Turkmenistan: People with disabilities get a new start

Yuriy Kulik lost his sight when he was a teenager, and had a hard time finding a job that could accommodate his disability.

In 2005, he took part in an intensive course that taught him how to adapt and function without his sight. He learned how to read and write in braille, and was trained to become a massage therapist.

"Now I’m working with people with disabilities who are in the same position as me," said Mr. Kulik. "I’m happy that I can help these people."

The course he took is offered by the Deaf and Blind Society of Turkmenistan, with UNDP support. The course teaches people with disabilities not only basic literacy, but also how to function outdoors and learn a skill, such as carpentry and sewing for people with hearing impairments, or massage therapy for people with visual impairments.

A massage therapist course provides potential job opportunities for women with visual impairments 

Eco friendly farming brings higher yields for farmers, stalls desertification

MARY PROVINCE, Turkmenistan – 8 November, 2011 – Farmers in Turkmenistan who grow cotton, grain, and vegetables, face the problem of low yields because of salinity, erosion and degradation of fields caused by inefficient land leveling, use of fertilizers and irrigation of fields.

Head of UNDP Helen Clark visits Central Asia

25 May, 2011 – UNDP Administrator Helen Clark visited Central Asia this month, travelling to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, where she met with Presidents, Prime Ministers, Parliaments, development partners, NGOs, civil society and United Nations Country Teams. She also visited several UNDP projects, and spoke with people from local communities to see  how development initiatives have made a difference in their lives. Watch: videos from Helen Clark's visit to Tajikistan, and UNDP iniatives in Uzbekistan See: Photos from Helen Clark's visit to Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, as well as a photo essay on Wetlands in Kazakhstan

Head of UNDP focuses on Turkmenistan’s role in the region

Ashgabat, 2 May 2011—United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark concluded a two-day official visit to Turkmenistan today which focused on that country’s leadership role in the region.

International day for mine awareness and assistance in mine action - Mines still a threat in the region

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - 4 April, 2011 - "The International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is a timely reminder that clearing land of explosive remnants of war saves lives and protects livelihoods," said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his message on international day for mine awareness. Find out about UNDP mine action support to countries in Europe and CIS, including: Albania now free from the threat of mines, mine action in Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Tajikistan. Have a look at: photos from mine action in Cyprus and photos from mine action in Azerbaijan Watch: mine action videos from Albania, Azerbaijan and Cyprus Learn: more about Mine Action

Turkmenistan: Energy efficiency takes hold for future of country’s energy sector

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan – 9 August 2010 – Representatives of Turkmenistan’s energy sector are exploring how to best introduce energy efficient practices and alternative sources of energy. View: nature photos in Turkmenistan

Scientists in Central Asia join forces in response to glaciers melting at alarming rate

ALMATY, Kazakhstan – 21 June – Scientists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are meeting in Almaty this week to discuss how they can cooperate to better monitor melting glaciers in Central Asia.

A BRIDGE for Democracy in Turkmenistan

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 19 May 2010—Turkmenistan’s continued its progress toward transparent elections with a five-day training of regional election officials. The training is a part of a United Nations Development Programme project to help Turkmenistan nurture an ongoing democratic culture.

 

Turkmenistan Helps Haiti With Earthquake Relief

Disabled in Turkmenistan Gain Skills, Jobs

Ashbagat, Turkmenistan, December 2009-"I always wanted to get a profession and a job, this was my goal,” says Kakabai Ataev, who is visually impaired and lives alone. Thanks to new programmes and equipment at the Rehabilitation Center in Ashbagat, Ataev and other visually and hearing impaired people in Turkemenistan have been able to attain their goals. The Center, established by the Deaf and Blind Society of Turkmenistan and upgraded with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, provides visually and hearing impaired individuals with an opportunity to study computers, learn new professions and to become more integrated into society. View: Rehabilitation Center Helps Disabled Gain Skills

Radioactive Waste Threatens Central Asia

Geneva, Switzerland, June 2009-Radioactive waste at hundreds of sites in Central Asia threatens the region with an environmental catastrophe, experts at an international forum on the issue said. More than 800 million tons of radioactive and toxic waste—a legacy of the former Soviet Union’s nuclear arsenal—sit in precarious dump sites with little oversight. In response to the ongoing hazard, the United Nations Development Programme organized the forum to develop a coordinated response with regional partners.

Turkmenistan Forum Looks to Empower Rural Females

Ashbagat, Turkmenistan, March 2009-A highly successful programme for rural women in Turkmenistan should be replicated throughout the country, participants at a wrap-up conference on the project concluded. Participants also stressed the need for continued support to strengthen the small businesses already in place. Video: Women Empowerment in Turkmenistan