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Success Stories


Way to Development

Zardabi community existing for nearly 1 century is located at distance of 12 km from Guba region centre, on Guba-Khachmaz highway. Ethnical composition of the community where the number of the population is 3449, is very rich. Thus, besides Azerbaijani people, there have been settled the other small ethnic groups such as lesgins, tats, budugs and griz, etc. The population is engaged mainly in gardening, and partially vegetable-growing and cattle-breeding.

The community has been involved in USAID's Community Development Activity Project since November' 2006. During past months community members and selected Community Development Council acquired organizational capacities via training sessions and weekly meetings of different topics, selected Repair of Road project as the first fast demonstration project and managed to successfully implement the project.

On May 9 Country Director of USAID, Program Director of CHF Int. and delegation of US War College paid a visit to the Zardabi community with a view to track progress of the road repair project being implemented in the area. During the visit all visitors got an astonishing impressions: Community members were working in pairs and in three on the side of the road along the road strip where the repair process was on.

When turning towards the main part of the road where gardens were located, the car met with crowd. Heavy techniques were incessantly pouring gravels and spreading them on the road, and community members with a great purposefulness and high spirit were throwing big river stones and smoothing in places where needed a manual labor. Elders were giving advices from aside, some of women controlling the common work, whereas some providing tea for working people. Little children who don't want to stay beyond the group were throwing stones which they managed to do. In short, we had faced with heartwarming sight of intensive work.

Arrival of the guests increased more the happiness of the community members who were shining with gladness and satisfaction. Why not? It was the first time in the history of the community that the project was implemented with such a mass participation and with arrival of esteemed guests.

Aliyev Amirsultan, the Community Coordinator:

"I would like to look back. If several months ago they had described this day of ours I would just shake my head considering it as an utopia. I haven?t seen such an enlivening in our village since my birth.

Our village has been long years confronting with social-economical problems. Today this process is continuing as well. But neither local municipality, nor residents could achieve a fundamental change for overcoming these problems. People expected this change to happen only from aside and their expectations realized -this support was provided for us. Commencement of USAID?s Community Development Activity Project in our community since late months of the past year opened a new page in the life of our community. Community Development Council acquired capacities in direction of development via training sessions and weekly meetings of different topics arranged by support of CHF Int. and Umid HSSC. A 3 km garden road being in a bad state has been already repaired within the project we selected upon unanimous opinion of the community, by donor under financial and moral support of our community and municipality. It will create a ground for people to take their products to the market without losses and to increase benefits of their family budgets. Maybe You will not believe that what a high spirit we took from this! Filled with inspiration by this, we are going to introduce our II project to donor. We believe that Zardabi community will completely benefit by fruit of these projects and go ahead with success in the new stage of its way to development trusting upon support of the community and municipality! I cannot find other words that a deep gratitude to donors who stimulated us to awake. May Your way always be open in charitable works You do!!! "

Ahmadov Mehman, the chairman of Zardabi Municipality:

"I would like to approach the matter from the other aspect. Though being the municipality chairman, as an ordinary village resident I cannot remain indifferent towards the processes and changes recently happening in the village. One cannot but see this change. Indifference, carelessness deeply rooted in people?s psychology has begun to gradually thaw as an ice recent months. Community development process in the community again awakened self-confidence and feeling of trust in people. In public works and measures serving for common welfare of the community our women and youth display a special activity. Recently this was observed more distinctly during repair works. Every day our women control over progress of work in repair field side-by-side with men, help with removing daily concerns of the workers. I guess that this factor itself says everything.

From the other hand, as a chairman of municipality I?m glad that our people now do not expect everything to be realized only by either municipality or other agencies. Renaissance in consciousness requires people to show their own initiative and interest as well as motion during addressing their problems. Create Community Development Council is functioning in a close cooperation. I think, mobilization of our forces will contribute to development of the community in a social and economical direction".