DUSHANBE, September 5, 2012, Asia-Plus -- About 3,000 residents of Zarnisor village in Istaravshan have got access to safe drinking water as a result of a project implemented jointly by the village inhabitants and Tajikistan’s Red Crescent Society (RCS).  An official handover of the water supply system, constructed under financial support of the Government of Japan through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), was held on September 15, 2012.

According to press release issued by IFRC Country Representation in Tajikistan, Zarnisor project was completed at the end of 2011 year and people started benefiting from the implemented project, and the official hand-over ceremony is to be held after full improvement of water committee’s capacity.  The village residents, Istaravshan authorities, leadership of Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan and IFRC Country Representation in Tajikistan, as well as media will participate in the hand-over ceremony.

Zarnisor residents cleaned a well located one kilometer far from the village and brought water to the village installing pipes from the well.  Mr.Abdujabbor Mavlonov, a village activist and head of Zarnisor water committee says, “We were suffering from the lack of water including its consequences in term of water-born diseases for long time.  Women and children, who are mainly responsible for water carriage, had to transport water for family consumption from distance water sources.  Frequently, carrying heavy water buckets led women and children to losing health, getting injuries and missing school classes.  We asked many agencies for help, but received no response, until we find out about the Red Crescent program on water and sanitation.”

IFRC-supported Water and Sanitation Program of Tajikistan’s RCS is addressed to improve access to potable drinking water and sanitation facilities, improvement of communities’ knowledge on hygiene and sanitation through construction of water supply systems, as well as conduction of trainings since 1997.  More than 580,000 people throughout the country accessed the drinking water in the frame of 179 projects up to day.  The program covers all parts of the republic - Khatlon, Sughd, Gorno Badakhshan and districts subordinate to the center.  Mr. Eric Michel-Sellier, IFRC Country Representation in Tajikistan, expresses his confidence of the results of the program.  He says: “We target not only providing an access to safe water to the vulnerable locations, but, we also aim to decrease the rate of water-caused infectious diseases, to increase the awareness of population on hygiene and sanitation and to reduce the risk of natural disasters.  In each project location we establish a water committee consisted of local inhabitants, who should take the responsibility of community contribution, to maintain and manage the water infrastructure (well, spring or other source of water, pipes, taps, etc.), as well as to ensure long term sustainability.”

The water committees regularly gather to exchange the experience and ideas, as well as to be briefed with disaster risk reduction and prevention, hygiene and sanitation, provision of first aid, climate change and adaptation to it.  Opening Zarnisor project was followed by such two-days training covering the members of water committees from the recent projects implemented in Sughd region.  Ms. Yelena Lyapina, RCS Water and Sanitation Program Coordinator, explains that this training aims “to advance the sustainability of the realized projects through improving the knowledge of water committees members on water delivery system management. The members of water committees can gain more from each other experience, as well as from the different briefings of RCST specialists”.

Currently, five more projects are under implementation in Danghara, Yovon, Vahdat, and Hisor districts as well as in the city of Panjakent.  These projects are funded by the Red Cross Society of Norway through IFRC Country Representation in Tajikistan.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network, reaching 150 mil­lion people each year through its 187 member National Societies.  Together, the IFRC acts before, during and after disasters and health emergencies to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. It does so with impartiality as to nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, class and political opinions.  

IFRC established its permanent presence in Tajikistan in 1994 to provide assistance to the most vulnerable population of the country in close cooperation with Tajikistan’s RCS.  The International Federation supports include disaster preparedness and response, relief targeting the most vulnerable, community-based first aid and public health campaign, water and sanitation projects, labor migration and organizational development.  The Country Representation provides technical and advisory support for the National Society in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programs, as well as general supervision.

The Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan is one of the oldest humanitarian organizations in the country and is providing assistance to people in need since 1927.  The National Society plays a significant role in providing humanitarian assistance to victims of frequent disasters like: floods, landslides, drought and earthquakes. RCS has a key role in disaster preparedness and response activities in Tajikistan having a net of branches in all 69 districts and more than 15,000 of volunteers throughout the country.