On December 18, 2019,  we held a ceremony in Takhtakupir district to launch three social infrastructure facilities, where we carried out construction and repair works with the support of the Joint Programme "Building the resilience of communities affected by the Aral Sea disaster through the Multi-Partner Human Security Fund for the Aral Sea".

We carried out various activities at different levels for developing and implementing Community Development Plans aimed at expanding rural population’s access to basic social infrastructures. The use of such approach for the development of living standards of the population is a unique approach used by us. It also supports the active participation of local people in planning and decision-making, specifically in regards to addressing priority issues within communities.

They no longer go to fetch water

Since that day, residents of "Purkhan-ozek" village of "Kara-oy" rural citizens’ assembly no longer go to neighboring settlements to fetch water. Water itself comes to their homes. Within the framework of the project, a 1.5 km water supply line has been laid and connected to the central main pipeline "Tuyamuyun-Nukus-Takhtakupir". Thus, 250 people have gained access to clean drinking water.  In his interview with the media, the head of the district department of the water supply and sanitation enterprise Asylbek Karabalaev noted:

"In our district, residents of four settlements – "Makpalkol", "Daukara", "Khojamet-aul" and "Purkhan-ozek" – have gained access to clean drinking water since 2018, totaled up 4,000 people. Two water treatment plants have been fully reconstructed, and the length of new water lines has reached more than 10 kilometers."

There were innovations, too. To ensure water quality standards, a desalination system has been installed  to reverse osmosis. It is a multi-stage water purification system where a reverse osmosis membrane is the main filtering element. To remove most of the pollution from water and to protect the reverse osmosis membrane from early clogging, three stages of pre-clearance are used. There are a number of requirements for the technical maintenance of such a unit, which has also been taken into account in construction.

New comfort standards for students

Today is also a special day for students of the secondary school No. 6 in "Garezsizlik" rural citizens’ assembly. The educational institution's auditorium has been fully repaired, and work has been done on reconstruction of the roof of the classrooms and sports hall.

" Our school is attended by over 480 students. Physical education in the cold and rainy season was extremely difficult. And now we are happy with the new conditions, because the roof no longer leaks, and children can fully engage in sports. And we will meet the New Year in the renewed auditorium. Students are already preparing a festive program" - Director of school No. 6 Ayshakhon Madreyimova.

Taking care of the youngest

In "Janadarya" rural citizens’ assembly, there is kindergarten No. 11, where about 60 children gain their first knowledge. The institution consists of four buildings, one of which has been fully repaired.

" Moreover, with the support of the Programme, our kindergarten has got a new playground with a whole range of entertainment. There are slides, various swings, sandbox and a lot of other things that will allow organizing active leisure with harmonious physical development for pupils, - said the head of the district department of pre-school education Miyassar Allambergenova.

Moreover, residents of the most vulnerable settlements of Takhtakupir district have gained access to uninterrupted electricity supply. Speaking to the media, the head of the district branch of power supply network Azat Jumabekov noted:

"Joint efforts have been made to improve access to uninterrupted electricity supply. Our district received 5 electric transformers with a capacity of 160 and 250 kilowatts, which have been successfully installed in the villages, where electricity supply was cut off from time to time due to lack of capacity of obsolete transformers."

In total, we re-constructed 33 infrastructure projects since 2017 to improve the living standards of more than 21,190 rural residents (49.5% of women) in 33 settlements of Takhtakupir, Muynak and Shumanay districts of Karakalpakstan. Basic social services in access to clean drinking water have been improved for 8,484 people, and 10,207 people can now uninterruptedly use electricity. The work on full reconstruction has been carried out in 4 general educational institutions with 2,181 students and 1 pre-school educational institution with 55 children.

The UN Joint Programme for the Aral Sea region was implemented between 2016 and 2019 to ensure human security in the districts most at risk of adverse impacts of the Aral Sea crisis. The priorities include improving the quality of life and increasing income opportunities for the local population, communities as a whole.