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
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

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-- 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