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Newsletter 2007 -second release
Short content
Zykh Community Development Initiative
The activities on the project “Zykh Community Development Initiative”
implemented within Public Investment Programme with the financial
support from BP Exploration (Shahdeniz) Ltd. Company were successfully
completed.
The project was implemented to improve the socio-economic opportunities
of the communities in Zykh highway Khatai district of Baku city, around
Textile Complex named after H.Z.Tagiyev and in Bibiheybet settlement.
Major project activities are the finalization of the education projects
and handing them over to the communities, monitoring of Apprenticeship
courses, involving new apprentices to the courses, implementation of
Jump-start economic projects (JSEP), providing business trainings.
In May, the projects in two communities – in Ulduz community “Improving
sanitary-hygienic conditions in Kindergarten #288” and in Ugur community
“Repairing primary education classrooms in secondary school #116”
respectively were completed and their opening ceremonies were held.
In the target area, 19 people completed Apprenticeship courses and
obtained certificates. 3 youth who learned hairdresser,
manicure-pedicure and visage professions applied to the organization to
start up their own businesses, and they were provided with the
assistance in drafting the business plans and were supplied with the
appropriate funds.
Education for Development
Improving education conditions in IDP schools
Strengthening the skills of IDP youth and expanding economic
opportunities
Logistical support for vulnerable IDPs in Azerbaijan
The activities on the project “Education for development, vocational
training for IDP youth and logistical support for vulnerable IDPs in
Azerbaijan” implemented with the financial support from UNHCR were
carried on during the course of the quarter.
Education for Development
In compliance with the studies conducted in 21 IDP schools in Sumgait
and nearby settlements to improve primary education conditions, increase
the education level and strengthen the enthusiasm of the parents and
selection criteria, the repair and restoration activities were started
in 3 IDP schools – Gubadly region Demirchiler, Fizuli region #9 and
Kelbadjar IDP school #117.
The selection criteria include providing the schools with all necessary
equipment in compliance with the legislation of the Republic of
Azerbaijan, need for repair and restoration activities, contribution of
the community to construction and restoration in terms of labour and
materials, establishing TPAs and the preparedness of the community to
its development and the existence of the community groups that need
organizational development.
The repair and restoration activities to be carried out in the schools
will be implemented by “PolTrading Co.” LLC selected in the competition
regarding the selection of the repair and construction subject conducted
by Umid HSSC. 15 classrooms and 2 community rooms in the schools will be
repaired and restored, 2 classrooms and 1 community room (Fizuli #9)
will be constructed and supplied with the equipment.
The agreement documents regarding the construction and repair activities
to be carried out in the schools were obtained from relevant
organizations, the resources useful for the repair and construction of
the schools were identified with the participation of the school heads
and communities. Umid HSSC identified the amount of the community
contribution in each school and relevant agreements were signed with the
community to implement all these.
9 training sessions on “Community mobilization”, “Teamwork. Leadership”
and “Community fund and its management” were conducted in the newly
established TPAs to support community development (the number of
participants being 136) and 2 trainings were handed over to other
community members by community activists (the number of the attendees
equalled to 41).
The coordination meeting of Community Based Organizations and TPAs
supported by the organization was held, activity directions for 2007,
the current situation of CAG, admission of new members were discussed
and the changes were made to the community passport. The number of the
attendees in these meetings was 19.
Apprenticeship for IDP youth
30 IDP and vulnerable local youth from 20 target communities were
involved in the training under the supervision of 10 trademasters on 10
specialties. 12 of these youth completed vocational training on
hairdresser, barber and car engine repairs and obtained relevant
certificates. At present, the training sessions on car fitter,
metalworker-painter, confectioner, welder, doors and windows production,
photo-video, dressmaker, hairdresser and barber and car engine repairs
fields are underway.
Logistical support for IDPs
Since 2001, Umid HSSC controls over the receipt and storage of the
non-food humanitarian relief items delivered to Azerbaijan through
UNHCR, and implements its division and distribution. The distribution of
humanitarian relief items is carried out in compliance with the rules of
receipt, documentation, division and distribution of humanitarian relief
items in Azerbaijan. The humanitarian relief items division and
distribution schedule was drafted and agreed upon with relevant
department of the Cabinet of Ministers of The Republic of Azerbaijan.
Along with implementing the distribution of humanitarian relief items,
Umid HSSC also involved several local NGOs in the distribution of the
humanitarian relief items to the IDPs.
Before the distribution, the meetings were held with the NGOs, the
studies were conducted, the needs were identified, and the areas and
target groups were selected. The humanitarian relief items were
distributed by Umid HSSC, Relief and Development Association, Red
Crescent Society, “Heyat”, “Komek”, “Sulh”, Shusha department of AR
Children Organization, “Tereggi” , International Eurasia Press Fund,
Azerbaijan Women and Development Fund and Azerbaijan Internally
Displaced People Society in the areas densely populated by the IDPs –
Baku, Sumgait, Absheron, Fizuli, Beylagan, Imishly, Saatly, Sabirabad
and Kurdemir. During the last quarter, a total of 850 refugee and 7811
IDP families were provided with the quilts, diapers, weaving materials,
medical-hygienic kits, soaps, women and children clothes, pullovers and
coats.
Logistics and Vocational Training Assistance for Refugees and Asylum
Seekers in Azerbaijan
The goal of the project “Logistics and Vocational training for refugees
and asylum seekers in Azerbaijan” implemented by means of financial
support from UNHCR is to strengthen economic opportunities, business and
vocational skills of the asylum seekers in Azerbaijan and provide the
refugees and asylum seekers with the non-food humanitarian relief items.
34 refugees and asylum seekers settled in Baku were involved in
vocational training on dressmaker, hairdresser, cosmetology, car
repairs, mobile phone repairs, programming and confectionery fields. 11
attendees completed the Apprenticeship courses in June and were
presented certificates. At present, 23 apprentices carry on their
training.
The youth involved in the training are mainly Chechnya and Afghanistan
citizens.
Moreover, the free use of Internet services and consultation hours are
organized in the field office of Umid HSSC located in Narimanov district
on daily basis. During Aril-June, 92 people used Internet services and
were provided with the relevant consultations.
Strengthening Future Communities Programme in Azerbaijan
The goal of the project Strengthening Future Communities Programme in
Azerbaijan implemented with the support from International Organization
“Save the Children” (USA) within the frame of “Future Communities
Programme” funded by BP Exploration (The Caspian) Ltd. Company is to
develop the communities along the Eastern part of BTC/SCP into
enterprising, self-governing and self-organizing communities that can
sustain by making use of their income generation skills and instruments.
The project is implemented in Yevlakh, Agdash, Ujar, Kurdemir and
Hajigabul regions.
The project objectives of the project are to establish permanent
linkages between Community Group and local government authorities as
well as select CIP projects for improving their social infrastructure
and services by means of implementing micro-projects, to start
Apprenticeship programme for them in order to strengthen commercial
skills, employment and income generation opportunities of the youth.
Community development
To strengthen more effective joint activity and skills and knowledge,
the training was provided to Star Community Groups (SCGs) and local
municipalities on 4 subjects:
Organizational management and Planning, Information management,
Presentation skills, Training of Trainers.
A range of steps were taken to develop and enhance the skills of nascent
communities that are joining around SCGs and Municipalities. Therefore,
it is envisaged to hand over the skills and knowledge obtained by SCGs
and Municipalities to nascent communities. To this end, the training
packages on 5 topics (“Financial management”, “Report Writing”,
“Fundraising”, “Networking and Partnership / Advocacy”, “Organizational
management and Planning”) was reworked out and were adjusted to the
development level of Nascent CGMs. To enhance the efficiency of these
hand-over processes, the trainers from Star Community Groups and
Municipalities were provided with the consultations as well as
Round-Table on “Organizational Management and Planning” was held in
Kurdemir office. Consequently, a total of 14 trainings on 3 topics
(“Financial management / Report Writing”, “Fundraising” and “Networking
and Partnership / Advocacy”) were handed over to Nascent community
groups by SCG and Municipality trainers, with 127 attendees
participating in the process.
In May 2007, the certificates were presented to 25 SCG and local
municipality representatives who participated in the training sessions
on enhancing the organizational skills of the communities held in
Kurdemir.
Income generation
It is planned to render Business Development Services (BDS) within the
frame of the project in order to develop existent business fields,
enhance the knowledge and skills of the entrepreneurs on business
activity, to establish relations with micro credit organizations, to
increase incomes and at the same time, to raise the awareness of those
who desire to start up business activity.
To this end, the information on 115 entrepreneurs engaged in
entrepreneurship activity from 9 communities was collected and inputted
into the database. Based on the conducted analysis, it appeared that
mostly, the men are engaged in entrepreneurship activity and 99 percent
of them are private business. At the same time, 47 percent of them are
engaged in service, 34 percent in commerce and 19 percent in production
sectors.
To identify the Business Development Services needs, the general
information on BDS was provided to the entrepreneurs and the surveys
were conducted with those who desired to benefit from these services. In
general, 49 entrepreneurs from 8 communities expressed their desire to
benefit from BDS. In the next stage, certain actions will be taken to
provide these entrepreneurs with business consultations and training and
establish linkages between them and credit organizations.
To arrange Apprenticeship courses, the surveys were conducted among the
youth with the help of the coordinating persons selected from Community
groups in Nemetabad, Samadabad, Ashagy Garkhun communities of Yevlakh,
Ashagy Leki, Orta Leki, of Agdash, Garadagly, Teze Shilyan, Alpout,
Garabyork of Ujar, Karrar, Chohranly, Sigirly, Ersheli of Kurdemir,
Padar, Ranjbar, Sheher-2 communities of Hajigabul regions. 153 youth (63
girls, 90 boys) from 13 communities participated in the surveys.
Consequently, 30 youth (15 girls, 15 boys) were selected to participate
in the Apprenticeship component. At present, 16 youth (9 girls, 7 boys)
have started training on 7 fields (hairdresser, barber, car engine
repairs, car motion parts repairs, tele-radio-cassette player repairs,
car electrician and welder). The remaining 14 youth selected for
obtaining vocational training will be involved in the training, starting
from July.
Along with the selection of the apprentices based on the various
professions, the selection of fields and trademasters was conducted. In
the surveys conducted to select trademasters in Yevlakh, Agdash, Ujar,
Kurdemir, Ali Bayramly and Hajigabul regions, 47 trademasters
participated (28 women, 19 men) and 23 of them (11 women, 12 men) was
selected to take part in the Apprenticeship component. Since May and
June, 13 trademasters (6 women, 7 men) on 7 vocational fields have
started activity to participate in the component.
Improvement of potable water provision in the communities along BTC /
SCP - II stage
The activities on the project “Improvement of potable water provision in
the communities along BTC / SCP - II stage” that has started since 2006
and serves to improve the access of the population of 6 communities
along BTC/SCP to potable water are underway.
In the second stage of the project, to satisfy the demand of the
population in 5 more communities – Kurdemir region: Atakishili,
Chohranly, Ujar region: Alpout, Teze Shilyan, Garabyork along the
pipeline for potable water, the installation of water purifiers,
organization of water sale in the communities and effective management
of the water purifiers installed in 6 communities in 2006 in the form of
a business with commercial incomes are envisaged.
To this end, the round tables on “Community statute”, “Improving
management structure of CAG”, “Establishing community fund”, “Impact of
community-municipality relations on project progress” were arranged
among community members. During the round-tables, the discussions
regarding the project implementation methods, community statute,
community management and role of community fund in the project
implementation, the water we drink and the importance of its
purification were held. The community members, Executive Powers
representatives and Municipality chairmen participated in the round
tables.
The needs of the newly selected communities on enhancing organizational
and institutional skills were identified, CAG members, Municipality and
Local Government representatives were involved in the training sessions
“Project Writing”, “Management and supervision skills” within the
project “Future Communities programme”, the consultation hours “Project
proposal writing” were held in each community.
The activity of the LLCs founded in the first stage of the project on
the water sale was tracked, the marketing plan to improve water sale in
LLCs for solving the problems in the field and increase the sales was
drafted.
The relevant actions are also being taken within the frame of the
project to meet the demand of vulnerable families for the potable water.
25 families from the communities will receive potable water free of
charge. The LLCs will carry out the delivery of the potable water to the
disabled families.
Support to Environmental and Energy Initiatives
The project “Support to Environmental and Energy Initiatives”
implemented with the support from BTC and SCP Companies Partners were
continued on three directions.
Awareness raising
Awareness raising activities on “Environment and Ecology, Energy Use,
Safety” were conducted In Akstafa and Hajigabul region by means of the
demonstration of the redesigned Energy Bus. During the awareness raising
activities, the films demonstrated outside the Energy Bus caused
increased interest of the community members towards the project. The
demonstration of the films had an influence on the increase of the
awareness of the attendees on the environment, ecology as well as
alternative energy devices used both in our country and abroad.
Consultations, training and technical assistance
36 community members who desire to have efficient and safe use of
energy, produce alternative energy devices or obtain them from the
communities along BTC/SCP in Akstafa and Hajigabul regions were provided
with the consultations on the structure, operational principles,
economic indicators and ecologic compatibility of these devices
The training sessions on “Ecology, Environment and Alternative Energy
devices” were held in 11 secondary schools of Akstafa region, with 22
teachers and 344 pupils participating. As a training impact, Mollayev
Yasin, the pupil of 9th form of Zelimkhan village secondary school of
Akstafa region mounted the working model of wind generator and presented
it to Umid HSSC.
The painting and articles contest on the topics “Environment, safety and
energy” held amongst Akstafa and Tovuz schoolchildren was completed. The
goal of organizing the contest was to enhance the knowledge, skills and
outlook of the schoolchildren on the environment, safety and energy.
134 articles and 286 paintings were submitted from 19 secondary schools
of Tovuz and Akstafa regions. The paintings and articles submitted for
the contest were evaluated by the staff of BP, Sheker Villasi newspaper
Editorial Staff and Umid HSSC and 28 schoolchildren were awarded with
various valuable and incentive presents. The schoolchildren who took
main I, II, III places were awarded with the computer, video camera and
photo camera.
During April-June, the following demonstration projects on alternative
energy and safety were completed in the communities:
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Goranboy region, Gurbanzade community – Building fence around the
schoolyard
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Yevlakh region, Nemetabad community – Restoration of old bridge
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Ujar region, Gulabend community – Installation of Solar battery over the
water purifier
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Shamkir region, Deller Jeyir – Installation of Solar collector in the
medical station and kindergarten
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Shamkir region, Deller Dashbulag community – Installation of Solar
collector in the medical station
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Tovuz region, Ashagy Ayibly community – Installation of Solar battery
and Solar collector over the surgery department of the village hospital
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Akstafa region, Girag Kesemen community – Installation of Solar
collector in the medical station.
USAID's
Community Development Activity
The project “Community Development Activity of the International
Development Agency of the USA” which has the goal to expand local
economic opportunities by means of restoring economic infrastructure is
being implemented in the north-east region of Azerbaijan.
To expand the economic opportunities by means of funding the projects
put forward by the community and supported by the government and
implementing community and cluster projects that envisage assisting to
local economy and development of the business and restoration of the
economic infrastructure is one of the major objectives of the project.
Furthermore, within the frame of the project, the community mobilization
and development and enhancing the skills of the community members are
supported.
During the course of April-June, 6 more communities (Khachmaz – Uchgyun,
Gusarchay; Guba – Mohuc, Davudoba; Gusar – Boyuk Murug and Khuray)were
involved in the project. To ensure the quicker adaptation of these
communities to the process, the training sessions on “Mobilization” and
“Identifying social and infrastructure needs” were held.
The implementation of social and infrastructural projects is underway in
the communities. The projects in Gusar Sag Sahil, Zardabi, Khudat and
Hasangala communities were completed, while the implementation of the
projects in Ashagy Zeyid, Garachay Jek and Gandab communities are
underway.
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