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Humanitarian and Social Support Center |
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Activities in Brief
«Umid» Humanitarian and Social Support Center was declared the national winner for Azerbaijan in the world competition of «Energy Globe Award – 2007» «Umid» Humanitarian and
Social Support Center participated in a competition of «World Award on
Sustainability – 2007» («Energy Globe») conducted by the European Parliament,
and was awarded with a certificate as a national winner for Azerbaijan by an
international Jury. «Umid» HSSC was declared the national winner on Water category with «Improvement of Potable Water Provision in the communities along BTC/SCP» project. This category projects include those focused on potable water provision, household water, irrigation water, protection of water ways, transportation, disposal and processing of waste water. Awarding Ceremony, organized in Brussels, was a unique chance for identifying winners whose projects had focused at environmental protection and an important factor of sustainabiltiy in management of world resources. This ceremony was the best challenge and enthusiastic means for applying to «Energy Globe» competition which had formed the most advanced environmental award of the world during 9 years.
Living Unievrsity Conception started to be applied in Community Development Process Community Development Process is a self-forming and self-governing natural teaching process through outside assistance. One of the directions of this process is called «Living University», implementation of which is carried out in stages based on «Teach and learn via observation» principle through taking a support from initial source. Learning process is organized in this «University» based upon community’s needs and successes. «Umid» HSSC started to apply this conception within frameworks of «Community Investment Program» implemented in the western regions of Azerbaijan under financial support of Save the Children. «Umid» HSSC’s role in Living University conception is mainly consisted of the mentoring. These mentoring services include round tables, training and consultations arranged for development from the point of view of handover of knowledge and skills to others and mastering useful habits, as well as seminars and conferences organized within the projects. Mentoring, being a process, is realized as a continuation of development intervention (training, consultation etc.) in communities to promote efficiency of its impact. The communities benefited from mentoring services provided by «Umid» HSSC hand over their knowledge and skills to the nascent communities as the next stage.
The first stage of «Improvement of potable water provision in the communities» project implemented by «Umid» HSSC for the purpose of improvement of potable water provision and providing needs of the people for potable water in the communities along BTC/SCP was completed successfully in 2007, after which the second stage of the project started to be implemented. During the second stage of «Improvement of potable water provision in the communities along BTC/SCP» project, water purification devices were installed in 5 new communities, management structures were formed for managing the devices, opening ceremonies were organized with participation of the representatives of relevant agencies and community members, and communities’ need for potable water was met. In order to promote effective, transparent and sustainable exploitation of water purification units installed in new communities, as well as to organize sale of water, two new LLCs – «Shalala GASH» and «Bulag ACH» LLCs were formed.
Awareness-raising activities on alternative energy sources were carried out among community members and schoolchildren Awareness-raising activities were being conducted through the «Energy Bus» for providing detailed information about alternative energy sources in the communities located along Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan pipeline and help the communities to find energy solutions. During these awareness-raising activities, information was being provided to the people about safe and effective use of energy through demonstrating working models of alternative energy technologies, insulation materials and appropriate schemes for the visitors of the «Energy Bus» having mobile exhibition character. Moreover, movies about Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan pipeline, goal and objectives of the Caspian Energy Center and the projects implemented in the communities under the support of BP, as well as environment, ecology and management of daily wastes and alternative energy units were being broadcasted on a large-screen monitor placed outside the Energy Bus. Awareness-raising
activities on Environment/Ecology, Alternatiev Energy and Safety were being
carried out in a form of training and competition among the secondary
schoolchildren as well. «Environemnt, Ecology, Effective Usage of Energy and
Safety» painting and story contest was organized with participation of 479 8-15
years old pupils from 35 schools of Yevlakh, Agdash, Tovuz and Akstafa regions.
267 stories and 281 paintings were submitted by the contest participatants. 7
paintings and 6 stories were selected as basic winners from among the submitted
stories and paintings, 33 paintings and 14 stories were awarded with
enthusiastic prizes. The winner paintings and stories were published on «Shakar
Villasi» newspaper, and the pupils were motivated to write articles, and present
pictures reflecting current status of ecology, energy and safety through this
newspaper. «Umid» HSSC installed alternative energy units in 10 villages during 2007 Photo Voltic Model, Solar Panel and Biogas Unit were installed in the communities along Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan pipeline (Ujar, Kurdamir, Goranboy, Akstafa, Tovuz, Shamkir and Yevlakh) in order to promote effective and safe usage of energy, as well as to use the local resources. These projects focused at improvement of access of the people to cheaper and alternative energy technologies, and in this way support their self-assistance.
The most successful 14
graduates of the Apprenticeship courses organized within frameworks of
«Employment and Economic Opportunities Extension Initiative» project implemented
by «Umid» HSSC were provided with grants to start up their businesses in 2007.
20 community members became the graduates of the Community School With every next year, more different activity field, more developed communities and more skilled community members…
In reality, what Umid HSSC is interested in is not the number of the
communities, but the practicality of the skills and knowledge they obtained,
importance rate and forming of the skills which will enable the beneficiaries to
recognize the existent problems of the communities they reside in and
consequently eradicate them. And naturally, as the human beings enhance their
skills and become competent in relevant fields, Umid HSSC improves their
approach and activity. It improves its activity so that not to betray its
cause... to make the hopes of human beings come true.
One of the achievements of 2006 in community
development is the application of Organizational Assessment Tool. Our agency,
taking the questions that arouse during the conducted assessments and specific
character of the communities into account, improved Organizational Assessment
Tool (OAT) applied for evaluating initial organizational needs and skills of
target beneficiaries in the areas that Umid HSSC work in to ensure that it works
more effectively in Azerbaijan context. Through OAT, which consists of 5
sections (Internal Management, Protection of Social Interests, General
Management, Financial Management, Capacity Building), in turn divided into block
questions, the level of target groups prior to the project intervention is
identified and appropriately, the development plan is developed. And based on
the plan, the common work with target group is done.
Along the community development, to study the
existent problems in target area in a more detailed way, evaluate the local
financial and human resources to solve them, investigating the solutions of the
problems, etc., Umid HSSC ventured on taking up a quite responsible and
incredibly huge commitment in the communities along BTC/SCP. The wish to assist
the socio-economic infrastructure of Azerbaijan in any field and to make the
civil society believe that it is possible to solve the existent problems
encouraged Umid HSSC to start studies and researches in the areas along the
pipeline. The potable water resources were investigated in 50 rural communities
through scientific-research method and consequently, Umid HSSC succeeded in
ensuring the access to safe water for the population by means of installing
modern water purifiers in 6 communities. At the same time, to ensure the
sustainability of water purification technologies installed in the communities
Limited Liability Companies were formed in each community and they obtained the
registration of the Ministry of Justice. LLC heads were elected by each
Community Action Group in order to manage the daily operation of the facilities,
organize the water sale and ensure the transparency of receipt and expenditure
of the incomes from the water sale.
The courses carried out by Umid HSSC based on the
Apprenticeship principle that developed on the roots of ingenious Oriental
culture and went through the testing during many years in Azerbaijan has already
been proving their worth in terms of both professionalism and economic
efficiency for several years. Only in 2006, 27 youths were supported to start up businesses
Another element of Apprenticeship method that was
improved by Umid HSSC is to award the most successful graduates with Jump-Start
Economic Projects. The main impact of such improvement is to motivate the
community and parents to invest in the development of local business. Umid HSSC improved its performance in 2005 and added two new directions to its activities:
The organization is the only NGO acting as a partner of an agency which won the bid on USAID's Community Development Activity Program, one of the long-term grants by USAID.
Umid HSSC is cooperating with international agencies
as a partner, and shows an ability to compete with them. This is revealed in the
quality, longevity, goals, and objectives of the projects implemented by Umid
HSSC. Umid HSSC's performance is based upon community approach. By 2005, it was operating in following directions:
In 2005 "Umid" HSSC was selected as a financial agent for GRINGO (network of an NGO working with refugees and IDPs in South Caucasus) and entered the coalition of International NGO on Transparency in Mine Industry.
During 2005, the number of regional and local networks
Umid HSSC
entered reached 4.
Umid HSSC's performance during 2004 was:
In 2004, Umid HSSC cooperated with each of the three major donor structures active in Azerbaijan such as UN, US State Department, and businesses and implemented their projects.
Umid HSSC's performance is based upon community approach. During 2005 it operated in directions such as:
Cooperation with Sheker Villasi - Distribution of
Sheker Villasi weekly
paper and its monthly review Planet paper among school-children was undertaken
with the purpose of provision with useful information for the school-children
active in communities supported within Support to Sustainable Development of
Communities in North region of Azerbaijan project implemented under financial
support of BP company. Articles devoted to adolescents and the youth were
published in these newspapers, and articles sent by school-children to the editorial
office appeared on them. The newspaper?s correspondent paid permanent visits to
communities and supported high- lightening of the project through papers.
Implementation of the projects resulted in
improvement of living, education and health conditions of 468 515 direct
beneficiaries. Umid HSSC evaluated the impact of the project over the population in order to gauge the quality and the quantity of the impact of "Food Security" project implemented by ACH in Agjabadi and Beylagan regions in March of 2003. Umid HSSC constructed water supply pipeline to Sitalchay settlement under the support of AIOC in order to help the communities populated along Northern Oil Export Pipeline, and implemented the project promoting sustainable development of mobilized communities in the northern regions of Azerbaijan in partnership with the local NGO of "HAYAT". Umid HSSC's next field office was established in Khachmaz region. "Umid" HSSC started an implementation of "Capacity Building of CDCs established by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education" project in IDP settlements in April of 2003. The basic goal of the project was to avoid after-effects of the war and provide a care to IDP children to help them acquire their full potential through physiological care, education, community participation and Child Support Program. Umid HSSC not only provided IDP youth, but also asylum-seekers with the vocational skills, helping them to realize their need to become active members of the society. "Umid" HSSC implemented community development activities in central and southern regions of Azerbaijan within the framework of "Social Investment Initiative" program under the support of US-based International organization of CHF. Umid HSSC began to implement "Public Education and Outreach Program" under the funding of USAID and support of World Learning (WL) in order to activate civil society's participation in the "State Program on Poverty Reduction and Economic Development" (SPPRED). This program has been planned to be implemented through arranging Town Hall Meetings (THM) in seven regions of Azerbaijan, i.e. in Guba, Nakhichevan, Shaki, Masalli, Shemakha, Ganja and Ali Bayramli. Community Investment Program was launched under the finance of BTC Co. for the purpose of implementing social infrastructure projects in communities along Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan pipeline and develop communities through mobilizing them. Umid HSSC is implementing community development activities in seven regions located in the western part of the pipeline with the support of Save the Children (SC).
Umid HSSC conducted repair and construction works in IDP schools located in Sumgait and suburban areas densely populated by IDPs and forms Teacher-Parent Associations at schools under the support of UNHCR in order to improve the education condition of IDP children. Apart from this, Umid HSSC organized apprenticeship courses for the IDP youth populated in Sumgait in order to help them receive vocational skills, find jobs or start up their businesses. For this purpose, Umid HSSC conducted surveys among 294 youth from 15 to 27 years old in 15 communities of Sumgait. In July 2002, Umid HSSC started the implementation of the "Capacity Building of CBOs active in Sumgait" project within the framework of "Peace and Stability in Caucasus" (FRESTA) program under the support of DRC and Humanitarian Office of the European Union. Two partner NGOs - ""Umid" HSSC (Azerbaijan) and UN Association (Georgia) participated in the project. Umid HSSC was a winner of a tender declared by UNICEF for the purpose of identifying achievements and failures of "Early Childhood Care and Development" program implemented in 1996 by UNICEF, evaluating and gauging the impact of the project for the purpose of making suggestions on its future extension in May of 2002. At the end of 2002, Umid HSSC started a cooperation with BP, one of the largest oil companies in the world on the projects of "Community Development in Sumgait" and "Improvement of the education condition in Davachi region Agalig and Dashliyatag villages".
Due to Umid HSSC's managing skills and relations with local NGO's it has been involved in management of UNHCR warehouse of humanitarian relief items and coordination of the activities of local NGO's in this field. Umid HSSC has been involved in delivering trainings on L-CAP (Long term Community Action Plan), Sustainability and Management Plan within the framework of CHF/SII Program. Umid HSSC has been involved as a partner in the UNHCR Income Generation Program implemented by DRC. Due to it's experience on conducting surveys, Umid HSSC has been involved in the organizatio of surveys in Beylagan. Umid HSSC has learned DRC experience on lending loans through Communities and is applying this program in Imishli. Umid HSSC has organized its office in the region. Umid HSSC has been involved in "Education" project implemented jointly by UNHCR and UNICEF. Umid HSSC owns well-provided offices in Baku, Sumgait and Imishli. Staff members are invited to International seminars and Conferences, and take part as NGO representatives in Governmental events such as CIS Conference, Working Group on Poverty Reduction.
Umid HSSC signed one year Contract on Education program with UNHCR. DRC was advised to improve the methodology on "Income Generation" program. Saving and Credit Program launched. The first long term Contracts on "Income Generation" and "Community Development" were signed. Umid HSSC won project on the organization of business trainings from NRTC. CHF began its activity in Azerbaijan and was looking for the partner among local NGOs and selected Umid HSSC as its partner. Umid HSSC was involved in CEEOP and gained chance to get experience through performing work in rural areas. First of all, Umid HSSC was involved in conduction of 4 types of surveys. 4 Umid HSSC staff members was involved in trainings on conducting surveys and 3 directly participated in conducting surveys. Umid HSSC's Capacity Building was one of the components of this program. Umid HSSC's strategy was developed for the first time, Umid HSSC's Business Plan was elaborated, Umid HSSC's 5 components were analyzed, and gaps were defined. Plan of Measures was elaborated and implemented in order to develop these components. Umid HSSC's Reporting System, accountancy keeping (electron software was installed), internal organizational orders, accounting and financial orders were improved. Umid HSSC won small grant programs from Norwegian and Great Britain Embassies, as well as ISAR and implemented them successfully.
Umid HSSC participated in the preliminary stage of DRC's Income generation Program. DRC competences on Income Generation program implemented in Sumgait were handed over to Umid HSSC in July. Umid HSSC began implementation of Income Generation projects in Absheron and Sumgait independently. UNHCR declared new tender on NGO Capacity Building Program, and "Umid" HSSC took part in this tender. UNHCR selected "Umid" HSSC as its partner out of 5 local NGOs participated in the tender. Umid HSSC won Vocational Capacity Building project from NRTC and implemented it successfully. The Center rendered its help to improve Umid HSSC's reporting system. Umid HSSC began its activity in a new direction - "Community Development". DRC supported "Umid" HSSC and Umid HSSC organized the first Woman Community Center in Sumgait. The project was approved by the donor and local agencies, and Umid HSSC defined "Community Development" as its third activity direction.
Consultations with UN NGO Resource and Training Center were organized. Umid HSSC's Structure was formed and staff received trainings delivered by NRTC. DRC performed work in a direction of Umid HSSC's capacity building. The Center was registered by the state. DRC and NRTC have a special role in "Umid" HSSC's formation as an organization. The first long term Contract was singed with DRC and DRC provided "Umid" HSSC with the first equipment and supplies. Umid HSSC submitted a project to UNCHR on NGO Capacity Building Program, and was one of the five organizations whose projects were supported. Umid HSSC launched the implementation of its second activity direction, "Education". Umid HSSC's Sumgait office was organized, and technical opportunities on this project were increased.
Umid HSSC's initiative group was formed; the first project was submitted to DRC. Umid HSSC signed its first contract in October, and developed its capacity. DRC organized trainings to develop Umid HSSC's capacity. Consultations with International and local NGOs, as well as with UN NGO Resource and Training Center (NRTC) were organized.
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