DUSHANBE, December 22, 2011, Asia-Plus — The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan (AKF-Tjk) confirmed on December 21 that as part of their on-going collaboration they have agreed to implement two additional projects in Tajikistan.
According to press release issued by AKF-Tjk, the event was attended by the Country Director of SDC, Mr. Peter Mikula, AKDN Resident Representative in Tajikistan Mr. Munir Merali, Mrs. Saida Jobirova, First Deputy of the Minister of Health, Mr. Safar Saifuddinov, Head of the Health Reform and International Relations Department of the Ministry of Health, Mr. Yodgor Faizov, Chief Executive Officer of AKF- Tjk and other senior staff of AKDN.
The two projects reportedly mark the close corporation and collaboration between the SDC and AKF-Tjk in Tajikistan on a number of initiatives over the past 15 years. Together, the respective agencies have made significant contributions to help improve-on the quality of life of the peoples of Tajikistan.
The project, “Drinking Water Provision and Sanitation Improvement in Mountain Districts of Tajikistan” will be implemented by the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP), a project of AKF-Tjk. The goal is to reduce the prevalence of various mountainous communities by improving access to safe drinking water, provision of sanitation facilities, and educating on better hygiene practices. The project aims to cover over 30 rural communities in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), Rasht valley and three additional districts in Khatlon. It is anticipated that the project will have many long-term benefits for improving lives of some 50,000 beneficiaries.
The second project, “Community-Based Family Medicine Program”, is the continuation of the current activities in GBAO and extension of the program to three additional districts in Khatlon – Muminobod, Khovaling and Shouroobod. The project implemented by Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS), is to help improve the quality of health care services, particularly to women of reproductive age and children under the age of five. The project aims to help provide greater access to quality Family Medicine services. The program in Khatlon will focus on clinical excellence – by ensuring health professionals have access to continuous professional education and development and through regular update on better clinical practice and skills. Currently, AKHS is also exploring models of community-based health financing schemes to help ensure having the necessary financial resources to health care services for remote communities.
The two agreed projects reflect SDC’s crosscutting themes of gender equality and good governance. The projects will also ensure equal access to health care and other community services, and ensure that all community members are involved in the decision-making processes. The projects are possible through grants by SDC of CHF 2.36m to AKF-Tjk.
The Aga Khan Foundation is part of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN); a group of development agencies founded and guided by His Highness the Aga Khan. Established in 1967 in Geneva, Switzerland, AKF is a non-denominational, international development agency with branches, affiliates and representative offices in 20 countries. In Tajikistan, AKF has been active since 1993 when, with the support of the international donor community, a response was mounted in Gorno-Badakhshan to imminent food shortages caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union. In parallel with this emergency program, AKF initiated a rural development program with the aim of contributing to poverty alleviation in the program areas. Programs for reform in the social sector (Health and Education) were introduced in 1994, with the aim of assisting the government to cope more efficiently with reduced resources while at the same time benefiting from new approaches in education and health.
