 |
Success Stories
Confidence
& Sincerity
are the
Keys to
Success
Surrounded by so many other dominating
physical landmarks, the Zykh community is perhaps not immediately evident
as one of the key backdrops to the Shah Deniz Gas Export Project. To one
side, the huge Soviet built neighbouring industrial area of Chorny Gorod
(Black City), dedicated largely to the support of Azerbaijan's Oil
industry over past decades. To
another, the shores of the Caspian, harboring reserves that will create
the wealth to shape the economic future of
Azerbaijan. And centre stage, the fabrication, assembly and final sail
away point of the Project?s state-of-the-art
production platform at Zykh yard 3 & 4. But the Zykh community provides
the environment, and human resources; theyare the host community in one of the key Project sites, and Shah Deniz's
success will be measured in part, on the levelof sustainable positive influence the Project impacts on their lives.
In order to create this success, and just as the challenges of efficiently
exploiting gas in the Caspian require a modern technology in contrast to
much of the redundant and dysfunctional equipment around the region, so
too will the
Zykh community need modern tools and equipment to overcome the challenges
of continually adapting to a free market economy following 70 years of a
Soviet ?Cradle to Grave? mentality. With this goal in mind, the Project
awarded an agreement to local Non Governmental Organization ?Umid?, to
form mobilized communities capable of identifying and solving their
communal problems and difficulties independently.
But just like drilling for gas, the approach required strategic planning,
and skilled execution. In early community meetings members were sometimes
irresolute or even annoyed; their feelings manifest after years in which
their community issues were not given the attention rightly required.
Through perseverance and continual dialogue with the community, Umid HSSC?s
workers facilitated the election of a team responsible for identifying and
planning solutions to common community problems. The team called
themselves ?Etimad? (confidence) which was consciously chosen to reflect
the first rays of community belief and trust in themselves.
 
Given the equipment and self respect needed to perform, the community
responded with innovative and searching solutions to a pressing issue ?
the improvement to the environment of Kindergarten 315. Identifying the
construction of a boundary wall and improvement of external facilities as
key to creating a safe and healthy environment for their children, the
community raised a proportion of the labor and material inputs required
to execute the project, thereby going beyond simple charity, and
increasing their feeling of project ownership.
The first project completed, Etimad will focus on learning lessons from
the exercise, and prioritizing needs for future project execution. Having
learnt that planning and cooperation are just as essential in community
projects as in BP's core business activities, the community will continue
to address those issues important to them, knowing too, that confidence
and sincerity are the keys to future success.
Etimad is only one of eleven communities that Umid HSSC will be forming in the
area around Zykh yard. In total over 50 such community identified projects
will be undertaken over the programme duration. In addition to Business
Development activities planned to commence around Zykh in 2Q2004, other
Shah Deniz community activities in offshore locations in Baku include
provision of microfinance loans, and similar activities will be undertaken
around the onshore sites near to Sangachal Terminal.
|
|
