Cover

Habitat for Humanity - Tajikistan Dushanbe, Tajikistan © Copyright Notation

www. habitat.tj

Welcome Orientation

Decent Housing for Strong Communities

Map of the country

Tajikistan: State Border In the North with

Kyrgyzstan

In the West with

Uzbekistan

In the East with

China

In the South with

Afghanistan

Country Facts

Country Facts

Official name: Republic of Tajikistan

Area: 143,100 sq km (88918.21 sq miles)

Population: 7 349 145 (Jul 2009 estimate)

Official lang. : Tajik

Political structure: Unitary presidential republic

Territorial structure: has 4 regions

Tajik state emblem and flag

Official Definition of the flag

Official definition of the color of Tajik Flag

The red represents the unity of the nation and the symbol of the sun and victory.

The white represents purity, cotton, the snow on the mountains and the unity of the people.

The green stands for the spiritual meaning of Islam and represents the generosity of nature of the country.

The crown represents the Tajik people and means “crowned”. According to Tajik Legend, Islamic Heaven is composed of seven beautiful orchids, separated by seven mountains each with a glowing Star

Religion

Religion

Tajikistan is a Muslim country

Religion: Muslims – 90% (Sunni and Ismaili Shiites), Christians - 6% , other – 4%

Arabs brought Islam in the 7th century CE

Religious center: Dushanbe and Khujand

Shaikh – Muslihiddin Mosque in

Khuajand

Historical Information

Historical information

Tajiks has history of more than 2700 years

The first Tajik nation was founded in 875 C.E. by Ismoli Somoni Empire

In 1929 Tajik Soviet Republic (TJK USSR) was established as a part of USSR countries.

Tajikistan declared its independence in 1991 after collapse of Soviet Union

Immediately after independence, Tajikistan was plunged into a civil war in which up to 50 000 people were killed and over one tenth of population fled the country. Civil war ended in 1997 with a United Nation brokered Peace Agreement.

Tajik Mountains

Tajik warrior during civil war

Geography

Geography

Tajikistan is divided into 4 administrative divisions: Sugd (north), Khatlon (south), Gorno Badakhshan /Pamirs (east) and Region of Republican Subordination (south)

Mountains cover 93 percent of Tajikistan’s surface area. The second highest pick of the world (7954 meter) – Somoni in Pamirs is situated in Tajikistan

There are over 900 rivers in Tajikistan. The longest rivers are Amu Darya/Panj – 2415 km (1500 mi) (in South) and Syr Darya – 2145 km (1330 mi)(in North)

About 1% of the country’s area is covered by lakes. The greatest lake is Kara Kul – 380 km2 (612 sq mi) and deepest is Sarez (more than 310 feet ) are located in East of the country.

Dushanbe

Dushanbe is the capital

Area - 38.6 sq mi (100 sq km), population – 700000, elevation - 706 m (2,316 ft), climate - continental and subtropical

Dushanbe is commercial, cultural, scientific and industrial center of Tajikistan. It is the largest city of Tajikistan

Dushanbe produces silk, machinery, electrical appliances, clothing, leather goods, tractor parts, and foodstuffs. Home to a number of modern telecommunications, aeronautic and other business corporations.

Coat of Arms of Dushanbe

Rudaki Park

Supplemental Information Cover

Supplemental Information

Transportation

Accommodation

Meals

Cultural sensitivity - “what is ok to do and not to do”

Security information

Emergency contacts

Transportation

Transportation

Taxis can be found in prominent places as

near markets, hotels, restaurants and other

places

Most commonly used transport is

minibuses “mashrutka”. The cost for

“mashrutka” is 1 TJS (somoni) (0.20 cent)

Buses mostly can be found in the cities.

Slow and stuffy. You pay when you get in,

costs 1.60 dirams (0.32 cent).

Accommodation

Accommodation

Team is accommodated in “Izzat” Hotel located in the center of Kumsangir district.

Hotel in Kumsangir Project Area

Hotel Room in Kumsangir

Meals

Meal

Breakfast and dinner will be in restaurant,

lunch will be catered to the jobsite by coordinator or driver

Always use bottled water. Tap water is NOT DRINKABLE

Sometimes the families will share food with you in the jobsite and perhaps you will have lunch with them in their houses

Always use your personal water bottles

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Project and work sites

Cultural Sensitivity - ”what is OK TO DO and NOT TO DO

Bread - is considered to have a life of its own. It must be treated with respect. Never put flat bread (non) face down, never let bread (or breadcrumbs) fall to the ground, and don't throw it out with ordinary rubbish/trash

You will be treated with a lot food when you are in guests. Know that although you are not hungry the host brings a lot of food and tries to get you eat it. This is the part of customs and tradition. Host tries to show his/her respect towards guest by offering everything which they have.

Do not be surprised if the women in the partner family is not involved in construction work. Mainly they are busy with maintenance of their homes, cooking, cleaning and looking after their little kids.

Project and work sites

Cultural Sensitivity - ”what is OK TO DO and NOT TO DO

Men usually only shake hands with other men and

sometimes hug. For women it is not obligatory to shake hand

of men, just saying “Hi” is OK. Intimate contact (hugging,

kissing) with the opposite sex in public is culturally

unacceptable - even between you and your spouse or a good

friend, it can be misunderstood

Clothing – Your clothing should be durable, simple, and not

of sentimental value to you. It is specifically requested that

none of the men wear shorts that fall ABOVE the knee and

that women do not wear shorts at all in the jobsite.

European clothing is acceptable in the city. Long trousers

and T-shirts are the only option for the work site construction

worksite. Best thing to wear on these mission trips is hospital

scrubs.

Transportation

Security information

Buddy system - don’t go out alone, especially at night

Always have with you emergency contact information

Personal items/laptops can be left in accommodation but not money & jewelry

In the streets, bazaars and shops be careful – pickpockets.

Avoid to use taxi service on your own, use only official taxi provider companies recommended in “Personal Security Cards”

Transportation

Emergency contacts GV Host Coordinator – Farhod, phone numbers: +992 93 514 5069, +992 907 767 8090

Back up emergency numbers - HR Administrator - Alinazar: +992 93 505 1535, National

Director – Samira: +992 93 505 6913

International call: 00+country code + area code

Medex Emergency Contact

(FOR VOLUNTEERS COMING FROM USA AND SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES EXCEPT

FROM UK AND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND)

Tel: +1-800-527-0218

from the UK - +44-1-273-223000

Masterpolicy Emergency Contact

(FOR VOLUNTEERS COMING FROM GREAT BRITAIN, NOTHERN IRELAND, AND

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND)

ACE European Group

ACE Assistance

Tel: outside of UK +44-870-606-1406

from UK: 0870-606-1406

TELEX 947736 EURA G

POVERTY HOUSING

Lack of housing - Due to the civil war and economic collapse

the state construction program was stopped. Overcrowded housing = invisible homelessness

Vulnerability of housing - country is prone to various natural

disasters: between 2000 and 2009, at least 2,000 people were affected by disasters each year. Damage caused by disasters was between $22 and $70 million per year. Since the beginning of 2010, 4,104 houses were damaged, of which 683 were fully destroyed by spring floods.

Unaffordable housing - Building costs increase due to import

of building materials and housing is becoming beyond the reach of the majority of the population.

Water and sanitation - Only 58% of 7,000,000 population in

Tajikistan has access to improved water. Of 699 centralized systems of water supply available nationally, 16% do not function and 51% do not meet basic requirements.

HIGHLIGHTS

We are actively working in three regions of Tajikistan since 1999.

So far more than 1,000 homes have been built, renovated and repaired to help more than 7,800 people to have decent place to live.

Around of 2,500 families provided with access to clean, safe drinking water.

HFH Tajikistan is among 5 HFHI/ECA focus program countries.

WHAT WE DO

New house construction, repairs and renovations.

Disaster Response and Preparedness – green housing, innovative technologies for safe housing.

Water & Sanitation – Water Filters

Housing finance – partnership with microfinance institutions

Habitat Resource Center/Building Training Center – capacity development and material production

DISASTER RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS

Fact: July 2007 earthquake damaged 19 villages, killed 3 children, completely destroyed 293 houses and severely damaged 1,100 houses, 6 schools, 5 teahouses, 4 libraries and 1 youth center.

Project Location: Rasht and Kumsangir districts

Type of Houses: Anti-seismic houses built and reinforced using locally available and sustainable materials- wood, clay, straw and mulberry branches

So far 159 new homes built and more than 300 homes reinforced in most vulnerable areas.

Environmentally sustainable, low-cost, innovative local solution for safe house construction for rural Tajikistan: “sinj technology” and “mulberry” house reinforcement technology.

The technology has been adopted and included in official building code as a norm for rural house construction.

Partnership established with Institute of Seismology and HFHT is a REACT member. Partners: Oxfam, UNDRMP, Caritas, Global Partners, Acted, UNISDR, UNWFP, etc.

IMPROVED DRINKING WATER

Fact: 51.1% of Tajik population contracts one or more water-borne diseases every year

Project Location: Kumsangir and Konibodom districts

Project Partners: Micro Finance Institution “Arvand”.

The filter is sustainable, requires no chemicals or electricity, is low tech and can be produced with locally available materials. The filter eliminates over 90% of water-borne diseases and parasites and produces up to 60 liters of clean water per hour

We’ve produced 1,700 filters and built 42 reservoirs, and served more than 2,500 families. So, over 14,000 people now have improved drinking water.

BUILDING AND TRAINING CENTRE

Habitat Tajikistan in partnership with CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) and HFH Canada launched its first Building Training Center (BTC) in Asht, Tajikistan on May 4, 2009.

Produce of alternative and cost-effective products

Function as training centre for unemployed and unskilled women and men

Train the population in earthquake-prone zones on locally affordable and applicable anti-seismic construction practices

Provide affordable micro-finance housing loans to low-income and earthquake affected families to enable them to repair/reconstruct their homes.

BUILDING AND TRAINING CENTRE

Production: 5000 aerated concrete blocks; 350 school furniture(desks and chairs), 360 school uniforms produced.

Vocational Education: Over 500 unemployed and unskilled individuals graduated welding, carpentry, general construction, electrician and sewing courses and 70% get employed after graduation.

Disaster Preparedness: So far almost of 1,000 people trained in earthquake-prone zones on locally affordable and applicable earthquake safer construction practices.

All BTC graduated students educated on HIV/AIDS prevention through seminars provided in collaboration with UNFPA/YPEER.

WINTERIZATION OF HOMES

Fact: July 2006 earthquake measured at 5.5 Richter scale damaged 1,484 houses and made 15,000 people homeless.

Winter temperature in 2007 reached -22 C and people suffered from lack of proper house insulation, doors and windows.

Project Location: Kumsangir

Project goal: to provide families with doors, windows and train them on safe construction techniques using locally available resources

We’ve hosted 2 Global Village teams in winterization project

So far we’ve winterized 300 houses in Kumsangir district

More than 1000 individuals trained on safe construction techniques

BUILDING A COMMUNITY FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN KHUJAND

Fact: The people cannot afford to build homes due to high construction costs; current housing stock is deteriorating because of neglect and lack of funding from the government.

Project Location: Khujand, Tajikistan

Number of GV team hosted: 5

So far we’ve built 30 houses

ASHT HOME REPAIR PROJECT

Fact: Around 30% of the households in Asht district, (i.e.700 homes) have 2-3 families living under one roof Project Location: Khujand, Tajikistan

Almost 50 % of the young families living in overcrowded, substandard housing have plots of land with unfinished homes given to them during Soviet times; they just do not have enough income/recourses to complete them

Project goal: Renovate and complete 150 houses for/with low-income families by providing construction materials through affordable housing loans, technical support and training families in basic construction skills

So far 70 individuals, members of partner families, have gained basic construction skills and knowledge and 70 half-completed houses renovated

HABITAT VILLAGE

Project start: 2000

Partners: Local Government and Shelter for Life International

Almost 100 houses built for low income families

In September 30, 2005 the Habitat 100th house in Tajikistan was dedicated in Habitat village, Khujand

KHUJAND STATE UNIVERSITY PROJECT

Fact: Khujand State University (KSU) is one of the biggest universities in Tajikistan, with more than 12 000 students studying in 15 faculties

The university is suffering from the severe “brain drain” – the loss of the qualified professors and teaching staff seeking opportunities outside Tajikistan. Over the last 14 years, due to low salaries and inadequate housing, nearly 400 staff have left the university.

Project goal: to stem the tide of professor migration by renovating university dormitory and thereby increase educational opportunities for thousands more students over the coming decades

Directly 52 faculty members and their families, or 270 people, have benefited from this partnership.

HFH-Tajikistan won HFHI/ECA Standard of Excellence Award for partnership development/ HFHT-University project.

HOUSING FINANCE/MFI PARTNERSHIP

Construction technical assistance with Micro Lending Organization “IMON International”

“IMON” provides housing improvement loan of $100 - $2800 USD HFHT provides Construction Technical Assistance (CTA) to target group

CTA service include: home survey, development of estimation and construction schedule, recommendation to family and monitoring of construction.

The pilot project target area: Sughd and Khatlon oblasts

Starting from March 2011 project served 500 families. It is planned to serve 500 more families in 2011.

HABITAT TAJIKISTAN TITHE PARTNERSHIPS

Habitat Tajikistan has been working with US Habitat affiliates (tithing partners) and individual donors since 2005

We raised almost of 700K donations from US Habitat affiliates and individual donors

Habitat Tajikistan has around 15 live tithing partners and 10 monthly individual donors. We work with each partner and donor individually providing comprehensive information for their every donated dollar

THE NEED AND HOW US HABITAT AFFILIATES CAN HELP

Habitat Tajikistan needs more tithing partners because there is only a few opportunities of getting local/corporate funds and it is hard for GV teams to reach our country.

Tithes and individual donations are major source of income for Habitat Tajikistan and there is a huge need for US Habitat affiliates’ and individual donor’s support in Tajikistan

Affiliates can help through:

Send tithes

Come on a GV trip

Fundraise for Habitat Tajikistan (Tajik dinner, awareness, designated project promotion)

What your tithes and donations can buy

$85 USD provides a family in Tajikistan with a water filter and improves the family's health by reducing the chance of water-borne diseases

$1,988 USD helps a low-income family in Asht complete their half-built house

$1,656 USD provides a family in Tajikistan with doors, windows and proper insulation for their house to help cope with cold winters

WHAT CAN WE OFFER TO AFFILIATES

Promptly acknowledgment of all gifts

Full and comprehensive information of our work and the families that we serve

Photos, family stories and any other information that they require

Send quarterly updates

House/family sponsorship

Tailor made GV trip

Your support helps families in Tajikistan to have safe home, peace in heart and brighter future.

Thank You!!!