USAID-supported Microfinance Organizations Service 64% of the Market

USAID has played a key role over the years in creating a vibrant microfinance industry in Kazakhstan. USAID helped revise the microcredit law, establish the Association of Microfinance Organizations of Kazakhstan (AMFOK), and found a number of key institutions, including KazMicroFinance, named by Forbes magazine one of the world’s best microfinance institutions in 2006.

Vocational Schools Introduce Business Courses

This September, over 20,000 (approx. 3% of the total) Kazakh vocational school students will be able to learn business basics, thanks to the USAID public-private partnership between USAID, Chevron, and Baker Hughes. The partnership trains vocational school teachers to run the Know About Business course that will enable students to open their own business or serve as managers in other companies, thus improving employment opportunities for youth.

Kazakhstan Takes a Big Step to Protect Investors

In July, President Nazarbayev signed a law amendment developed with USAID assistance that improves reporting requirements for joint stock companies. Previously, joint stock companies were not required to publish their full annual reports in mass media, and it was difficult for shareholders, investors, and the public to obtain information about related-party transactions by the company and conflicts of interest of managers, officers, and Board members.

Family Physicians Celebrate Their 20th Anniversary

This year, Kazakhstan marks 20th anniversary since family medicine was introduced in the country. USAID has played a significant role in facilitating the country’s transition from narrowly specialized services to family-oriented approach. USAID helped integrate services at the country’s first family medicine centers, change related government policies, educate population, and retrain doctors.

Students Take USAID-Supported Scholarship Tests

This summer, nearly 36,000 Kyrgyz high-school graduates participated in the USAID-supported National Scholarship Test to compete for government-funded university scholarships. This test, launched by USAID and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education in 2002, aims to provide Kyrgyz youth, especially those living in rural areas, with equal and transparent opportunity to receive scholarships for university education.

USAID’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Project Has Ended Its Work

The USAID-funded five-year project “CAPACITY” worked to enhance the local skills for the implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention activities. CAPACITY helped 110 AIDS-service organizations improve their work and raise funds for HIV prevention among vulnerable populations. To model TB/HIV coinfection management, CAPACITY trained over 70 health specialists, helped provide TB/HIV prevention and treatment services to 1,000 citizens.

USAID Helped Uzgen City Open a Commercial Complex

The city of Uzgen in the southern part of Kyrgyzstan recently celebrated the opening of a new commercial complex, the result of land management practices developed in partnership with USAID. In cooperation with USAID’s Decentralization and Local Government Program, the city prepared its municipal land management plan. Following this plan, the city made some of its land available for investment offers.

One-Stop Simplifies Land Transactions in Karabalta City

USAID and the City of Karabalta in the north of the country have recently opened an innovative Land One-Stop Shop where residents can complete all administrative procedures for land transactions. The one-stop shop was developed with support from the USAID local governance project.

Kyrgyzstan Adopts a New Law on Normative Legal Acts

The Kyrgyz Government recently adopted a new Law on Normative Legal Acts, developed with USAID support. This law establishes a clear hierarchy of normative legal acts and the extent of their legal validity; defines mechanisms for the use of the regulatory reform; restricts rule-making power to the Government, Supreme Court, President, and Parliament; defines an order for arbitration between conflicting legal acts.

USAID Helps Tajik Township Install Potable Water System

Over 3,000 residents in the township of Somoniyon, Rudaki District are enjoying clean potable water again, thanks to USAID support. With the complete breakdown of the Soviet-era water supply system over six years ago, these villagers were forced to use water from open irrigation canals for drinking, food preparation, and all other domestic needs.

USAID Helps Open a Drop-in Center for Drug Users in Ashgabat

Recently, USAID’s HIV/AIDS prevention program “CAPACITY,” together with the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, opened the first Center for HIV prevention among drug abusers. The Drop-In Center will support HIV prevention by providing medical and social services for drug users, and conducting educational discussions and consultations.

Study Tour Facilitates Country’s Transition to International Accounting Standards

A group of four specialists from the Central Bank of Turkmenistan have recently spent a week studying the work of the National Bank of Kazakhstan. The visit was organized by USAID’s Project for Economic Reforms to Enhance Competitiveness to facilitate Turkmenistan’s transition to International Financial Reporting Standards from the Soviet-era accounting system.

USAID-Funded Computer Centers Offer New Opportunities

Over the past 12 months, over 26,000 Turkmen have used the USAID-funded Internet Access and Training Centers throughout Turkmenistan. The four centers, operated by IREX as part of the USAID Internet Access and Training Program, have been offering computer and internet access, as well as a variety of training courses on related topics, since 2000, and enjoy great demand among the local population.

Turkmen Youths Learn About Business

In July, twenty best students of the USAID-funded Junior Achievement Program took part in the Job Shadow Day that allowed them to visit business companies and observe the work of their management. Almost 19,000 students have participated in Junior Achievement activities, funded by USAID, since 1994. These students have learned about economics and entrepreneurship through training courses, practical activities, and simulation exercises.

USAID’s Project Promotes Agricultural Know-How

This summer, USAID’s AgLinks project became an official participant of an agricultural held in Tashkent by an influential local nongovernmental organization “Social Initiatives Support Fund”. At the exhibition, women farmers from various provinces demonstrated their products: fresh and processed crops, dairy products, and handicrafts such as carpets, embroidery or shoes.