 |
|
|
|
 |
USAID Information:
External Links:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Community Halts Deterioration of Homes and Land Thanks to USAID
After enduring years of damage from rising groundwater, Jarbulok community in Sughd Region was finally able to address the problem when USAID’s Peaceful Communities Initiatives Project arrived in their village. Implemented by Mercy Corps, USAID’s project helped organize a Community Initiative Group to lead the planning and implementation of activities in the village.
The community selected drainage canal rehabilitation to prevent the increase of groundwater levels as their top priority.
 |
With USAID assistance, Jarbulok community repaired the drainage system and saved their homes and land from deterioration
Photo Credit: Mercy Corps |
For the last ten years, rising groundwater has been destroying community’s crop fields, orchards, and houses. However, the government lacked funds to maintain an elaborate pump and canal system that had been draining the water from nearly 100 hectares of land in the past. Despite the severity of the problem, the community had been unable to raise a sufficient amount of money to support the full scale of the project.
With USAID assistance, the community and the local government worked together to clean 3,700 meters of canals, dug out two additional water reservoirs, and repaired the pumps. The village and local administrations contributed 30% of the $13,000 project cost, and in May 2006, the rehabilitation was completed. The repaired drainage system will raise the harvests of fields and orchards, halt the slow destruction of 300 homes, alleviate the rate of illnesses such as
rheumatism, and improve government-community relations.
The Peaceful Communities Initiatives Project works in Tajikistan’s poorest and most remote areas to mobilize communities for addressing infrastructure and social projects which are key sources of tension and potential conflicts.
Back to Top ^ |
