DUSHANBE, May 31, Asia-Plus — The National Social Investment Fund of Tajikistan (NSIFT) Wednesday held a roundtable meeting at the Center for Strategic Studies in Dushanbe to present a survey on results of its poverty reduction support project.
The survey was conducted from September 2006 to May 2007 after the completion of the second NSIFT project for supporting reduction of poverty in Tajikistan.
The survey formulates learnt lessons and offers a series of recommendations that could be used by NSIFT, Tajik government and partners to improve work ion reducing poverty.
Adema Zholdoshbekova, manager of the project for assessing impact of the NSIFT project, noted that the survey had targeted 36 communities participating in the NISIFT microprojects. “These communities were compared to another 36 communities that were not involved in the NSIFT micro projects,” Zholdoshbekova said.
According to her, incomes of households participating in the NSIFT microprojects have increased by 92 somonis over the past five years and averaged 219 somonis, while incomes of households that were not involved in the NSIFT community-based activities have increased by 72 somonis and averaged 173.5 somonis.
Zholdoshbekova noted that to implement the poverty reduction project NSIFT had spend some $21.2 million of donors’ funds. The project has created 3,760 jobs; of them, 890 are the permanent jobs. Besides, schools to accommodate totaling 16,600 pupils have been built and medical equipment for a total amount of $520,000 has been purchased. The project has also funded rehabilitation and construction of 169.9 kilometers of water pipelines, 132.4 kilometers of the power-transmission lines, 14.9 kilometers of the natural-gas pipelines, as well as rehabilitation and construction 13.8 kilometers of roads and eight bridges. Under the project, six beekeepers’ associations have been set up in the country.
One of components of the project has also supported development of NSIFT as institution for implementing this project as well as other programs that will probably be funded by donors in future. For these purposes, the World Bank has provided $2.3 million that have gone to conducting 412 training and workshops for more than 23,155 people, including representatives from state bodies, NGOs, leaders and activists of communities.
The National Social Investment Fund of Tajikistan, which funds citizens’ ideas to solve development programs in their communities, is funded by the World Bank.
Established in 1997, the National Social Investment Fund of Tajikistan (NSIFT) has addressed widespread poverty by increasing the incomes of the poor in a sustainable manner. An additional aim, however, is to increase the nation”s capacity to design, carry out, and evaluate community-based projects. Through these community-based activities (microprojects), NSIFT involves communities in their own social and economic development. While its contribution is difficult to measure, the project seems to have had a positive impact on local communities-empowering women, providing access to safe water, and improving health and education. Challenges remain. NSIFT recognizes that it should take a more comprehensive approach to civil works in general, particularly with respect to education and health facilities. Close coordination with the relevant ministries could improve the overall process. NSIFT has demonstrated that with the right attitude and commitment it can sustain itself and further scale up.
