Milestones in the Development
1996 – Trust Center “SABR” creation.
1998 – official registration of the center in the Samarkand oblast Department of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
2001 – “SABR”s branching out, starting of micro finance program implementation in the target rural area of Samarkand oblast.
2005 – Center’s re-registration as “Socio economic development center “SABR”.
2006 -
Daughter enterprise “Microcredit organization “SABR” creation
Mission Statement
Organization aims to work for the benefit of the target group, its socio economic situation improvement and for the protection of interests of most vulnerable layers of the society - women and children, providing support, encouragement and opportunities for independent life and safe environment. We respect human rights and equal opportunities regardless of gender, faith or disabilities.
Current Activities
- Psychological, social, legal and medical support to women and children in crisis
- Training and education activity
- Development and conduction of sociological and socio-psychological research, methodological manuals publication
- Practical and methodological support to other NGOs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
- Micro-lending program realization to low-income, active layers of population so that to improve their socio-economic situation.
- Development of a new experimental model of socio-economic support of low-income layers of population
Achievements
June, 1998
“SABR” becomes a laureate of the Democracy and Civil Society Award of the USA and European Union “In recognition of achievements in promoting democratic values and a civil society”
1998
Partnership relations with the Netherlands Organization of International Development (NOVIB) were achieved. Donation from NOVIB for realization of the project “Organizational and institutional development of the Trust Center “SABR”.
April, 2000
Visit of “SABR” by the Secretary of State Washington Ms. Madeleine K. Albright. Ms. Albright highly appreciated “SABR”s contribution in the democracy development and gender equality.
June, 2000
Participation and sharing experience at the 23d special session of the UN General Assembly: “Women in the year 2000: gender equality, development and peace in the 21st century”.
November, 2000
Participation of ‘SABR” at the World Forum Against Violence (Spain, Valencia), organized by the Queen Sophia Center on violence studies.
2000 – 2001
Assisting in creation of crisis centers in the Republic of Uzbekistan due to the support of John and Kathryn Mc Arthur Foundation, crisis centers’ further methodological and practical assistance.
2001
Grant from NOVIB (Netherlands) to further launching of the micro finance program, start of micro loans lending to low income layers of population in rural areas of Samarkand oblast. “SABR” becomes the first NGO rendering micro finance activity in Uzbekistan independently.
2001 – till present
SABR’s participation in the process of discussion and preparation of normative-legal decrees regulating the activity of microfinance institutions in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Pilot activity in the frameworks of the enactment of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan of August 30th, 2002 as to micro loans disbursement among low income layers of population: “ About micro finance development in the Republic of Uzbekistan”.
2003
Vocational training centers creation aiming at professional skills of girls from low income families in rural area upgrading.
April, 2004
Technical and methodological support of ACDI/VOCA, USAID, CAMFA project (Central Asian micro finance alliance).
Entry of “SABR” into WECF (Women of Europe for Common Future) (European Union) as a member.
2005
“SABR” becomes a member of MFC (Microfinance Centre for Central and Eastern Europe and NIS), Poland.
May, 2004
Participation at the 7th Annual Micro Finance Organizations International Conference:
“Thinking about the Future – Strategic Choices for Microfinance” (Warsaw, Poland)
May,2005
Participation at the 8th Annual Micro Finance International Conference:
“Success of Microfinance: How do We Use this Success to Maximize Benefits for Clients” (Bucharest, Romania)
2005
Entry of “SABR” into the of Women’s NGOs of Uzbekistan “MEHR”.
2005
Participation in the 49th Special Session of the UN General Assembly on women’s situation and position “Beijing: Ten Years Later in the Way Towards Gender Equality, Development and Peace”.
2005
Working group of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan participation as for a booklet preparation: “Millennium’s goals achievement in the light of the women’s position improvement national action platform” development.
2005 – 2006
“SABR” actively participated in the development and discussion of the Olyi Majlis (Parliament) legislative drafts preparation “About micro finance in the Republic of Uzbekistan” and “About micro finance organizations of the Republic of Uzbekistan”.
June, 2006
Participation at the 9th Annual International conference od micro finance organizations:
“Microfinance with a Mission: Learning Together” (Budapest, Hungary)
Programmes
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There are three priority programs operating in “SABR”
- Information and resource center
Social program
The long term goal of “SABR” is to create experimental model of socio-economic protection of most vulnerable layers of population.
Mainobjectives:
- Offer psychological and advisory support to the population;
- Deliver training and education activity;
- Disseminate information, organize and deliver campaigns and surveys directed towards the prevention of illegal actions regarding women and their dependent children;
- Vocational training for girls and women from low-income families
«SABR» renders psychological, legal and medical support by counseling over trust telephone lines and internal counseling.
Future newly-married couples have conversations with “SABR” psychologists about matrimonial relations psychology,, marriage hygiene, other issues regulated by Family legislation.
The following number of respondents addressed “SABR” since the moment of its creation 1996 - 2006:
- 14 859 people - over the trust telephone line, 75% of them were women and children
- 4 408 respondents - internally, 78% of them were women and children
- 3134 - newly-married couples
Social program’s independent direction – field trainings in rural area of Samarkand oblast, in makhallas and other institutions of the city aiming at raising the awareness of population about the relevant aspects of Center’s activity
Training topics:
- Reproductive health, women’s reproductive rights protection
- Family conflicts and their prevention
- Family relations psychology
- Marriage hygiene
- Early marriages problems
- Gender and gender equality
- Drugs abuse problem and measures for its prevention
“SABR” ‘s social program training team is formed by psychologists, legal advisor, medical doctor and sociologist. Modules and methodology developed by “SABR”s team of professional trainers are used during training sessions.
366 seminars and informational meetings were delivered for the period from 1996 to 2006, with 9102 of participants.
“SABR” Center works in close cooperation with oblast, city and regional women’s committees. In the frameworks of that partnership activity informational meetings with rural population are rendered together with women’s problems experts. Actual topics for meetings and mutual events are reproductive health issues, early and related marriages, Family legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as healthy way of life.
More than 70 mutual training and methodological seminars, meetings and trainings were delivered in the city of Samarkand and regions, 2 756 women took part in them.
To make social and economic problems of women and girls from low income families easier dress-making skills training centers were created in three target rural regions .
Young women and girls master sewing industry at three, or six months courses. Seamstresses then, either deal with individual labor activity or work in entrepreneurs’ business structures. Graduates later can receive loans from “SABR” micro finance program for their business development. The given activity is carried out in partnership with the regional labor exchange office, “Hunarmand” craftsmen association, oblast Hokimiat, local makhalla committees.
More than 380 girls and young women were trained in the vocational-training centers for the period from 2003 – 2006.
Enlightening and research activity of the Center is aimed at the prevention of illegal activity against women and children which includes:
- Informational booklets on women’s rights, domestic violence and healthy way of life publication;
- Media and advocacy campaigns delivery;
- Actions of various types (conferences, concerts, contests, round tables, trainings for judicial bodies’ staff members, medical and educational institutions, social video shorts issue);
- Sociological surveys as to relevant problems delivery.
Micro Finance Program
The program aims at income generating activity of low income families of the target regions of Samarkand oblast by means of appropriate conditions for private entrepreneurship creation, small business development by way of group responsibility according to micro finance schemes. Micro finance program of ‘SABR” started its work through financial support of the NOVIB Netherlands’ fund in the year 2001.
Target group: Economically active low income layers of population in the rural regions of Samarkand oblast (Urgut, Ishtihan, Payarik, Taylak regions).
Methodology main components.
- Group responsibility (groups of 3 – 7 clients)
- Interest rate - 6% monthly for the remaining sum
- Loan size: first – up to 120 000 sums and further on up to 360 000 - 600 000 sums.
- Loan period: 3 - 6 months
Since the beginning of the program from the year 2001 till 2006, the total number of loans constituted 7 616 with the total loan sum of 1738 714 791 sums.
To improve primary business skills of the clients, 236 business trainings were conducted by the training program staff of “SABR”. 261 informational meetings were held to raise public awareness about micro finance program functioning.
Information and resource center
For the period of its existence “SABR” Center accumulated considerable methodological and practical experience. “SABR” started to work as an informational and resource center since the year 2000.
Types of services:
- Counseling services
- Training activity for crisis centers’ staff
- Informational and resource support (to NGOs staff, students and lecturers of higher educational institutions)
- Sociological surveys delivery
- Training delivery to teachers, judicial bodies, health service and mass media representatives
- staff member from crisis centers of Uzbekistan were trained on the methodology of “SABR”
105 judicial bodies, health service, public education and mass media representatives were trained at “SABR” as to the prevention of violation against women and children.
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Conferences
The following conferences were held together with partners to raise awareness of population and stakeholders, to build partnership relations, share experience and cover the balance of work carried out.
Regional conference “The role of NGO in socio-economic development of Djizak, Kashkadarya and Samarkand oblast”. September 20, 2000.
The aim of the conference: carrying out a dialogue between NGOs and state bodies, joint problems in the society decision.
Participants: Republic of Uzbekistan Olyi Majlis representatives , 3 oblasts NGO, mahalla and women’s committees representatives,
Regional conference “The role of NGO in domestic violence problems consideration” Samarkand, April 26-27, 2001.
The aim of the conference: Sharing experience and crisis centers network creation, building partnership relations with stakeholders.
Participants: crisis centers of Uzbekistan, Samarkand oblast NGOs.
International conference “Women’s rights in independent Uzbekistan”.
Samarkand, January, 29 2002.
The aim of the conference: media campaign results presentation as to family conflicts prevention in Samarkand, Jizak and Karshi; contacts and partnership relations between local state bodies, judicial bodies, mass media and NGOs as to the prevention of conflicts in families, rising of social status of women and their role in the family.
Participants: Representatives from Oblast and city Hokimiats in Samarkand, Djizak and Karshi, judicial bodies, NGOs, Olyi Madjlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, National Human Rights center, Tashkent Juridical institute, regional and republican mass media representatives, international organizations: Winrock International Ukraine, Winrock International Uzbekistan, USAID.
International conference: “Women’s rights improvement and reproductive rights problems in Uzbekistan”. Samarkand, September 30 2002.
The aim of the conference: Join the efforts in solving family conflicts, foreign countries experience presentation in the sphere of reproductive health, assistance in development of educational programs on the given topic.
Participants: Representatives from World Health Organization, USA and Uzbekistan health workers, Mass media representatives from Russia and Uzbekistan.
International conference “Social partnership in solving the problems of law violation against women and children”. Samarkand, November 21 – 22 2005.
The aim of the conference: the results of joint activities of state bodies and public organizations as to law violation against women and children prevention, experience dissemination through other regions of the country together with joint memorandum conclusion about further cooperation between NGOs and stakeholders from the state bodies.
Participants: Scotland Yard (Britain) representatives, Women’ Aid Federation of England representatives, General Prosecutor office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic of Uzbekistan, departments of Internal Affairs, public education, public health service, justice and prosecuting representatives, Women’s Committee and women’s NGOs and mass media of Samarkand oblast.
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Uzbekistan
The Republic of Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. It used to be part of the Soviet Union (dominated by Russia), but gained its independence in 1991 when the Soviet Union broke up. The capital city is Tashkent. Samarkand, its second city, was a major stop on the Silk Road, and the country has some of the most ancient cities in the world and a rich history to match. This is reflected in the mixture of languages spoken - mainly Russian, Uzbek and Tajik; many Uzbeks are bilingual. It is now the most populous country in the region. The main religion is Islam, although the state is secular. It is a major exporter of cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles and motor vehicles. Average temperatures range from -20°C in the winter, to +40°C in the summer, and it tends to be dry, relying heavily on a massive network of irrigation channels in order to grow crops. The landscape is predominantly sandy desert, interspersed by intensely irrigated river valleys, and bordered by mountainous regions.
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