DUSHANBE, September 25, Asia-Plus — On Monday September 24, the US Ambassador to Tajikistan, Tracey Jacobson, held a signing ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe to award 14 grants for renovating historical sites and supporting local NGOs in Tajikistan.
Having singed an agreement on the third, final tranche in an amount of more than $53,000 to provide support for the Protection and Renovation of the Khoja Mashhad Madrassa and Mausoleum in Khatlon’s Shahritus district, Ms, Jacobson noted that a total cost of the project was $106,000.
This project aims to preserve and extend the life of the Khoja Mashhad Madrassa and Mausoleum, to ensure that it is accessible for future generations, and that it remains a place of pilgrimage for Tajiks and neighboring Muslims.
The other 13 grants aim to provide support for local non-government organizations. A total amount of these grants is some $100,000. Primarily, grants will be awarded to non-government, non-profit organizations working in the fields of education, democratic reforms, environmental protection, and training of farmers. The amount of a grant will be from $3,000 to $8,000
“Every year, our embassy provides some $175,000 for such projects,” Ambassador Jacobson said.
Commenting on activities of NGOs in Tajikistan, Ms. Jacobson noted that the provided grants are just additional financing taking into account that NGOs work on their own.
