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Newsletter 2006 -fourth release
Short content
Strengthening
the Future Communities Program in Azerbaijan
Beginning from November of 2006 “Umid” HSSC began implementation of
“Strengthening the Future Communities Program in Azerbaijan” project
under support of International Save the Children Organization (US). The
target area of the project covers 33 communities in Yevlakh, Agdash,
Ujar, Kurdemir and Hajigabul regions located in eastern part of
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and South Caucasian Pipe Line.
The project goal is a capacity building of Community Groups and local
executive bodies, economic opportunities extension of adolescents and
the youth through application of Apprenticeship method in order to
achieve sustainable community development.
The following objectives are planned to be implemented within the
project:
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Identification of more skillful and
experienced (Star) Community Groups with wish and potential to
develop, and evalution of their organizational skills;
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Providing Star Community Groups and
Municipalities with capacity building trainings, extension of
cooperation among them;
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Tracking the handing over process of
trainings by Star Community Groups to the community groups willing
to develop;
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Collection and analyses of information
about small entrepreneurs in the target communities, assessment of
needs, and capacity building of the local entrepreneurs;
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Application of Apprenticeship method in
the target communities, support to promoting employment for the
youth;
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Establishing a linkage between
entrepreneurs and micro-credit organizations;
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Jump-Start Economic Projects.
Education for Development
Capacity Building and Economic Opportuinities Expansion of the IDP Youth
Logistic Support to Vulnerable IDPs in Azerbaijan
Education for Development project, which has been launched since 2006
has been realized in accordance with “State Program on Improving the
Livelihood of Refugees and IDPs, and Expansion of Their Employment
Opportunities”.
The project aims at improvement of primary education conditions of IDPs,
development of Teacher-Parent Associations, teaching the IDPs vocational
trades through Apprenticeship method.
Through 2006 at 4 IDP schools settled in Sumgayit - Gubadly region
Khalaj, Ishigly, Aliguluushagy rural schools and Jabrail region
secondary school #6 repair and construction works were conducted and
classrooms and community centers were supplied with equipment.
Initiative groups were created and TPAs formed at the schools.
One of the project components was capacity building of the community
members. Just with this purpose the community members were involved in
round tables and training sessions on different topics (115 RTs on 41
topics and 25 training sessions on 10 topics).
Through the RTs the community actors were provided with habits of
gathering together, discussion, decision-making, and conditions were
created for making decisions in direction of addressing the community
problems during discussion of enumerated topics. The total number of
participants was 1955 people (including 880 teachers, 1075 parents, 1466
women and 489 men) in each RT the number of participants being 17
people.
Taking into account that the community meetings in communities is a main
factor in mobilization process, 136 meetings were held with
participation of 1070 people (inc. 700 women, 370 men) through 2006
covering the issues such as Community Fund, Community Contribution,
Teacher-Parent Relationships, Drug-use and Struggle Against It, Violence
and Struggle Against It, Struggle Against Early Marriages, Ecology of
Environment.
The trainings conducted in communities in order to develop knowledge and
skills of the community actors, were attended by 338 people, 187 of them
being parents and 151 teachers (100 men and 238 women). CAG members who
developed their knowledge and skills conducted trainings in their
communities for the purpose of handing over the trainings and teached
the other members of the community. Total 29 trainings were conducted
with 403 participants, 251 of them were parents, and 152 teachers (266
women, 137 men).
Trainings and round table conducted in the field of community
development increased the number of TPA members up to 819 people in
comparison with 246 people in the beginning of the project. It is one of
the factors reflecting the sustainable development of the TPA.
Conditions were created for developing the trade skills of the youth
within the Apprenticeship component of the project, and opportunities
were created for them to find jobs, get income and launch their
businesses. So, in 17 communities 30 IDP and local vulnerable youth were
involved in on-the-job trainings through Apprenticeship method and
acquired vocational skills on 9 trades with 10 on-the-job trainers.
Distribution of humanitarian relief items within the component of
Support to UNHCR’s programs in Azerbaijan was realized in accordance
with “Guidelines on allocation, documentation, division and distribution
of humanitarian relief items in Azerbaijan”.
Within a year non-food humanitarian relief items were distributed among
56 050 people in Baku, Sabirabad, Goranboy, Kurdamir, Ali Bayramli,
Saatli, Ganja, Khanlar, Gabala, Agjabedi, Fizul, Sheki, Gakh, Zagatala
and Aghdam regions. Prior to distribution, meetings were arranged with
local and internatioal NGOs, and assessments were made, needs
identified, the areas and target groups selected. Local NGOs were
involved in the distribution process as well.
Capacity Building of refugees and asylum-seekers in Azerbaijan and
logistic support
Main goal of the project “Logistics and Vocational Training Assistance
for Refugees and Asylum-seekers in Azerbaijan” implemented by “Umid”
HSSC in 2006 is to develop the vocational skills of the youth who have
taken refuge in Azerbaijan, teaching them trades through Apprenticeship
method, to increase the youth’s computer and internet usage skills, to
provide the asylum-seekers with non-food humanitarian relief items.
In 2006 the project covered the large strata of the asylum-seekers
(including the disabled). Thus, as in 2005, in the year of 2006 also the
project was benefited by both the vulnerable asylum-seeker population,
and the physically defective disabled persons.
According to selection criteria, refugees and asylum-seekers under age
of 15-35 were involved in training sessions on two components of the
project – on-the-job trainings through Apprenticeship method, and in
trainings on acquiring the computer and internet usage skills. 30 people
who successfully graduted from on-the-job trainings, and 68 from
computer courses received relevant certificates, gained employment
opportunities. Moreover, 4 persons who acquired vocational skills
obtained grant funds for building new job places and launched their own
businesses.
Improvement of potable water provision
Umid HSSC has provided the population in 6 communities with potable
water within the project “Improvement of potable water provision in
communities” implemented under financial support of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
(BTC Co.) and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP Co.) Partners.
The project has been implemented in target areas of “Umid” HSSC’s
Community Investment Program in 2005 based upon evaluation made in
communities along eastern part of BTC pipeline.
Water purifiers have been installed in order to purify the water used in
Sigirly, Karrar kend, Karrar district (Kurdamir region), Bargushad,
Gulabend (Ujar) and Orta Leki communities suffering from potable water
problem.
In view of awareness raising of the population about pure water and its
importance, booklets on “Potable water”, “Water Purification” and
“Potable water usage” were developed and distributed among communities.
Through these booklets the community members have got informaiton about
potable water, its purification, sources polluting the natural water,
composition of polluted waters, ways of protection of water sources from
pollution with daily wastes.
Training sessions have been conducted in direction of institutional and
organizational capacity building of communities, and their acquiring
skills for effective cooperation with municipality and governmental
bodies. The training sessions have been attended by community members as
well as representatives of municipality and local governmental bodies.
6 LLCs have been established in order to ensure sustainability of water
purification technologies installed in the communities, organization of
water sale, transparent and effective usage of revenues obtained from
water sales, regularly monitoring of the water quality and development
of the community projects.
Support to Environmental and Energy Initiatives
The project “Support to Environmental and Energy Initiatives” serving
for locally awareness raising on how the communities could safely and
sustainable manage and use their environmental and energy issues has
being implemented since May’2006. The project has being realized by
support of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC Co.) and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP
Co.) partners.
There is functioning the “Energy Bus”, a mobile exhibition on the
education component within the program being implemented with a view to
improve energy resources management in communities, support to
alternative energy usage initiatives and reduce environment degradation
in communities. Inside the bus making the mobile advocacy activity in
communities of the regions through which the BTC pipeline passes, there
is a library consisting of materials about energy sources, environment
and ecology, daily safety technique, etc., a wardrobe of demonstrated
safety uniforms, mock-ups consisting of alternative energy devices, as
well as photo-pictures.
Another component of the project is consultations, training and
technical assistance. Within this component 107 entrepreneurs and
farmers have received consultations on Alternative energy devices,
Environment and ecology, Efficient usage of energy and Safety.
Within training component the training sessions on “Environment and
Ecology, Energy Usage and Safety” were conducted at 11 schools of
Yevlakh and 4 schools of Agdash regions. Total 551 people attended the
trainings conducted at 15 schools. Different mock-ups working with solar
energy were used as demonstration materials during the events. Such
visual aids created wider imagination in pupils about alternative energy
and attracted their interests. The trainings saw the usage of
interactive training methods. This method was more effective for
ensuring the active and common participation of the pupils.
Besides, at those 15 schools of Yevlakh and Agdash regions a drawing,
photo, story (article) contest devoted to “Environment and Ecology,
Energy Usage and Safety” has been arranged. 198 pupils (including 80
girls, 118 boys) participated in this contest and introduced to the
contest total 200 works on “Environment and Ecology, Energy Usage and
Safety” (81 drawings, 118 articles-stories, 1 photo). The contest
materials have been assessed and prepared for submission to the
commission.
Initial assessments were made for implementation of micro-projects in
Yevlakh, Goranboy and Kurdamir regions within “Community projects on
energy usage, renewable energy, environment and safety” component. As a
result of assessment outcomes it has been planned to install alternative
energy devices in Yevlakh region’s Samadabad, Goranboy region’s
Eyvazlilar and Kurdamir region’s Karrar kend, Topalhesenli, Muganly
communities. A specialist view has been prepared about alternative
energy devices and a contract has been signed with “Solaris Ltd” company
for installation of the devices. The demonstration projects “Mounting a
solar panel with 3,6 kVt electricity power over the water purifier in
Karrar kend community” and “Mounting a Biogas unit with capacity of 1 m3
in Farming economy in Eyvazlilar community” have been completed. In the
other communities the micro-projects are still being implemented.
USAID’s
Community Development Activity Project
“USAID’s Community Development Activity” Project being implemented by
support of USAID and International CHF Org. successfully completed the
final quarter of the year 2006.
The project aiming mainly at local economic opportunities expansion
through refurbishment of economic infrastructure is being realized in
North-East part of the Republic – in Davachi, Khachmz, Guba, Gusar
regions.
Conducting the round tables, consultations and holding the meetings in
direction of development of target communities were continued, and the
training sessions devoted to “Long Term Community Economic Plan”,
“Proposal Writing”, “Team Work and Leadership” were conducted for
capacity building of communities.
In general, through a year 27 projects have been implemented serving for
refurbishment of economic infrastructure in communities.
Besides, within a year 16 Community Development Councils have been
created and 16 communities mobilized through methodology and approach
approved by CHF International.
The project is being implemented in 2007 as well.
Zykh Community
Development Initiative
“Zykh Community Development Initiative” project having been implemented
since 2004 to support sustainable and creative initiatives, to create
income generation opportunities and to improve socio-economic
opportunities for strengthening the communities situated in the area of
Textile Complex named after Z.Tagiyev in Zykh Road, Khatai District of
Baku, completed the third year of its performance. The project has been
realized within Shahdeniz Gas Export Project under financial support of
BP.
The most responsible phase of the project was its initial one –
Community Mobilization. Formation, development and successful activity
of a community is based on the community mobilization. This is a process
demanded at all moments of the community’s life and is its major column.
On this phase 10 community action groups with total 105 members have
been formed, 10 community funds created, goals of Community Fund and
fund’s financial sources identified, management frameworks and scheme of
the fund worked out.
One of the most significant components of the Community Development is a
capacity building of community members. The component aims mainly at
improvement of communities’ capacities to self-organize, manage and
self-initiate community-driven development.
Within the project training sessions in 3 stages have been conducted on
this component:
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Community mobilization. In this stage 61 trainings were provided on 6
topics with participation of 526 people (228m, 298w).
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Strengthening the Community Action Group - Number of trainings conducted
in this stage was 99 on 10 topics and of participants – 1097 (399m,
698w).
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Organizational development - In this stage 213 people (90m, 123w) were
provided with 61 trainings on 5 topics.
During 3-year project life different
community projects were implemented in intervention communities
addressing the living mode issues and improving the economic
opportunities. Key goal of these projects was to build a foundation for
organization of necessary resources addressed to main needs and income
generation.
Within the project 2 kind of projects were implemented in direction of
development of social-infrastructure:
Another component of “Zykh Community
Development Initiative” Project was development of the youth vocational
skills through Apprenticeship method. During a period of 3 years on this
component 128 apprentices have been involved in on-the-job trainings on
different trades and acquired vocational skills on trades they desire.
33 apprentices have already been ensured with jobs.
Within the project meetings were held with entrepreneurs with existing
businesses in the area and those planning to launch new businesses on
Business Development Services, their needs identified and they were
provided with information and recommendations related with business
activity. The entrepreneurs launching new businesses were given
consultations on initial business notion, and the youth who successfully
completed their Apprenticeship courses and launched their business
activities received consultations in direction of organization of
business and its management, and development of business plans.
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