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Samed Vurgun Community, Agjabedi, Azerbaijan:
Self-Reliance Built Through USAID Support

The past fifteen years have been a very challenging time for the people of Azerbaijan. Located between Russia and Iran in the heart of the Caucasus region, the country has long been a crossroads of commerce and culture. Shortly after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in October 1991, Azerbaijan was soon drawn into a devastating three-year territorial conflict with neighboring Armenia over Nagorno Garabagh, a mountainous region in the west of the country. When hostilities ceased in early 1994, Armenian forces occupied Nagorno-Karabagh and a wide swath of surrounding area, accounting for nearly 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory.

Throughout the course of the war, approximately 800,000 ethnic Azeris became internally displaced (IDPs) approximately 150,000 of which sought refuge in temporary camps in regions along the occupied territory that now forms Azerbaijan’s “IDP belt.” The sheer number of IDPs constituted one of the gravest humanitarian crises of the post-Soviet era. The makeshift shelters that IDPs fled to were as rudimentary as abandoned railway cars or earthen dugouts, hastily constructed to fend off the harsh climate. With the country’s infrastructure and economy shattered from the breakdown of the Soviet Union, the Azeri government’s ability to respond to the situation was severely compromised. Most IDPs relied heavily on the support of international aid organizations for temporary shelter, food and health services in the years immediately following the conflict.

As the country stabilizes and the humanitarian crisis subsides, the international community has increasingly focused on transitioning assistance from relief to more sustainable development practices in Azerbaijan’s conflict-affected areas. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is leading this transition through supporting more integration of displaced populations within their local community and strengthening the overall self-reliance of conflict-affected communities. USAID-funded programs, such as CHF International’s Social Investment Initiative (SII), is creating opportunities for conflict-affected communities that are taking the lead in their local development and playing an active role on rebuilding their country. The experience of Samed Vurgun, a rural community in a conflict-affected district of Agjabedi, illustrates how communities are successfully developing along the path of greater self-reliance through the support of USAID-funded programs and organizations such as CHF.

Local officials cut a ribbon marking the start of the project

E&E Chief of Staff Brock Bierman puts a USAID pin on a local child's shirt

The Samed Vurgun Community's school poses health risks

Following the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict, the inhabitants of Samed Vurgun faced many difficulties typical of villages throughout the region. Their population had grown suddenly, from 3,075 to 3,600, as more than 500 IDPs had sought shelter in the village. Simultaneously, critical infrastructure systems had deteriorated. The community’s water and energy supplies were far from adequate. Their schools and medical clinic had fallen into disrepair, and local roads were in poor condition. Despite the enormity of the challenges they faced, working as a community Samed Vurgun showed remarkable initiative in improving their situation.

In 1998, Samed Vurgun democratically formed a representative community management council for the purpose of identifying priorities, mobilizing resources and addressing their priorities. Samed Vurgun also proactively engaged a number of international and local organizations to assist them in addressing their development priorities. Most significantly, Samed Vurgun used their skills and experience to implement several community development projects on their own, including the installation of a badly needed potable water supply system, the disposal of accumulated hazardous wastes and the repair of major roads within the village.

Following the successful implementation of these community-managed projects, they were a perfect applicant for CHF’s demand-driven SII program in 2001. Samed Vurgun’s high level of initiative, capacity and commitment enabled the community to meet the significant community investment requirements of SII and address some of their larger priority projects, such as the expansion of their electricity supply and school rehabilitation.

From the beginning, Samed Vurgun has been one of the most vigorous of CHF’s partner communities. In rehabilitating their electrical supply through the SII, they demonstrated commendable teamwork and strong relationships between the local and internally displaced populations. They exceeded the in-cash community contribution requirement of five percent, providing more than three times the necessary amount. Community members effectively mobilized their internal resources, providing the labor to install four transformers and completing the project a week ahead of schedule. Residents now have a reliable energy source with which to heat their homes and cook. The incidence of disease in the community has declined remarkably, especially during the cold winter months. Local businesses, such as a photo studio, a carpentry shop, and a car repair workshop, have all become more economically viable.

Samed Vurgun is a leading community in Azerbaijan. It is one of the few communities to be selected to implement a second project with CHF’s SII program and meet even higher community investment requirements of 30% towards the project, 10% of which must be made in cash. Samed Vurgun prioritized the rehabilitation of their secondary school for their second project with SII. The roof currently leaks and most of the windows and doors are broken, preventing students from attending classes and posing health risks due to damp and mold. Some IDPs are still seeking shelter in some of parts of the school.

When the community was interviewed on the project’s status, they noted that a major challenge related to the project’s successful implementation is the safe disposal of the existing asbestos roofing. The designated community engineer, Nadir Ismayilov, thinks that the environmental awareness training offered through the program has made the community aware of this issue and prepared them on how to deal with it.

After addressing immediate social priorities, Samed Vurgun began to focus on ways to sustain their social investments by increasing economic opportunity within their community. Small business owners and farmers signed up for fee-based business development services offered through USAID-funded programs. Using the skills acquired through these services, Samed Vurgun intends to establish a milk-processing unit. In addition to improving the situation of their own community, Samed Vurgun has shared its experiences with other communities. Using lessons and materials from the SII program, they trained several neighboring communities on how to organize themselves and establish community funds.

Through USAID support and CHF’s SII program that promotes a “can-do” spirit, Samed Vurgun has moved beyond being merely a recipient of international development; they have become active catalysts of development, promoting progress and demonstrating effective community leadership within the conflict-affected regions. One of the greatest hopes for local development in Azerbaijan lies in the fact that they are not alone. Samed Vurgun is only one outstanding example of the many communities who, through partnerships with CHF and other USAID-funded programs, have greatly increased their capacity to realize a sustainable future for the Azeri people, one community at a time.

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