NGO CHARITY WITHOUT BORDERS SEEKS OPPORTUNITIES TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 000597 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI TX SUBJECT: NGO CHARITY WITHOUT BORDERS SEEKS OPPORTUNITIES TO SURVIVE ¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet distribution. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On May 6, Post Political Assistant met with Selbi Akmuradova, leader of the public organization, Charity Without Borders (CWB),to learn about their activities. The NGO carries out charitable activities, and youth outreach activities on human rights, democracy, civil and environmental education for orphan children, and children from socially disadvantaged families. Currently, however, due to a lack of funding and office space for operations, CWB limits its charity assistance to one orphanage in Balkan province and has reduced the number of youth outreach seminars it conducts. Since it has not been able to register, the authorities prohibit the NGO from holding events in public buildings and harass those who cooperate with the NGO. To continue its much-needed charitable and youth outreach activity, CWB is seeking additional outside funding so that it can rent office space and provide computers at its educational events. END SUMMARY. OVERVIEW ¶3. (SBU) The Director of Charity Without Borders (CWB),a non-government initiative group, Selbi Akmuradova briefed post Political Assistant on the organization's activities and background. CWB was founded and registered with the Tax Inspectorate in 1996. Currently, however, it is not registered and works as an Initiative Group. CWB is a charity organization carrying out human rights protection, democracy, and civil and environmental education activities for ophans, children and teenagers from disadvantaged families, the elderly and the handicapped. It operates with international donor community funding, private and business contributions and funds raised at charity concerts and events. CWB's staff includes four long-term staff members who are retirees, and Akmuradova herself has a medical background. The organization also has many volunteers. CWB once used Akmuradova's house as its office before it was demolished several years ago. CHARITY WORK ¶4. (SBU) In the past, CWB charitable activities included material assistance to orphanages, to children from disadvantaged families, to hearing impaired childrens' facilities, and to handicapped and senior citizen facilities throughout the country. Currently, due to a lack of funding, the organization is limiting its charity �00A;activities to assistance for a Balkanabat orphanage -- one of the largest and most ethnically-mixed orphanages in Turkmenistan, according to Akmuradova. The orphanage has 253 orphans, who are much in need of charity assistance. Akmuradova and her staff travel there several times a year to provide the orphanage with food, clothing, and construction materials needed for ongoing renovations. When CWB had office space, it was able to raise funds by organizing concerts, receptions, and making handicrafts for fairs. Now CWB operates only on donations. Law enforcement authorities have barred the organization from holding charity concerts and events, without explanation. OUTREACH PROJECTS WITH YOUTH ¶5. (SBU) Past CWB youth outreach activities included civil, environmental, democracy and human rights education. As Akmuradova noted, "To avoid problems with authorities, our organization often uses environmental and civic education titles to conceal democracy and human rights-themed education activities." CWB implemented the following projects: -- In 2000, a Netherlands Embassy project on first aid and medical training; -- In 2000-2003, Counterpart International CHAP program; -- In 2003, a U.S. Embassy project on Legal and Civic education for teenagers; -- In 2005, an OSCE project on environmental protection; -- In 2006, three projects with the U.S. Embassy on Environmental Education and Basis of Law; and ASHGABAT 00000597 002 OF 003 -- In 2008, a U.S. Embassy project -- Ecological summer camp. REGISTRATION RED TAPE ¶6. (SBU) In the past, CWB closely worked with Ashgabat secondary schools No. 6,2,3,15, and 16 in implementing its charity activities because there are orphan children studying in these schools, living with relatives and in need of assistance. Such children were invited to participate in CWB's youth outreach seminars. Directors of the schools would allow use of their facilities for CWB seminars without charge, and teachers would help prepare food. However, upon learning that teachers and school administrations were cooperating with the CWB, law-enforcement authorities raided a CWB seminar in one school and stopped a CWB event there. They had school teachers reprimanded, and called CWB into the local city administration to inform CWB staff that without registration, the group could no longer hold events in public schools. SEEKING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ¶7. (SBU) The organization desperately needs a facility for its operations. Since 2003, CWB has been seeking financial assistance for its Youth Computer and Education project for orphans and disadvantaged children who want to enter college. Because of the corrupt educational system in the country, disadvantaged children have little chance of entering a higher educational establishment without a bribe. The CWB project would help children to acquire at least vocational training. However, since 2003 CWB has been unable get approval for the project. Akmuradova is seeking funding to get the organization at least 3-6 months of rent to establish a Computer and Educational Center and to buy four basic computers for seminars and teaching English, chemistry, physics and math for children. According to Akmuradova, while continuing to operate in a temporary facility, the NGO will continue to look for a permanent office. Another problem the NGO leader articulated is that other local NGOs have plagiarized some of the projects CWB developed. VIEW OF CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT ¶8. (SBU) When asked where civil society is going here, Akmuradova said that she sees no development in the true sense of civil society advancement, because many public organizations do not understand what it means to be non-governmental and non-profit, and some even operate for personal benefit. "What they do well is to describe nice projects on paper and apply for international donor community funding," said Akmuradova. According to her, after a project is finished, such organizations earn enough and leave the country, so there is no consistency or commitment to their work. She thinks it is important to identify and support those who really believe in the development of true NGOs who are committed to work for the public good, to follow up on the NGOs' activities and to assess whether they achieved the intended results. FUTURE PLANS ¶9. (SBU) Akmuradova wants to expand the organization's activity by adding other special training such as teaching sewing and knitting for orphan girls. She noted that there are many people who are willing to volunteer to help children who are less lucky in life than others. Acquiring funding to rent a facility would enable it to fulfill such plans. ¶10. (SBU) COMMENT: In a tough climate for public organizations, CWB persists even without a facility. If the organization can find funding, it will be able to help many orphan children and children from disadvantaged families to expand their education and enter adult life having the same opportunities that others have. Finding a source of financial support will ensure that such children acquire skills to earn a living in the future and improve the odds that they will become equal members of Turkmen society. CWB Director Akmuradova provides a relevant reminder that it is also critical to closely monitor the use of international donor community funding to ASHGABAT 00000597 003 OF 003 ensure that it is being used properly and in the way intended. END COMMENT. MILES