.

The bridge will be launched into use since May.

Five bridges link Tajikistan and Afghanistan, four of which are in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region that were built with support of the Aga Khan Foundation. The biggest bridge which links Nizhny Pyanzh and Sherhan Bandar was built with U.S. assistance.

Central Asian News Services

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news ... an-due-may
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International micro-finance expert helps ultra poor in Tajikistan

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2013/05/0 ... ajikistan/
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Tajikistan: Providing Reliable Electricity in the Pamir Mountains


Synopsis
International Development Association (IDA) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) helped to establish a vivid example of how a public-private partnership can effectively work to provide affordable, reliable, and clean energy in a challenging environment. Electricity supply in the poorest region of Tajikistan has increased from three hours to 22–24 hours per day during the winter. An estimated 220,000 people, including more than half of which are women, have benefitted from improved electricity services. As a result of the project, schools, hospitals, and businesses can now stay open during the cold winter months.





multimedia
more

Slideshow: Beaming Light on Tajikistan's Roof of the World
More Results

24
over 70% of consumers in GBAO receive electricity 24 hours a day in winter



100%
of electricity bills were collected by Pamir Energy in 2010
more information
Pamir Private Power Project (2002-2010)
World Bank Group Project Website
IFC Project Website
The World Bank in Tajikistan
Country Program Snapshot
RESULTS: Beaming Light on Tajikistan's Roof of the World



Challenge
Gorno-Badakshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) was the poorest and most isolated region in Tajikistan. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and a five-year civil war, the power infrastructure in the region was in dismal shape; 60 percent of inhabitants had no energy during the winter and 15 percent had no energy at all. Frequent power outages were common for everyone. Together with GBAO’s mountainous and remote conditions, the population’s low-income levels and political instability created a harsh environment unlikely to attract private investments. Due to the unreliable electricity supply, schools, hospitals, and businesses were frequently forced to close, especially during the winter, thus undermining economic and human development in GBAO. Many of the residents in the region resorted to wood fuel for their heating and cooking needs, resulting in an increase in respiratory disorders and the loss of 70 percent of the area’s tree cover between 1992 and 2002.



Approach
The project was designed as a public-private partnership between the Government of Tajikistan, the World Bank Group, and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). In order to reconcile the commercial objectives of private investors with the social objectives of the Government, the project was a combination of elements: a 25-year concession agreement with the Government of Tajikistan provided the basis for establishing Pamir Energy Company, a joint stock company owned by AKFED (70%) and the IFC (30%). In accordance with this agreement, the company manages most Government-owned electricity assets in GBAO. The project supported the rehabilitation of the hydropower infrastructure and transmission lines to increase electricity supply capacity. The affordability of electricity for the poorest households was ensured by a lifeline subsidy scheme funded primarily by a grant from the Government of Switzerland. As this subsidy was provided upon delivery of electricity services, the project also integrated the concept of output-based aid.



Results
The Pamir Private Project has helped to enhance development and improve welfare in GBAO by providing reliable, affordable, and clean electricity.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNA ... 07,00.html
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Tajik Ministry of education approves Early Childhood Education Curriculum

DUSHANBE, June 7, 2013, Asia-Plus -- The Collegium of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Tajikistan, which was held on May 28, 2013, approved the Early Childhood Education (ECE) curriculum for alternative preschool education models, press release issued by UNICEF Country Office in Tajikistan on June 6 says.

The ECE curriculum was developed by Academy of Education in collaboration with UNICEF and Aga Khan Foundation in Tajikistan.

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Curriculum is based on the “Early Learning Development Standards” (ELDS) developed by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF. It also draws on the work of several early childhood theories, but heavily on the work of the High Scope Educational Research Foundation in the United States. This approach has proven to be adaptable to various settings and responsive to different cultures while still retaining the elements of a quality early childhood curriculum.
The ECE curriculum takes the format of stating learning outcomes and providing practical guidelines on learning experiences that teachers can utilize in their teaching practice. It promotes holistic development of children and allows space for more child initiated activities. The new ECE curriculum will be offered to children age 4-7 in alternative early learning groups for a homogeneous approach to early childhood development.
The Ministry of Education, with support from UNICEF, Aga Khan Foundation, and other partners will develop teacher training packages that will support the roll-out of the new ECE curriculum. It is expected that these packages be approved and adopted by the end of 2013.
UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF is working in Tajikistan since 1993.

http://news.tj/en/news/tajik-ministry-e ... AKDN061413
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http://www.usaid.gov/news-information/f ... ut-poverty

Frontlines - Grand Challenges for Development
July/August 2014


Reading Their Way Out of Poverty

By Kathy Sweeney

A school librarian shows off books at a library in Tajikistan established by USAID. A school librarian shows off books at a library in Tajikistan established by USAID. Sayora Khalimova, USAID

The importance of reading to children is taking center stage in Tajikistan, giving rise to more libraries, trained librarians and actively involved parents.

Amida Taqieva lives with her children—4-year-old Elvira and 2-year-old Safarmamad—in the tiny and remote village of Deh, Tajikistan. Until two years ago, only outdated, broken down textbooks in Russian were available in the school library, the only library in the village. In Tajikistan, books in Russian don’t serve much purpose for most children, who learn Tajik before Russian. During the long winter months, there is no electricity to power televisions, radios, computers, or even a light to read by. Without power, in a village without quality books in a language most children can easily understand, winter evenings are dark, cold and dull.
Amida Taqieva reads to her daughter Elvira, far left, and a friend in Deh, Tajikistan.
Amida Taqieva reads to her daughter Elvira, far left, and a friend in Deh, Tajikistan.
Reading for Children Project in Tajikistan

Tajikistan’s educational system has been in decline since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and made worse by the country’s subsequent 1992-1997 civil war. With 50 percent of its population under age 23, and 60 percent of schools already running two or three shifts per day, the country is unprepared for a projected 40 percent increase of school-age children by 2015.

To make matters worse, Tajikistan’s literacy levels—already low—are declining precipitously. Books are not widely available and poverty rates are high, so many families would be unlikely to purchase them even if they were readily available. In addition, most books available on the market are written in Russian, not Tajik. Within the education system, inadequate budgets, outdated materials and curricula, limited professional education and training opportunities for teachers, and high teacher turnover all impede literacy and the cultivation of a reading culture.
If all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty, which would be equivalent to a 12 percent cut in world poverty.

In 2012, USAID established the Reading for Children project in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation to support pre-primary literacy in Tajikistan. Pre-primary literacy is considered a critical building block for success during subsequent stages of schooling, and a critical step to ending extreme poverty.

The project, aimed at children between the ages of 3 and 7, encourages families to read together, expands access to age-relevant reading materials, and increases awareness among government officials, families and communities about the importance of reading to children.
A boy reads a book provided by USAID with his teacher.
A boy reads a book provided by USAID with his teacher.
John Harris, USAID

“Delays in pre-primary literacy negatively impact the cognitive development of a child in school and in life,” said project manager Zuloby Mamadfozilov of the Aga Khan Foundation. “Access to reading materials increases a child’s interest in learning and enthusiasm for reading and prepares children for success in grade one and higher.”

The project trained local Tajik authors and illustrators to develop and write age-appropriate, culturally relevant stories for children, addressing a critical lack of Tajik-language children’s books available in local markets and schools. USAID published 25 books developed by these authors, and helped open nearly 246 mini-libraries, each containing more than 430 Tajik- and Russian-language books. Most newly established mini-libraries are located within existing village schools. However, some schools do not have suitable space and the project received permission to establish reading corners in private homes where residents could go to borrow books.
A boy reads from a USAID story book.
A boy reads from a USAID story book.
Sayora Khalimova, USAID

The project emphasizes the importance of reading to pre-primary children for teachers, librarians and parents, and teaches readers how to actively engage children while reading stories aloud. Readers are taught to stimulate children’s imagination and assess comprehension by asking questions while reading: What do you think will happen next? How do you think the little girl feels about that? What would you do in that situation? Readers also learn to encourage listeners to act out the stories they hear.

USAID has helped train dozens of librarians, who over the course of 2.5 years will reach nearly 15,000 parents and caregivers with active reading techniques through training events that help them understand the importance of reading to children. Taken together, these librarians, parents and caregivers will reach more than 25,000 children across 246 villages in Tajikistan.
A teacher and student read together at a USAID event in Sarband, Tajikistan.
A teacher and student read together at a USAID event in Sarband, Tajikistan.
Sayora Khalimova, USAID

Amida Taqieva’s village is home to one of the mini libraries. Taqieva attended a Reading for Children event where volunteers organized a program of reading, singing, acting and dancing for children and their caregivers. Since then, her children have become the most active readers in the village.

Elvira easily retells stories from library books and knows by heart the rhymes of Ali-fabayi Khudomuz—ABC for self-learners—a book developed by the project. “I have no words to express how happy our kids are with this opportunity,” recalled Taqieva. “I was speechless when I saw my daughter acting and reciting chastushka [traditional humorous songs]. I am so happy that my children have access to good books.”

At home, Taqieva created a reading corner where she reads library books every evening with her children and sometimes her neighbor’s children too. This new passion for reading gives her family a fun way to pass long winter evenings, and lays a foundation of literacy for when Elvira and Safarmamad begin primary school.

To amplify the project’s impact, Bahoriston, the national TV channel for children, agreed to incorporate, at no cost, the USAID-developed stories into a popular children’s program that airs nightly. During this family TV program, one girl narrates excerpts from a story, while two other girls act as characters to bring it alive, creating intrigue and enthusiasm for the books among viewers.
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Aga Khan opening of medical and diagnostic center Dushanbe

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http://www.akipress.com/news:564977
Central Asia

Aga Khan assists opening of medical and diagnostic center in Dushanbe

Bishkek (AKIpress) - hospital-doc A medical and diagnostic center was opened in the capital of Tajikistan with the assistance of the Aga Khan Health Services in Tajikistan and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).

AKDN Resident Representative to Tajikistan Akbar Ali Pesnani said the new center is a contribution of the organization to the healthcare sector reform in Tajikistan.

The medical center is expected to improve access, quality, efficiency of diagnostic services for the population of Dushanbe and its suburbs.

15:50 11.09.2015
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Mountain communities could help rebuild diverse, climate-resilient crops

World leaders left New York having agreed a framework for the world’s sustainable development, but for mountain communities around the world this action can’t come quickly enough. Climate change is already here, threatening their food security, nutrition and livelihoods.

Indigenous groups and traditional farmers from 21 mountain communities in 10 countries gathered recently in Tajikistan to assess climate change impacts and develop responses to this crisis. The meeting was organised by Asociacion ANDES (Peru), the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Aga Khan Foundation’s Mountain Development Support Programme.1

Ahead of the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) biennial International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resource for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) meeting on 5-9 October, 2 the meeting developed solutions that will aid the implementation of the Treaty’s objectives on in-situ conservation and enhance the resilience of indigenous famers in the face of global warming threats.

The implementation of Farmers’ Rights is a key issue on the agenda for the FAO Treaty3 Governing Body meeting in Rome next week.

Farmers’ Rights are increasingly being eroded by the introduction or strengthening of intellectual property rights (IPRs) for plant breeders, since farmers often have no equivalent protection in many countries. 4 As a result, traditional farmers are facing serious challenges and a lack of incentives for sustaining their diverse genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Tajikistan meeting found that mountain communities are already facing drastic changes in their food and farming systems due to extreme and unusual weather patterns, and that these impacts have worsened in the last 18 months. Many are suffering from reduced water availability and increased pests linked to decreasing rainfall and increasing temperatures, however the meeting has already been able to provide some steps towards tackling this.

Local crop varieties are often resistant to droughts and pests, unlike the modern, introduced varieties sold by agricultural institutes and multinational companies. In Tajikistan’s Jafr community, only local fruit trees can survive the worsening drought conditions and heat. In Thailand, wild bees are more resilient to increased heat than introduced varieties.

Traditional knowledge and practices are also becoming increasingly critical to survival.

Diversification is another important response to reduce the risk of crop failure, in terms of the plants themselves, the landscape they are farmed in and mixed production systems. Traditional farming landscapes provide living gene banks where crops can continue to evolve and shift across ecological niches to adapt to climate change.

More...

http://www.kagay-an.com/mountain-commun ... t-crops-2/#
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Asia Plus - Prince Hussain visits Tajikistan 16 nov 2015

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http://www.asiaplus.tj/en/news/prince-h ... jikistan-0

Prince Hussain Aga Khan visits Tajikistan

16/11/2015 15:28
Asia-Plus

DUSHANBE, November 16, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Prince Hussain Aga Khan, son of His Highness the Aga Khan, arrived in Dushanbe on November 15 for a three-day working visit, according to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Tajikistan.

During his visit, Prince Hussain will be attending the Workshop on the establishment of the new agency for Habitat - Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) in Dushanbe.

Prince Hussain Aga Khan is the third child and second son of His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims and the Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Prince Hussain graduated from Williams College (USA) with a Bachelor of Arts degree and has a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) where his main area of study was Economic and Political Development with a regional focus on the Middle East and North Africa.

Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH)’s main functions are to ensure that communities live in physical settings that are as safe as possible from the effects of natural disasters, that these settings are conducive for developing livelihood opportunities, providing access to social and financial services and to ensure that communities are able to cope with disasters in terms of preparedness and response. The initial geographical focus of AKAH is on Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Aga Khan Development Network brings together individual agencies that operate in a range of areas – from economic development, education and rural development to cultural revitalization, health care and financial services. Together these agencies collaborate towards a common goal – to build institutions and programs that can respond to the contemporary challenges and opportunities of social, economic and cultural growth in Tajikistan.

Operating in Tajikistan since 1992, AKDN draws on a strong base of experience in working with mountain societies. It works in all regions of the country and employs over 3,500 people through its operations and investments.
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More on Prince Hussain and his previous visits to Tajikistan at:

PRINCE HUSSAIN AGAKHAN

http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... ce+hussain
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news.tj/en/news/prince-amyn-aga-khan-visits-tajikistan-0

Prince Amyn Aga Khan visits Tajikistan

30/11/2015 10:33
Asia-Plus

DUSHANBE, November 30, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Prince Amyn Aga Khan, brother of His Highness the Aga Khan, arrived in Dushanbe on November 29, 2015 for a one day working visit, according to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Tajikistan.

Prince Amyn, known worldwide for his prowess in the arts and culture, has for many decades worked with his elder brother, His Highness the Aga Khan on economic, cultural and building initiatives.

Prince Amyn Aga Khan is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aga Khan Museum. He is also the Chairman of the Executive Committee (and Member of the Board) of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, which initiates and supports economic development activities in Africa and Asia. In addition to these, Prince Amyn also holds several other posts.

Aga Khan Development Network brings together individual agencies that operate in a range of areas – from economic development, education and rural development to cultural revitalization, health care and financial services. Together these agencies collaborate towards a common goal – to build institutions and programs that can respond to the contemporary challenges and opportunities of social, economic and cultural growth in Tajikistan. Operating in Tajikistan since 1992, AKDN draws on a strong base of experience in working with mountain societies. It works in all regions of the country and employs over 3,500 people through its operations and investments.
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Tajik parliament speaker, AKDN resident representative discuss cooperation

17/05/2016 13:44

Asia-Plus


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DUSHANBE, May 17, 2016, Asia-Plus – On Wednesday May 17, Mr. Shukurjon Zuhurov, Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament), met here with Mr. Akbar Ali Pesnani, Resident Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan.

Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, says that in the course of the talks Zuhurov appreciated AKDN’s support for enhancement of education, social, health and cultural sectors.

He also expressed gratitude to AKDN for support provided by it to Tajikistan’s professional parliament and the country’s population, Sultonov said.

The Aga Khan Development Network brings together individual agencies that operate in a range of areas – from economic development, education and rural development to cultural revitalization, health care and financial services. Together these agencies collaborate towards a common goal – to build institutions and programs that can respond to the contemporary challenges and opportunities of social, economic and cultural growth in Tajikistan.

Operating in Tajikistan since 1992, AKDN draws on a strong base of experience in working with mountain societies. It works in all regions of the country and employs over 3,500 people through its operations and investments.

http://news.tj/en/news/tajik-parliament ... ooperation
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Aga Khan Health Services to open new Medical Center in Khorog

| by ismailimail
|Posted on May 18, 2016


Translated via Google: Aga Khan Foundation/Health Services in Tajikistan is planning to open a new $24 Million Medical Center in the capital of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province Khorog.

The new medical facility will be operational by December 2018. At first, the medical institution will serve 48 patients a day, then this figure will increase to 254. The center will also cater for the border regions of Afghanistan’s Badakhshan Province.

The Aga Khan Health Service explained that, although the center is a private organization, financial difficulties do not create obstacles to the provision of medical services to the needy.

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... in-khorog/
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Tajikistan, Afghanistan Pamiri Villages Joined by Power Line

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/78996

Villages in the Pamir mountains of Tajikistan and Afghanistan have been joined by an electricity transmission line that will bring power to 3,000 Afghans for the first time in their history.

A ceremony to commemorate the event was observed by representatives from the US Embassy and the Aga Khan Foundation, who jointly funded the project, and Tajik and Afghan government officials, a US Embassy said in a statement issued on May 31.

The tortuous road that snakes along the Panj River, which marks the boundary between Tajikistan’s Pamir region and Afghanistan, presents a scene of stark contrasts. Villages on the Tajik side receive steady supplies of electricity from Pamir Energy, an energy company founded in 2002 as a public-private partnership between the government of Tajikistan, the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and the International Finance Cooperation. When night falls, Afghan villages are largely plunged into darkness, while countless electric lights almost a literal stone’s throw away twinkle in the Tajik villages.

The US Embassy statement said that joining the Afghan villages to the electricity grid in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast
was completed with $1 million grant from USAID and a complementary $464,000 contribution from the Aga Khan Foundation.

“In addition to the newly connected villages, the project helped Pamir Energy upgrade its existing systems and infrastructure, laying the groundwork for further expansion and service improvement to customers on both sides of the Tajik-Afghan border,” the statement said.

Similar stories of cross-border cooperation are all too rare, but this precedent is a heartening change from the stories of violence and drug-trafficking more typically associated with the Afghan border.

The US Embassy hailed this development as a boon to local economies and the prospects for children in the Afghan villages.

“Educational outcomes improve as children have light to study by in the evening and during the dark winter months; and a reduction in indoor air pollution means sharp declines in the rate of lung and eye diseases,” it said.

The Afghan side of the Badakhshan region is home to around 950,000 people whose primary source of income is generated from trading crops and livestock.

Trade between the Tajik and Afghan sides of Badakhshan has been greatly enhanced by the creation of a handful of cross-border markets around bridges across the Panj river near the towns of Tem, Darvaz, Langar and Ishkashim.

The economic potential of those markets has been constrained, however, by their only once-weekly operations and regular security scares, which prompt authorities to suspend trading.

Although progress in such matters is slow and halting, initiatives to increase cross-border flows of either goods and now electricity are typically embraced with enthusiasm by local communities. Long may it continue.
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The first journal article on Early Detection and Treatment of Breast Cancer in Khorog, Tajikistan by the Ismaili Physicians with the Aga Khan Health Board for the USA

| by ismailimail
|Posted on June 2, 2016


The first journal article on Early Detection and Treatment of breast cancer in Khorog, Tajikistan has been published by a team of Ismaili physicians with the Aga Khan Health Board for the USA, entitled:

A Community-Oriented Approach to Breast Cancer in a Low-Resource Setting: Improving Awareness, Early Detection and Treatment of Breast Cancer in Tajikistan
•Zohray Talib MD,
•Irina Shukurbekova,
•Guldarbogh Sadonshoeva MD,
•Alibek Alibekov MD,
•Nekruz Jamshedov BSc,
•Zahir Moloo MD,
•Almas Welji MD,
•Farin Amersi MD,
•liya Amin Muhammad BSc,
•Aliya Jiwani MPH,
•Sheliza Rais MHS,
•Akoyat Nazrishoeva BSN,
•Surayo Ilnazarova BSN,
•Shifo Nuridinova BSN,
•Hafiza Ukani FNP,
•Shireen Alwani MBA,
•Mansoor Saleh MD

The Breast Journal: Volume 22, Issue 3, pages 330–334, May/June 2016 – onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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MPs visit AKDN projects in Gorno Badakhshan ahead of president’s visit to the region

DUSHANBE, June 21, 2016, Asia-Plus -- An eight member delegation of Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament, led by deputy Chairperson, Mrs Khairinisso Yusufi, visited Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) on June 18, 2016, according to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Office in Tajikistan.

This visit was planned ahead of the President’s visit to GBAO to celebrate National Unity Day from June 25-28, aimed at familiarizing high level government officials on the progress of University of Central Asia’s Khorog campus.

Accompanied by AKDN Diplomatic Representative for Tajikistan Akbar Ali Pesnani, the delegation also visited UCA’s School of Professional and Continuing Education (UCA SPCE), Aga Khan Lyceum, as well as Khorog Diagnostic Unit. Mr. Pesnani welcomed the guests to Khorog campus.

“It is an honor for AKDN that Parliamentarians are visiting UCA - currently one of our most important investments in Tajikistan. The University has come a long way and is now ready to begin its academic programs in 2016. This has been possible due to continuous support of the Tajik government,” said Mr. Pesnani.

“The Tajik government considers AKDN as a valuable and reliable partner. We have received a very positive and memorable impression of UCA, which I believe will become a platform for discussion, analysis, research and exchange of best practices in future,” said Mrs. Yusufi.

Dr. Bohdan Krawchenko, UCA Director General, and Muzaffar Jorubov, UCA Chief Operating Officer, accompanied the delegation briefing them on the admissions process, faculty recruitment and courses offered by UCA.

“UCA was established to offer an internationally recognized standard of higher education in Central Asia and we are pleased this delegation has taken personal interest to review progress and dialogue with us on future cooperation strategies,” said Krawchenko.

This parliamentary visit is an outcome of Pesnani’s meeting with Shukurjon Zuhurov, Chairman of Majlisi Namoyandagon on May 17, 2016. At this meeting Zuhurov expressed gratitude to AKDN for contributing to education, social, health and cultural sectors of Tajikistan. UCA has developed constructive relationships with the Tajik Parliament and regularly conducts English courses for its members.

http://news.tj/en/news/mps-visit-akdn-p ... sit-region
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Tajik president inaugurates AKF-supported projects - Bartang

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http://www.timesca.com/index.php/news/1 ... ang-valley


Saturday, 25 June 2016 13:29
Written by TCA

DUSHANBE (TCA) — Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmon on June 25 inaugurated a drinking water supply project that is expected to benefit 58 households, housing 354 people in disaster affected area of Ghudara village of Bartang valley, Rushan district, in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). The project that aims at improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation was implemented by Aga Khan Foundation and supported by the government of Finland, the Aga Khan Development Network said.

Bartang valley was struck by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on December 7, 2015 that destroyed 223 buildings, including houses, schools and medical points, as well as partially destroyed more than 300 buildings, and caused many people to be temporarily evacuated.

Villages of Bartang valley are extremely remote and the distance from them to Rushan District Centre is approximately 180 km, and 250 km to Khorog, the regional capital of GBAO. The impoverished population of the remote village used to walk long distance to collect water.

“It is an honor for Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) that Tajik President, initiator of UN Water for Life Decade, inaugurates our water supply project. We believe that access to clean water and adequate sanitation will lead to improved health conditions and reduced water-borne deceases in the village,” said Akbar Ali Pesnani, AKDN Diplomatic Representative.

The President also inaugurated Pasor’s mini-hydroelectric power station (HPS) in Bartang valley of Rushan district. The 104,000 USD project is expected to deliver renewable energy to 124 households, housing 722 people in three remote villages of Pasor, Bopasor and Ghudara in Bartang valley. This project was implemented by Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) of Aga Khan Development Network.

“Apart from construction of hydroelectric power station and provision of the impoverished and isolated population of Bartang valley with water supply system, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in the aftermath of the earthquake also supported construction of houses for the affected community, as well as contributed to capacity in disaster risk reduction and resilience building,” said Yodgor Faizov, Chief Executive Officer, Aga Khan Foundation.
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Tajikistan and Aga Khan Foundation open tourism, sports and culture facilities

http://www.timesca.com/index.php/news/1 ... facilities

KHOROG, Tajikistan (TCA) — On June 26, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon inaugurated the Pamir Mountain Welcome Centre (PMWC) and Youth, Sports and Culture complex in Khorog in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast.

The PMWC will be a hub for leisure and tourism related businesses. Managed by the Pamir Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA) it will provide office space, meeting space, a souvenir shop, information centre, lost-and-found service, equipment rent service for mountaineering and touring equipment, laundry cafe and other needed services. The PMWC will provide services to over 5000 tourists a year and conduct trainings for over 80 employees of its member tour operators annually.

“We believe that Pamir known for its natural God given beauty and now supported by friendly services provided at Pamir Mountains Welcome Centre will make the visitors feel more comfortable and they will remember their visit to Pamirs and Tajikistan for a long time and also promote the country to other potential tourists of the region,” said Akbar Ali Pesnani, Diplomatic Representative, Aga Khan Development Network.

The multi-purpose Youth, Sports and Culture complex constructed near the Tem cross-border market will serve as an additional facility to foster the cross-border cooperation and cultural dialogue between the Tajik and Afghan communities living on both side of the Panj river and contribute to stability in the border areas. Besides day-to-day sports activities, the centre is constructed and equipped with movable equipment to transform it easily to serve as well for culture events, conferences, fairs, and large meetings.

The Pamir Mountain Welcome Centre and Youth, Sports and Culture complex were built under the "Peace building and livelihood opportunities in conflict affected Afghan/Tajik border communities" project financed by the British Embassy in Dushanbe. The project aims at improving stability along the Tajik-Afghan border by maximising economic opportunities and cultural exchange. The project was implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan together with the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP). The total project budget was GBP 500,000.

*****
Inauguration of a modern sports hall and acquaintance with the work of a crossborder market in Tem area of Khorog city

http://www.president.tj/en/node/12312

On June 26, in the second day of his working visit to the cities and districts of GBAO, the Founder of Peace and National Unity - the Leader of the Nation, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon has inaugurated a modern sports hall, which has been constructed in the community Tem of Khorog city.

A modern sports hall consists of a large hall with 60 seats and support facilities. It was noted that there is a possibility for holding sporting events, including volleyball, basketball, wrestling, table tennis, as well as assemblies, seminars, meetings and cultural events.

The project cost of construction is 2 million 55 thousand somoni. The construction works have been performed by "Sharif" LLC. In the course of construction of the facility 38 people were provided with jobs and good wages.

The building of a sports hall is a part of a cross-border market of Tem village established on the border with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

****
Photos:

https://www.flickr.com//photos/khadamot ... 4422/show/
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http://www.eurocomms.com/industry-news/ ... tajikistan#


Telia sells up to Aga Khan in Tajikistan

Latest News
07 September 2016

Telia has continued its divestment programme in Eurasia by selling its stake in Indigo Tajikistan (Tcell).

The Scandinavian operator has sold its 60 percent holding in Central Asian Telecommunications Development, which controls Tcell, to the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED).

Telia is getting $39 million for its stake, with Tcell valued at $66 million, and said it expects the deal to close before the end of the year.

AKFED, which is part of the Aga Khan Development Network and invests in a range of businesses in Africa, South Asia and Central Asia, owns the remaining 40 percent of Tcell.

It was founded by the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.

Telia announced 12 months ago that it was exiting its businesses in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Nepal, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to focus on Europe.

It sold its Nepalese opco to Axiata last December.

The operator saw sales fall by two percent in the three months to June, its most recent financial results.

Telia President and CEO Johan Dennelind said: “The divestments of our holding in Tcell is in line with our ambition to reduce our presence in Eurasia and increase focus on our operations in the Nordics and Baltics.

“AKFED has been a significant shareholder in Tcell since inception, and I am convinced that they will be able to further develop the company.
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Aga Khan fund buys Tcell from Telia

07 September 2016

Telia Company sells 60% stake in Tajikistan operator Tcell for $39m to 40% owner Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (Akfed) has added another telecoms operator to its portfolio by buying Telia Company’s 60% stake in Tajikistan operator Tcell. Akfed already owned the other 40% and is paying just $39 million for the rest.

Akfed owns Afghanistan’s Roshan mobile operator, which in turn also owns Smart Telecom, with businesses in east Africa.

Telia – formerly TeliaSonera – has been looking to sell off its interests outside its core European market. Earlier this year it sold its 60% stake in Nepal’s Ncell to Axiata. In January CEO Johan Dennelind announced that the whole Eurasian region would be regarded as "discontinued operations" in its accounts.

Dennelind said of the latest sale: "The divestments of our holding in Tcell is in line with our ambition to reduce our presence in Eurasia and increase focus on our operations in the Nordics and Baltics. Akfed has been a significant shareholder in Tcell since inception, and I am convinced that they will be able to further develop the company."

The sale price was based on an enterprise value of $66 million.

Akfed is part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The fund says that it "works in partnership with international organisations and governments to stimulate the private sectors of developing economies, with the aim of generating capital for investment in sustainable development initiatives".

The Aga Khan, the founder and chairman of AKDN, is the 49th hereditary imam – or spiritual leader – of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.

http://www.globaltelecomsbusiness.com/A ... Telia.html
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Post by kmaherali »

Travel Section: Tajikistan - Country of Many Wonders

Extract:

Resilient. Inspirational. Proud. That is how I would describe the people of Tajikistan. The people I met embody these characteristics and why I encouraged my friends and family to visit before it becomes a tourist destination. Though the road for development and economic growth is a long one for the country, the bold steps taken by the people of Tajikistan - with assistance from agencies such as the Aga Khan Foundation — are impressive. My wish is now that other powerful countries do not interfere with Tajikistan’s progress and that instead they support the people who have been through so much already. There were several stories I came back with but for me I learned and witnessed the resilience of the people in spite of all the challenges they faced and continue to face. In North America the challenges we face pale in comparison to those living in Tajikistan yet their determination and ability to see beyond these limitation are inspiring and something we all could learn from.

http://www.quartersectioncollective.com ... ny-wonders
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Pamir Energy decides not to introduce power rationing in Gorno Badakhshan

Pamir Energy Company (Pamir Energy), which supplies electricity to the majority of districts of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), has decided not to introduce power rationing in the region as an extreme cold weather has receded.

“Besides, the current volumes of water in the Ghund River are enough for generation of electricity to meet the basic requirements of customers in electricity,” Amrikhon Rahimov, the head of the Pamir Energy generation department, told Asia-Plus on Friday.

According to him, all the 26 sections are now being provided with electricity and only in the evening and in the night the power supply is cut off for 2 or 2½ hours.

Recall, Pamir Energy was going to introduce power rationing in the area due to extreme cold weather that has hit the region in early January.

Pamir Energy Director General, Daler Jumayev, told reporters in Khorog on January 16 that volumes of water in the Ghund River that powers the Pamir-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) and the Khorog HPP have nearly halved because of extreme cold weather.

“Therefore, the power plants now cannot operate in full capacity and we were forced to reduce the supply of daily electricity in five of 26 sections by four hours,” Jumayev noted.

If extreme cold weather continues and volumes of water in the Ghund River continue declining, the company will be forced to introduce power rationing in all sections, the director general said.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and a five-year civil war, Tajikistan’s electrical infrastructure required major investment. Among the most affected areas was the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), where people and economic development suffered during the cold winter months.

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, formed the Pamir Energy Company in 2002 to address the situation.

Pamir Energy is a joint project of the Government of Tajikistan, AKFED, the World Bank’s private finance division, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). A total cost of the project is some 26.5 million U.S. dollars, including the Tajik government’s contribution of 10 million U.S. dollars.

The company has a 25 year concession on the assets formerly under the management on Barqi Tojik (Tajik electricity supplier) in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). In exchange for this concession (management right), Pamir Energy has invested in completing the Pamir hydropower station, rehabilitating power generation, transmission and distribution assets, and improving the management of the company.

The Pamir Private Power Project has helped to enhance development and improve welfare in GBAO by providing reliable, affordable, and clean electricity.

https://www.asiaplus.tj/en/node/235776


[/b]
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BBC Earth Report - Where the families and mountains meet

March 2017 - In a 45 minute documentary, narrated by David Attenborough, Earth report (which ran for many years on the BBC), explores Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan, and the dramatic changes that followed in the area after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent civil war. the economic crash was particularly severe in a province that had largely been dependant on Soviet largesse shipped in from elsewhere. Food security was 15 percent. All diesel fuel was heavily subsidized. When food and fuel subsidies ended, the people of Gorno-Badakhshan suffered greatly. But with the help of the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network, food security rose to over 70 percent in 10 years, a Soviet-era hydroelectric plant was refurbished and expanded. Other social programmes in health and education followed, including the founding of the University of Central Asia campus in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan.

VIDEO

http://www.akdn.org/ru/video/bbc-earth- ... tains-meet
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Better Living at the Flip of a Switch

Power lines in Tajikistan were extended across the border into Afghanistan last year, transmitting reliable electricity and raising the quality of life for thousands of Afghans.

One morning last May, 100 residents of two isolated communities in Afghanistan gathered with a handful of representatives of the governments of the United States, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, and the Aga Khan Development Network. Together they celebrated the end of a journey connecting their villages to the power grid. For the citizens of Deshor and Wiriz, it marked the start of a new era.

For the first time, the new transmission lines crossing the border from Tajikistan brought reliable electricity, with associated social and economic opportunities to these communities high in the Afghan Pamir Mountains. It changed life for over 400 Afghan households—nearly 3,000 people—and, through infrastructure upgrades, improved the availability of reliable electricity for another 20,000 people.

Pamir Energy—a partnership of the Government of Tajikistan, the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and the International Finance Corporation—worked with USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation USA to extend transmission lines across the Panj River, which serves as much of the Afghan-Tajik border, into Afghanistan’s Shugnan district. Through the partnership, Pamir Energy upgraded facilities and trained Afghan utility workers to maintain the new lines and improve the region’s infrastructure.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/telia-ea ... SL8N1HY10S

FRB | Wed Apr 26, 2017 | 4:44am EDT

UPDATE 1-Telia sells Tajik operations to Aga Khan's development fund


STOCKHOLM, April 26 Nordic telecom operator Telia Company has agreed to sell its Tajik operations to the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, taking a step closer to withdrawing from its troubled Central Asian business.

Telia said it had sold its 60 percent stake in Tajik operator Tcell to the development fund founded by the Aga Khan, a businessman and spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, also known for owning the largest horse-racing operation in France.

An earlier deal to sell that stake to the fund fell through as the authorities in Tajikistan did not give their approval in time.

Telia said in 2015 it would gradually abandon its Central Asian markets, hit by years of investigations into alleged corruption linked to local partners and problems accessing cash in distant countries.

The firm still expects to leave the five remaining countries - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova and Uzbekistan - this year, CEO Johan Dennelind told Reuters.

Telia's Tajik operations are reported as discontinued operations and the book value of Telia's interests has been adjusted to zero. The price agreed in the original deal with the Aga Khan Fund in September last year was around $13 million in equity value.

Telia also scaled back its cost estimate for a looming settlement payment related to its entry into Uzbekistan in 2007 to $1.0 billion, down from a previous estimate of $1.45 billion.

The company's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the first quarter were 6.1 billion Swedish crowns ($702 million) excluding non-recurring items, down from 6.2 billion a year ago, and in line with a mean forecast in a Reuters poll.

Telia stuck to its 2017 forecast of a free cash flow above 7 billion crowns and an operating profit (EBITDA) and dividends around the same level as in 2016.

Telia shares were up by 1.1 percent by 0856 GMT.

($1 = 8.7618 Swedish crowns) (Reporting by Helena Soderpalm and Olof Swahnberg, editing by Niklas Pollard and Louise Heavens)
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Pamir Energy Company among international finalists for the 2017 Ashden Award

15:31, march 27Author: Asia-Plus

Pamir Energy Company is one of the international finalists for the prestigious Ashden Award.

The 2017 Ashden Award judges have reportedly narrowed down the finalists for this year’s Awards to 22 impressive organizations, covering what they consider to be the best in sustainable energy around the world.

International finalists are truly global, with projects in Tajikistan, Nepal, Lesotho, East Africa, West Africa, India, China and Malaysia that are supporting best practice in sustainable buildings, clean energy for women and girls, innovative finance, clean energy and water, powering business and sustainable travel.

The following are international finalists: Africa Clean Energy, Ampere Vehicles, Angaza Design, Ecolibirium, Empower Generation, Futurepump, GPS Renewables, Haileybury Youth Trust, Hangzhou Bicycles, Mobisol, Pamir Energy, PEG Africa, SunCulture, and T.R Hamzah & Yeang Sdn. Bhd.

Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London on June 15, 2017. They will receive a financial award of up to £20,000, along with tailored support and other help to promote their work.

Former Vice-President of the USA, Al Gore will be the keynote speaker of the 2017 Ashden Awards Ceremony.

Funders of the 2017 Ashden Awards include Citi, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Garfield Weston Foundation, Grosvenor, the Ikea Foundation, Impax Asset Management, UK aid, and the Waterloo Foundation.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and a five-year civil war, Tajikistan’s electrical infrastructure required major investment. Among the most affected areas was the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), where people and economic development suffered during the cold winter months.

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), formed the Pamir Energy Company in 2002 to address the situation.

Pamir Energy is a joint project of the Government of Tajikistan, AKFED, IFC, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). A total cost of the project is some 26.5 million U.S. dollars, including the Tajik government’s contribution of 10 million U.S. dollars.

The project was designed as a public-private partnership between the Government of Tajikistan, the World Bank Group, and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development.

The company has a 25 year concession on the assets formerly under the management on Barqi Tojik (Tajik electricity supplier) in GBAO. In exchange for this concession (management right), Pamir Energy has invested in completing the Pamir hydropower station, rehabilitating power generation, transmission and distribution assets, and improving the management of the company.

The Pamir Private Power Project has helped to enhance development and improve welfare in GBAO by providing reliable, affordable, and clean electricity.

http://www.news.tj/en/news/tajikistan/e ... 327/237943
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Pamir Energy wins prestigious Ashden Award for bringing clean energy to East Tajikistan and North Afghanistan

London, United Kingdom, 12 June 2017 - Pamir Energy has won the 2017 International Ashden Award for Increasing Energy Access for its work bringing hydro power to 220,000 people in East Tajikistan and 35,000 people in North Afghanistan, as well as to many businesses, schools, and health centres.

The Ashden Awards are a globally recognised measure of excellence in the field of sustainable energy. International winners receive £20,000 in prize money as well as a tailored package of business support to scale up their work.

The area of Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshan (VMKB), where Pamir Energy operates, is not connected to the main Tajik national grid and lost most of its electricity infrastructure as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Fifteen years ago only 13% of households in the region had reliable energy.

To address these crippling energy issues, in 2002, the Government of Tajikistan, the International Finance Corporation and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) established Pamir Energy, Tajikistan’s first public private partnership. Pamir Energy (an AKDN project company) has an agreement with the Government of Tajikistan to supply power to the whole of VMKB until 2027.

More...
http://www.akdn.org/press-release/pamir ... kistan-and


********
Ashden winners

Pamir Energy / Bringing power to the people of Tajikistan and Afghanistan


The first public-private partnership in Tajikistan, Pamir Energy has so far restored 11 small hydro power plants and upgraded 4300km of old transmission and distribution facilities in East Tajikistan.


As a result, 96% of households there, some 200,000 people, now have access to clean, reliable and affordable electricity. More recently, communities across the border in northern Afghanistan have been connected and are able to access electricity too, some for the very first time.

The availability electricity means that students can study in the evenings; doctors can perform life-saving surgery; families can warm their homes without producing harmful smoke or using wood for fuel (70% of local forest lost); women can free up their time to start new enterprises; and the mountainous communities of the Pamirs can connect to the rest of the world.

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https://www.ashden.org/winners/pamir-energy
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http://www.news.tj/en/news/tajikistan/e ... in-bartang

05 july 2017 22:32 TJT Dushanbe

Pamir Energy to spend Ashden Award prize money for construction of small hydropower plant in Bartang
18:04, june 30Author: Asia-Plus


Pamir Energy intends to spend the Ashden Award prize money for construction of a small hydropower plant in the Bartang Valley, Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

Under agreement with the Board of Directors, the company has decided to spend the Ashden Award prize money (£20,000) for construction of a small hydropower plant with capacity of 100 kW in the Roshorv village, Bartang Valley, according to press release issued by Pamir Energy.

A total cost of the project is 324,000 U.S. dollars and the company plans to attract the remaining 274,000 U.S. dollars in close cooperation with potential donors. The power plant will provide with electricity 164 households (nearly 1,200 people) in the Roshorv village.

Recall, Pamir Energy has won the 2017 International Ashden Award for Increasing Energy Access for its work bringing hydro power to 220,000 people in southeastern Tajikistan and 35,000 people in northern Afghanistan, as well as to many businesses, schools, and health centers.

The Ashden Awards are a globally recognized measure of excellence in the field of sustainable energy. International winners receive £20,000 in prize money as well as a tailored package of business support to scale up their work.

According to the Ashden judges: “Pamir Energy’s approach to providing hydro power to a whole population in a remote mountainous area is highly replicable and could apply to other hard to reach mountainous parts of the world. By tackling the full range of energy needs and effective distribution the company is bringing about a massive step change in the lives of local residents.”

Pamir Energy received its Ashden Award on June 15, 2017 at a prestigious ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and a five-year civil war, Tajikistan’s electrical infrastructure required major investment. Among the most affected areas was the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), where people and economic development suffered during the cold winter months.

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), formed the Pamir Energy Company in 2002 to address the situation. Fifteen years ago only 13% of households in the region had reliable energy.

Pamir Energy is a joint project of the Government of Tajikistan, AKFED, IFC, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). A total cost of the project is some 26.5 million U.S. dollars, including the Tajik government’s contribution of 10 million U.S. dollars.

The project was designed as a public-private partnership between the Government of Tajikistan, the World Bank Group, and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development.

The company has a 25 year concession on the assets formerly under the management on Barqi Tojik (Tajik electricity supplier) in GBAO. In exchange for this concession (management right), Pamir Energy has invested in completing the Pamir hydropower station, rehabilitating power generation, transmission and distribution assets, and improving the management of the company.

The Pamir Private Power Project has helped to enhance development and improve welfare in GBAO by providing reliable, affordable, and clean electricity.

Since 2002, Pamir Energy has restored 11 micro hydro power plants and upgraded 4,300km of transmission lines, as well as distribution facilities. During critical phases of the project, the Swiss government, through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), provided vital support through an innovative customer support scheme and the provision of technology that ensured affordable access for the poorest households in GBAO.

Today, 96% of households in GBAO, some 220,000 people, have access to clean, reliable and affordable energy. In 2008, the company began exporting energy across the Panj River to communities in northern Afghanistan – some receiving electricity for the first time in their history. Currently, 35,000 Afghans are connected. The company plans to reach thousands more customers in Afghanistan in the coming years and to expand its operations to Northern Pakistan by 2025.
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EU funds project to build a bridge at Tajikistan-Afghanistan border

https://www.timesca.com/index.php/news/ ... tan-border

DUSHANBE (TCA) — A High-Level EU mission has paid an official visit to Tajikistan. The mission consisted of Mr. Stefano Manservisi, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation, and Mr. Peter Burian, EU Special Representative for Central Asia. They arrived to look into the current EU–Tajikistan relations, in particular in the process of implementation of the country`s New Development Strategy 2016–2030, the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan reported.

The EU mission on July 12 visited the Shamsiddin-Shohin district, at the Tajik-Afghan border, where the EU launched a new project, in agreement with the Tajik and Afghan governments, for building of a bridge in Farkhor district, the rehabilitation of a road and river bank stabilization. The project will foster local private sector and markets development contributing to peace, resilience and trade facilitation in the region. The project will be implemented by Aga Khan Foundation and PATRIP Foundation . The project has a budget of EUR 16 million and is funded by the European Union.
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Post by kmaherali »

My travels in Tajikistan

STEPHANIE ORTYNSKY Feb 16, 2017


Working in Tajikistan with the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS), as part of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada’s Youth Fellowship Program has been quite the experience thus far.

I am a PhD student in the School of Public Health Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics program, and this experience has significantly complemented my PhD studies. I have learned a lot about data collection, qualitative research methods and knowledge dissemination while working in a completely different environment and health care system to Canada’s.

Tajikistan’s health care system is largely based on the previous Soviet model. After the break-up of the Soviet Union and a substantial decrease in funding, the system became non-functional. The civil war of 1992 to1997 exasperated the situation and the country shifted from a state-run to market-based system. The government of Tajikistan relies heavily on donor funding and the capacity of local non-governmental organizations to provide basic, quality health services to much of the rural population.

I am based in Khorog, a town in the Pamir mountains of about 30,000 people near the Tajik-Afghan border. My job title is Monitoring and Evaluation (M and E) Fellow, and a team of two colleagues and I are tasked with carrying out activities that help to improve the performance and achieve results for AKHS’ projects.

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https://www.usask.ca/sph/articles/2017/ ... kistan.php
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