“We help people and people help us” –leadership and resilience combating COVID-19
When COVID-19 first hit Tajikistan, village leader Pahlavon braced himself for the outbreak in his community. Since it reached the country in the spring, during the peak time for cultivation, Pahlavon was concerned about how farmers would work in the field and gather a good harvest.
“For us, agriculture is the main source of food, and the industry and employs about 70% of the population,” said Pahlavon. “When we were advised to stay home and keep a physical distance, I was a bit panicked and knew that we would face issues with food security both in the short and long run.”
Fortunately, the Mountain Societies Development Programme (MSDSP), a project of the Aga Khan Foundation, has been providing the Zong sub-district of Ishkashim with food and agricultural support for the last two years. Through its Mountain Food and Nutrition Project, the programme provides required seeds, fertilisers, and more to farmers.
But support has to include sustainability and financial security, in a region impacted by natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. Agriculture Input Revolving Funds (AIRF), established by MSDSP in 2017, focus on sustainability through potato, wheat, and fodder seeds as well as mineral fertilisers, technical support, and on-site agricultural trainings to support farmers to improve cultivation practices and agricultural productivity. AIRFs have ensured critical and sustainable financial practices, thanks to active leaders such as Pahlavon.
Pahlavon, along with other Village Organisation leaders, devised a response plan to COVID-19. First, they used their Village Organisation Development Fund, the money they had pooled together through good harvests, to purchase masks, relevant medications and thermometers. Second, volunteers from the community helped distribute these to all households. Third, with these immediate preventative needs met, they looked for innovative solutions to imminent food shortages by contacting local entrepreneurs.
“We help people and people help us, together we work for the improvement of our community.”
-Pahlavon
Read how Pahlavon led his community in health and innovation in the midst of COVID-19 in this full interview:
How are you contributing to the fight against this pandemic? Why are you taking action?
In the Zong sub-district we have 5 villages and 8 AIRFs. Myself along with other leaders in the sub-districts are appointed by community members and we feel responsible for supporting people to overcome any difficulties faced by our community. We help people and people help us, together we work for the improvement of our community. When I heard that roads will be closed with other countries, and even travelling to Khorog will be reduced, I called the heads of the Village Organisations and AIRFs for informal, outdoor meetings. We discussed the situation getting tense and the possible shortage of food, not only in the region, but in the whole country. Thus, we designed a new response plan for the Zong community and repurposed our AIRF resources.
From the Village Organisation Development Fund, we used some amount of our funds to buy chlorine, used to chlorinate streets and public places. If any households have COVID, we help disinfect their homes as well. Some community members also took loans from the Village Organisation fund for households needs.
We contacted local entrepreneurs and offered them loans from AIRF for the provision of food products to Zong. As a result, local entrepreneur Sarqaev Nekbakhtsho took a TJS 16,000 loan for supplying flour to Isor Village. In Langar village, the AIRF ordered flour for TJS 20,000 and gave it to individual households on a loan basis, so when the economic situation improves, the families will be requested to repay the loan back. Our entrepreneurs are aware that we can provide them with more funding if required for the provision of food products to Zong.
We have a strong community in Russia as well, and we contacted them early on and jointly designed plans on how we will support our community. They were well aware of the situation since COVID-19 reached Russia much earlier, and they contributed 100,000 Rubles (around USD 10,000) to Zong Jamoat (district). With that money we purchased masks, relevant medications and thermometers, and distributed funds to all households through community volunteers.
We also allocated test centres at the entrance of villages where our community volunteers are standing all day long. If any vehicle enters the village, our volunteers will disinfect the cars, provide antiseptics and conduct temperature checks on everyone who enters the village. In case someone’s temperature is high, we quarantine them for 14 days and our local doctors take care of them.
What is an object you use every day that helps you in the fight against COVID19? Why or how does it help you?
I am serving as a community leader in Zong for more than 10 years now and my knowledge, skills and experience helps me to timely plan, mobilise relevant people and resources to meet community needs.
What is one thing you would like to say to the rest of the world, about this global challenge we are all facing together?
From God I ask for protection, safety and good health for people around the world despite their nationality, race and belief. I hope the global pandemic will take a bow sooner rather than later. I hope very soon we will have the chance to visit each other’s homes again.
Learn more about AKDN’s work in Tajikistan here.
