DUSHANBE (TCA) — Country Representative of the Branch of the German CARITAS Association in Tajikistan Parvina Tajibaeva and Head of the Ayni Unit of the Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense under the Government of Tajikistan Mirzoshohiyon Mirzoshoh, along with representatives of partner organizations attended the handover ceremony of a mini excavator valued at 180,000 Tajik somoni. The mini excavator was procured within the framework of the CARITAS Germany funded project on “Long-term action on emergency prevention in 4 main vulnerable jamoats of Ayni district”, which is implemented by Public Organization ASTI in partnership with the Local Government Authority of Ayni district and the Ayni Unit of the Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense. The donated machinery is intended for cleaning up of mudflow derivation canals and other works required during and after emergencies in all villages of Anzob, Shamtuch, Rarz and Fondaryo jamoats.
The Project, which was officially launched in September 2019 and will last until the end of February 2020, also includes a number of disaster risk reduction activities such as soil erosion prevention by building terraces and planting fruit trees and bushes on steep slopes and creating new orchards, building gabion walls on the most vulnerable sections of Ayni-Kuhistoni Mastchoh road and installation of traffic signs to reduce accidents. Moreover, simulations and drills are conducted for targeted villagers on how to behave and react during mudflow and other natural disasters.
Ayni is a sparsely populated mountain district located in the north of Tajikistan with villages prone to different natural disasters. There are 67 villages in the district and 40 of them prone to natural disasters including mudflows, avalanches, landslides, snowfalls and rock falls that put people’s lives in danger and disrupt the agricultural and livestock practices. In April–June 2019 heavy rains have resulted in several mudflows, landslides, avalanches and rock falls and according to the data from the District Unit of the Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, 1,216 households with 5,640 members live in the affected areas.
The Branch of the German CARITAS Association in Tajikistan is currently also implementing another European Union and CARITAS Germany funded project on “Supporting civil society in applying community based rehabilitation for people with disabilities in Ayni district”, which focuses on the areas of Community-Based Rehabilitation, disability inclusive disaster risk reduction and income generation for persons with disabilities.
