CARITAS Germany marks 10th anniversary of activities in Tajikistan
DUSHANBE (TCA) — The Branch of the German CARITAS Association jointly with German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Volunteer Group “Dobrota” on April 19 held a charity event to mark the 10th anniversary of its activities in Tajikistan. The event was attended by high-level representatives from government, non-government and international organizations, and residents of Dushanbe city. Opening the event, Ivo Koerner, Desk Officer of Caritas Germany Head office expressed his gratitude to all partners for their support in the implementation of a number of projects aimed at creating better living conditions for Tajik citizens. “The CARITAS’s key activities are targeted to developing the infrastructure of social services for vulnerable individuals and communities and improving the lives of lonely elderly citizens, women with many children who lost their main breadwinners, graduates of boarding schools and orphanages, and people with disabilities, as well as supporting the victims of emergency situations and natural disasters,” he said. The event included a concert with participation of the beneficiaries of CARITAS’s implemented projects and famous singers of the country. CARITAS’s partner organizations, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Volunteer Group “Dobrota” demonstrated their achievements on the sidelines of the event. The Volunteer Group “Dobrota” also conducted a charity action to collect donations for oncological patients. CARITAS Germany in Tajikistan within the 10 years operation in the country supported more than 2500 people with disabilities and opened 7 training halls, 30 rehabilitation centers, 28 playrooms for children and 6 consultation points for rehabilitation specialists. Moreover, CARITAS applied the inclusive education system in 7 pre-school educational institutions and 14 general educational institutions, made the vocational education of vulnerable youth happen in 9 vocational educational institutions and included about 400 children with disabilities in secondary schools. Also, based on the Community-Based Rehabilitation Program, 15 national trainers, 250 rehabilitation workers, 6 specialists of sign language and 370 teachers were trained on the subjects related to disability and inclusive education. For the purpose of the local capacity building and development of the civil sector, the CARITAS Germany implements its projects through non-governmental organizations. The work is carried out in rural areas, in regions that are far away from administrative centers, where access to social services is limited and communities are especially vulnerable. Together with partners, CARITAS applies essential efforts to creating an inclusive society in Tajikistan.
