| Karakalpakstan and Namangan Regions... the road towards a better life |
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| 23.12.2008 |
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The Enhancement of Living Standards (ELS)
project in Karakalpakstan and Namangan Region in Uzbekistan which was
started in 2005 is a joint effort by the European Union and UNDP.
 The
ELS supports and encourages 100 local communities in six districts of
Karakalpakstan and Namangan Region to play an active part in their own
development. The team works together with communities and local
authorities on the preparation of a regional development strategy and
the rehabilitation of social infrastructure.How do they determine needs for
development? First the ELS team meets with the respected people of
community: aksakals, women-activists, or representatives of local
authority, and brainstorm with them about the most serious problems of
that particular area using the UN Millennium Development Goals as a
starting point. Local residents think and decide for themselves what
should be done to make the life of the community better. Then the EU
and UNDP in their turn estimate the funds that are needed to solve the
problem. One of the important ideas about the ELS projects is that the
EU and UNDP have chosen to share costs with local communities rather
than cover all the expenses from the project budget. Whereas local
people are usually limited in funds, they can contribute their labour,
equipment and skills. In such a way the ELS project joins hands with
people and make them believe in their capacities to influence their own
development. Another component of the ELS
project is to facilitate access by local communities to micro-finance,
which has proved to be a powerful tool to improve living standards.
Three existing micro-financial institutions in Karakalpakstan and one
in Namangan Region were supported by the project to develop their
business strategies, improve basic operation systems, develop new
products, and expand current operations. In addition, the ELS is
helping low-income agricultural farmers to achieve greater economies of
scale by starting new business schemes such as collective purchasing,
production and marketing arrangements. In Karakalpakstan microfinance
clients are mainly women engaged in small trade activities, production,
animal husbandry, and services. The ELS team considers an increased
participation of women-entrepreneurs in microfinance activities to be
one of the project’s greatest achievements in improving their
socio-economic status.
 There is now a new health centre in a small
village of Chordona. Community decided to ask for the support of ELS
project to build the centre. The people of Chordona have contributed
equipment, machinery, and their own time. Together with EU and UNDP,
they became more confident in their own capacities, and have applied
for a grant from the World Bank to equip the centre.The villagers of Karakol
no longer walk a long way to bring water from neighboring pipes. Now 58
families of Karakol have access to clean running water. In June 2005,
the Karakol community was selected to participate in ELS project and
with the financial help of EU, UNDP and local authorities; things are
going to change for the better in this small community.
Things are also going to change for
the better for about 100 other communities in Namangan region and
Karakalpakstan. With the EU and UNDP allocated funds and contributions
made by local communities, there comes a hope for the many families in
these two areas of Uzbekistan. "We have joined hands with EU and UNDP”, say people in one of the villages of Namangan, “Together we are strong..."
This article was written by Aziza Askarova, Communication and Outreach Specialist, UNDP Uzbekistan. |
Новости и события Karakalpakstan and Namangan Regions... the road towards a better life