SICA Success Stories

Access to quality healthcare remains a critical challenge facing communities in northern Kazakhstan. In the city of Petropavl, a dearth of qualified personnel combined with frequent downtime of medical equipment in the local state-run hospital means patients in critical need of services face long wait times, and often go without.

Petropavl is home to four magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, serving a population of over 200,000 people. Just one of these devices is housed in the local public hospital; the remaining three belong to private clinics, which also receive state funds. More than 57 million KZT (133,000 USD) is spent annually on their maintenance. Patient access to the machines, however, remains limited.

“My neurologist ordered me an MRI at the regional hospital. But the queue for a scan stretched several months. I couldn’t get an appointment until late May, by which point my referral was no longer valid. How can that be?” lamented one patient. “I could go to a clinic, but do I have to then pay out-of-pocket for the scan? This should be included under national health coverage, but it’s not.” With an Innovative Solutions Grant under USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia Program, local civic organizations Tugan Zher and the First Anti-Corruption Media Center decided to investigate. The project team sent undercover patients to local medical facilities in search of care.

One patient attempted to make an appointment for an abdominal scan at the local hospital. The scan would be covered under national health guidelines. The patient requested an appointment in April 2021, to no avail. According to hospital staff, the wait list for the month of May was closed, and the hospital was not yet scheduling patients for June. The patient’s only alternative was to seek a scan at a local clinic, where he would be required to pay out-of-pocket. This experience was common throughout the city.

When Nursultan, a young boy with cerebral palsy, attends communication courses, his mother, Zhanna, joins him—not to wait while he learns, but to participate in her own skill-building courses. Both mother and son are honing new talents with the help of Batyr, a civic organization and member of USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) Institutional Development Program (IDP).

Batyr (“Hero”) opened in 2012 to champion the rights of vulnerable groups in Kazakhstan’s Aqmola region. The organization supports people with disabilities and their families through skill-building and social inclusion opportunities. In 2021, Batyr joined IDP, hoping to maximize its performance and develop modern methodologies to help children like Nursultan connect with a broader community. Previously, Nursultan communicated by arranging paper letters to form words. Now, this sociable student is practicing his typing and communication skills through Batyr’s computer literacy training. Using a computer, Nursultan can express his thoughts more readily.

When children are young, they enjoy ample opportunities for development—after-school programs, library initiatives, and the like. But as young people grow, many of these opportunities fade away, replaced by the demands of school, work and family life. Not so for the young minds of Stepnogorsk, Kazakhstan.

As a young person herself, Zarina Salimova dreamed of creating a safe space where teens and young adults could immerse themselves in new ideas and pursuits. She enrolled her organization, Jana Urpaq STEP, in the Institutional Development Program (IDP) offered under USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program to bring this dream to life.

In Kazakhstan, an estimated 70 percent of public infrastructure is inaccessible to people with disabilities. Karlygash Kulzhanova’s hometown of Talgar is no exception. Recognizing the danger posed by lack of accessible public spaces, Karlygash teamed up with fellow disability rights advocates to push for change. To start, Karlygash and her colleagues mobilized a needs assessment by the Kazakh Society of the Blind. Based on these results, they decided to target areas that lacked walkways for visually impaired residents. Accessible walkways, they believed, would result in safer movement and wayfinding across streets for people with disabilities throughout the city.

In partnership with Samga-N, a local disability rights organization, Karlygash applied for an Innovative Solutions grant from USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia program. In February 2021, Karlygash participated in a focus group uniting local stakeholders, including the vice-akim for the Talgar region, a representative from the Talgar municipal government, representatives of the road commission and department of civic works, the director of Samga-N, and fellow concerned citizens. Together, they decided on a location for a new accessible walkway, to be constructed along a main throughway in Talgar.

Between March and September 2020, emergency COVID-19 procurement in Kazakhstan amounted to nearly $1 billion. As the crisis deepened and citizens across the country became increasingly dependent on state healthcare, so too did activists begin to question the effectiveness of public health spending. USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia program supported Kazakhstani citizens to independently monitor government spending, advocate for improved emergency procurement procedures and champion the public interest during the COVID-19 crisis.

In the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan, as the pandemic dragged on, citizens recognized a dearth of critical medical supplies, including life-saving drugs and medical equipment. With support from a Transparency and Advocacy Grant, members of the Mangystau Oblast Civil Alliance undertook a six-month public spending watchdog campaign. Between October 2020 and March 2021, e-procurement specialists trained citizens across Mangystau region in effective public procurement monitoring. Using open data available through Kazakhstan’s public e-procurement system, combined with a government-supplied filter for COVID-19-related contracts, citizens of Mangystau analyzed high risk, potentially corrupt tenders. The project revealed dubious purchases of various medical devices, including fans and personal hygiene items, by regional agencies.

Across Kazakhstan, education and recreation resources for youth with disabilities remain limited, especially in rural areas. Despite state efforts to introduce inclusive education in schools nationwide, most youth with disabilities in Kazakhstan still do not have access to high-quality, inclusive education or leisure activities. Many families choose to homeschool their children due to lack of appropriate training for teachers, low accessibility in schools and a fear of social stigma. Consequently, youth with disabilities are often confined to their homes and fully dependent on their caregivers.

Since 2013, Atyrau’s Zhurekten Zhurekke (“From Heart to Heart”), a charitable foundation, has supported vulnerable groups across Kazakhstan, including youth with disabilities and their families. The organization has opened branches in nine cities across Kazakhstan and supported more than 1,000 families of youth with disabilities through trainings, workshops, fundraising and awareness campaigns. In January 2021, with support from USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia program, Zhurekten Zhurekke launched a series of workshops in Atyrau for youth with disabilities and their caregivers. Participants learned creative skills, including sewing, illustration and clay and plaster sculpting. Workshops provided an outlet for self-expression and boosted youth's problem-solving, communication, coordination and motor skills. As a result of the workshops, one participant secured a job as a tailor in a local textile shop, and three others started their own creative businesses.

Kayirzhan Aisin is a young eco-activist from Petropavl, a small city in northern Kazakhstan. For the past nine years, Kayirzhan has dedicated himself to conserving local ecosystems.

“The environmental situation in my town was dire. Papers, empty bottles and plastic bags littered the recreational areas of Petropavl. People seemed woefully unaware of how and what to recycle.” Galvanized by what he saw, Kayirzhan took the initiative to help his town and community. He founded Vtorsyrye, a company that collects broken and damaged electrical equipment, plastic, wastepaper and other recyclable materials. To amplify his impact, Kayirzhan partnered with students from schools across the city. Each year, they collected and sorted recyclable materials and raised funds for people fighting cancer and other serious illnesses. But for Kayirzhan, this was just the beginning.

“In my many interactions with students and other members of my community, I recognized the need for a space for citizens to come together to learn more about recycling and alternative ways of making our surroundings cleaner and more eco-friendly. I dreamt of helping more people, promoting recycling to a broader audience, and implementing more eco projects, all of which required funding,” When he learned of the Youth Leadership Grants (YLG) offered under USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia program, he jumped at the opportunity.

With YLG support, Kayirzhan launched Eco Life, an environmental stewardship program. Eco Life aims to improve the environmental situation in Petropavl by offering practical classes and hands-on opportunities to engage with and improve the environment.

COVID-19 has reshaped innumerable aspects of public and private life and responding to the rapidly evolving crisis has proven a challenge for governments. Many countries, including those in Central Asia, quickly lifted standard rules on public procurements to shorten wait times, reduce due diligence requirements and often provide full pre-payment to vendors for services or goods. Not surprisingly, several corruption and fraud scandals quickly emerged. With governments reducing their oversight responsibility and often unable to conduct the necessary quality control, the greater civic oversight by transparency organizations, journalists, researchers and other civil society experts from Central Asia is needed.

To help meet this need and raise awareness and share expertise on civic oversight of procurement, the USAID Civil Society Support Program in Central Asia (CSSP), implemented by Eurasia Foundation (EF), held a joint webinar entitled "Viral Procurement.” Drawing upon its procurement reform program in Ukraine, EF staff quickly identified civil society experts from countries in the Eurasian region with substantive experience in procurement oversight. Held on 26 May 2020, the webinar brought 89 experts from Austria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan together to discuss two primary questions: “How are state funds spent on fighting coronavirus?” and “How do we track how those funds are spent?”

While the Government of Uzbekistan continues to enact reforms in various sectors, gains for civil society remain limited. Nonetheless, with support from the USAID Civil Society Support Program in Central Asia (CSSP), implemented by Eurasia Foundation (EF), independent civil society leaders have recently capitalized on the opportunities still available to advocate for policy and legislation based on the needs of the country’s diverse civil society organizations rather than the priorities of a closed circle of government policymakers. Through CSSP, EF facilitated a robust dialogue on Uzbekistan’s draft law for social entrepreneurship in March 2020. To support the dialogue, EF created a network of dedicated Telegram channels and groups for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Uzbekistan, and then organized discussions, connected experts and supported broad dissemination of the draft law to a wide cross-section of civil society leaders. After this successful experience, the Telegram channels and group were then re-purposed for an in-depth review of Uzbekistan’s new NGO Code. The platforms launched in March initially brought together members of Uzbek civil society to review and discuss draft law No. ID-16188 “On Social Entrepreneurship,” which had been posted online by the Ministry of Justice for public discussion. The draft law has promise and addressed priority areas and tasks for the country’s development in 2020 as articulated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Considering the potential impact of the law on civil society and its financial sustainability and given the lack of response from the country’s legal sector, EF’s CSSP team created the Telegram group to encourage discussion among NGOs. Through active facilitation – constantly inviting knowledgeable and influential civil society leaders to join the discussion, prompting group members to share their opinions and providing translation services – the CSSP team helped participating NGOs provide substantive, and at times critical, comments based on their own experiences and recommendations for removing barriers to financial sustainability through social enterprise. Following a robust series of discussions, members of the group posted their recommendations on the Ministry of Justice website.

Nodira Kholova, director of the Bukhara Regional Association of Reproductive Health, has been concerned about the dearth of accessible information on reproductive health in Uzbekistan for many years. "Being an obstetrician-gynecologist, I wanted to emphasize the significance of women's psychological and physical health and the need for comprehensive sex education,” shares Nodira. “My tenure in the public sector provided insights into systemic gaps and potential remedies.”

In 2018, Nodira founded the Bukhara Regional Association of Reproductive Health, an NGO dedicated to supporting reproductive health, preventing early marriages, upholding women's reproductive rights, offering sex education, and equipping families with reliable information on healthy family planning and pregnancy preparedness.

"I founded this organization out of concern that insufficient knowledge and preparation [before pregnancy] can lead to health complications or even fatal outcomes. Despite my passion, I lacked a team, infrastructure, equipment and, most importantly, funds. Then we noticed an announcement about a grant from Eurasia Foundation," shares Nodira.

With a grant from the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program, implemented by Eurasia Foundation, the association rented an office and established Ona Bola (“Mother Child” in Uzbek) Motherhood School. Ona Bola Motherhood School provides tailored medical and psychological consultations to women of reproductive age, equipping them with essential knowledge for safeguarding their reproductive health. Fifty pregnant women and individuals from vulnerable backgrounds received training from maternity specialists, obstetrician-gynecologists, and psychologists on reproductive health, family planning, childbirth, and motherhood preparation. A novel element of this program was the inclusion of regional bloggers, who amplified the initiative's reach by sharing insights from the training across social media platforms.

Statelessness often deprives individuals of their fundamental rights, leaving them without access to education, healthcare, or legal employment, which makes them especially susceptible to exploitation. This vulnerability is starkly illustrated by a report from the UNHCR, which reveals that 25,413 individuals in Uzbekistan are stateless. A significant portion of this population can trace their lack of citizenship back to the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, which resulted in a surge in statelessness across Central Asia due to the emergence of new nations and borders.

For over two decades, the NGO Istiqbolli Avlod (meaning “future generation” in Uzbek) has provided crucial social and legal aid to individuals lacking state passports. Founded in 2001, the organization commits itself to uplift socially vulnerable segments within Uzbekistan. Their mission supports the repatriation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of survivors of human trafficking and illicit migration.

Shokhida Kasymova, project lead at Istiqbolli Avlod, observes, "There are clear patterns in the challenges we address. It's alarming how frequently the traps of deception and human trafficking involve those known to the victims—be it friends, family, or acquaintances. Perpetrators confiscate the victims' personal documents and property, secure loans in their names, or even engage in human trafficking. Sadly, these predicaments often stem from [victims’] lack of awareness about [their] rights and protections."

The USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program, implemented by Eurasia Foundation, provided Istiqbolli Avlod with an Innovative Solution Grant (ISG) to launch 20 awareness-raising campaigns on human trafficking and illegal migration in Tashkent's border regions. As a result of the campaigns, more than 50 at-risk individuals are now receiving direct assistance from Istiqbolli Avlod, including legal advice and connections to law enforcement representatives.

Khondamir Asanov (name changed), a 64-year-old who escaped from forced labor, is a testament to the invaluable support offered by Istiqbolli Avlod. Deceived by a homeowner in Qibray after assisting in a home renovation, Khondamir endured two decades of involuntary servitude. "I took on a refurbishment job in Qibray, hoping to earn some extra money on a friend's recommendation," Khondamir shares. An adept craftsman, he refurbished the house and set up its electrical system. When his USSR passport neared its expiration, Khondamir sought assistance from the homeowner, who held a government position, to secure a new Uzbekistani passport. Instead of aid, the homeowner seized his passport and coerced Khondamir into relentless, unpaid labor.

Statistical data reveals a concerning gender disparity in education in Tajikistan, which intensifies as individuals progress through the educational system: at the higher education level, only 38.5 percent of graduates are women (UNESCO). Muqaddas Khomidjonova, a dedicated philology educator in Tajikistan, attributes this stark divide to deeply entrenched cultural norms that prioritize marriage over higher education for women in Tajikistan.

“Women in rural areas of Tajikistan encounter unique challenges in their pursuit of STEM education. Limited access to quality educational institutions is a primary concern,” Muqaddas shares. “Additionally, cultural norms and expectations play a significant role: families may not see the value of investing in their daughters' STEM education when they expect them to marry and take on household responsibilities at a young age.”

Recognizing the urgent need to address this pervasive issue, Muqaddas and her 19-year-old daughter, Nozanin, founded Shams ("Sunshine” in Tajik), an NGO located in the quaint city of Guliston in the Sogdian region. One Shams initiative is the Win the Future project, aimed at readying schoolgirls from rural areas to pursue higher education in STEM. With the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program's support, 127 young women completed comprehensive training in physics, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, and vital soft skills.

During the Soviet era in Kazakhstan, an estimated 70 percent of traditional Kazakh crafts were lost or destroyed, resulting in the dissappearance of the knowledge required to recreate them. As a result, many textile embroidery techniques used to create clothing, footwear, headgear, and various interior items now teeter on the edge of extinction. "It's a regrettable loss of our tangible cultural heritage. The Soviet era, with its policies, posed the greatest threat to our cultural identity. Now, our task is to painstakingly rebuild our understanding of traditional ornamentation," comments Aizhan Bekkulova, Chairwoman of the Union of Artisans. The USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) project supported the Union of Artisans of Kazakhstan to create an online database showcasing traditional Kazakh crafts. Throughout one year, the team conducted expeditions across Aqtobe, Shymkent, Pavlodar, Aqtau, Taraz, Qyzylorda, Almaty, and other regions of Kazakhstan. Their research in various Kazakh museums and visits to artisan workshops uncovered unique crafting techniques. The team digitized these findings for display on their website, presenting a vast gallery of textile designs sourced from both museum and private collections across Kazakhstan. The website also features a comprehensive bibliography about the symbolism, history, and cultural legacy of Kazakh ornamentation, aimed to inspire emerging creatives.

Samal Rakhatova studied social media management in university, but she had trouble finding a job in the field upon graduation. She worked other jobs but felt unfulfilled and distanced from her passion. Eventually, she quit her job and became virtually unemployed—until she found Promising Professions for the Future, a project supported by USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA).

Support for Initiatives—a civil society organization based in Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan—launched Promising Professions for the Future: Solving the Unemployment Problem to help thousands of youth like Samal. Since 2020, the unemployment rate has increased in nearly half of Kazakhstan. Recent university graduates may experience long periods of unemployment before finding a job—sometimes not even related to their field of study. When 18,406 people recently applied for work at the Kyzylorda employment office, only 8,441 applicants, fewer than half, found jobs.

In 2016, Elena Gareyeva returned to her native town of Turkmenabad, Turkmenistan, after her studies, which included time in the United States, Kyrgyzstan, Italy and Croatia. Since then, she has been working for herself, teaching English. After rich experiences of teaching and studying abroad, Elena recognized that young people in Turkmenabad wanted similar opportunities for self-expression and exploration. And with quarantine limiting opportunities to engage actively with others or society, this isolation could affect young people’s mental and physical health.

Zahira Begalieva has long been promoting the rights of people with disabilities in Kazakhstan and helping them secure jobs through ITeachMe Competence Development Center. Zahira, who herself lives with a serious musculoskeletal disease, knows firsthand how critical accessibility and inclusion can be. "The life of a person with a disability comes with constant barriers. We sometimes don’t feel fully present or comfortable with ourselves. We cannot always go where we want to go, we cannot always work where we want to…because there are not always ramps or proper infrastructure," Zahira said. Zahira’s son Dauren, an IT student, first inspired her to launch innovative, online professional development courses for people with disabilities. "The Internet is here!” Dauren told his mother, “It's a colossal platform with limitless possibilities."

For decades, Firuza's (name changed) marriage was characterized by violence. "We had problems in our family, [such as] beatings,” Firuza shares. "[My husband] had a habit of raising his hand against me, making the whole family and myself utterly desolate." Fearful of the societal implications of leaving, for both herself and her children, Firuza tolerated this abuse for more than thirty years. Yet, in 2022, when Firuza discovered her husband had struck their 23-year-old daughter, she decided to file for divorce, even if it meant fighting for her case against all odds.

"At the time, my daughter, Mariyam (name changed), was very depressed," reflects Firuza. "We began searching for clinics and psychologists who would help her—and myself—find mental strength and peace."

Gozel Muradaliyeva's passion for community development has propelled her throughout her career, beginning as a teacher and later as a dedicated community worker. As she gained valuable experience from participating in various initiatives, she always aspired to create something of her own. In 2014, her vision came to life with the establishment of Dap-Dessur [“Folk Art” in Turkmen], an organization committed to supporting young people and women through diverse skill development programs and projects. Through the collaborative efforts of the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program and the International Organization for Migration in Turkmenistan (IOM), Dap-dessur launched a sewing workshop social enterprise. Within four months, the enterprise provided comprehensive training in sewing and tailoring to 45 women from vulnerable backgrounds. As part of this initiative, the women utilized their newfound skills to create 30 sets of children's clothes, which were then distributed to orphanages and children from low-income families.

Globally, people with disabilities experience significantly higher unemployment rates compared to the general population . Dilmurad Yusupov and his team at Sharoit Plus in Uzbekistan are determined to change the status quo. Through their NGO, they established the groundbreaking website IshPlus.uz, which aims to foster socialization, skill development, and integration by helping individuals with disabilities join the workforce. With the support of a grant from the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program, Dilmurad expanded his team, developed a mobile application, and successfully facilitated the employment of more than 130 individuals with disabilities in just six months.

Transforma is an influential cultural space in Almaty, Kazakhstan, founded in 2017 to address meaningful social issues via the arts. By offering thought-provoking performances and educational programs, Transforma sparks dialogue and reflection on various societal challenges. In less than three years, the art space staged over 150 theater performances, lectures, and workshops. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Transforma’s progress, as the team was forced to cancel performances while still bearing the financial burden of maintaining the art space. In 2022, as lockdown restrictions across Kazakhstan were lifted and Transforma’s prospects appeared to be improving, building owners unexpectedly raised rent by sevenfold, posing a challenge that the Transforma management could not have foreseen.

In Kazakhstan, non-governmental organizations often obtain funding through state social contracts (SSC). Within this system, the government provides financial support to NGOs working to address significant social issues. Though the government provides guidelines on how to apply for state social contracts, many NGOs still struggle to secure them due to insufficient understanding of procedural details. To address this issue and improve NGOs’ chances of winning SSCs, the NGO Zhayik Tany ["The Dawn of Zhayik River" in Kazakh] created a comprehensive roadmap and recommendations to help both government agencies and NGOs procure and execute projects that tackle social issues.

Insufficient access to quality healthcare, social support, and infrastructure poses significant obstacles for people with disabilities in Central Asia. This issue is particularly acute in Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan. For years, children with disabilities living in Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan, have had limited access to rehabilitation facilities. Thanks to a USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program grant, Children and Families Support Association launched free, tailored rehabilitation programs for more than 60 children with musculoskeletal disorders residing in Nukus.

Nargiz Rahmanova was only 19 when she found herself solely responsible for raising her child. As a young single mother with no formal education, she had to take a job at a local factory and struggled to balance work and childcare. This experience led her to realize her passion for advocating for the rights of women like herself.

"I have witnessed numerous young single mothers, just like me, struggling with debt, lack of education, economic poverty, and social expectations,” Nargiz shares. “This made me question the root cause of this problem and how to change it."

In 2020, Nargiz founded the NGO Sogdiana and enrolled in the Central Asia Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA) within the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia program. CAYLA helped Nargiz foster her skills as a nonprofit leader. Since then, Nargiz has implemented several significant social projects that helped over 100 women in her hometown of Uchquduq enhance job skills, find work, or start their own businesses.

In 2015, Kazakhstan launched an electronic platform with open public access to state procurement processes. The move was widely regarded as a significant step in fighting state procurement corruption, a persistent challenge for the country since its independence in 1991. In a bid to support government reforms on monitoring state spending, a team of procurement monitoring professionals created Kun Jarygy (Sunlight in Kazakh), a coalition of 23 NGOs and 32 experts that focus on procurement monitoring and public spending transparency. With the support of Eurasia Foundation's Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program and global transparency watchdog Open Contracting Partnership (OCP), the coalition has effectively overseen 270 purchases with violations. "A key aspect of public monitoring is ensuring that citizens, as the ultimate beneficiaries of state expenditures, receive high-quality goods and services at reasonable prices," says Nurgali Rakhmanov, a co-founder and an active member of the coalition. "Since the 2015 reform, citizens of Kazakhstan can view and monitor how public funds are utilized, particularly in areas that directly affect their lives. Our mission is to educate them how to monitor public spending effectively to ensure they receive quality services for their taxes."

Sanovbar Raupova, leader of Nerubakhsh NGO, initially pursued a career in finance. However, she found her true calling in disability rights advocacy after getting involved with activist groups in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. “As a person with a disability, I was fortunate to grow up in a community where I was not isolated from society and had access to most opportunities,” Sanovbar shares. “However, once I delved into activist work, I realized this is still not a reality of many people living with disabilities. This prompted me to rethink my career trajectory, and ultimately led me to dedicate myself entirely to this field."

Kasym Jumayev grew up in a village near Dashoguz, a city in northern Turkmenistan located along the Shavat canal, an offshoot of the Amu Darya river. Since the diversion of Amu Darya for agricultural needs in the 1960s, the water level in Shavat has been gradually declining. For Kasym's family and fellow villagers engaged in agriculture, water loss posed a significant challenge. "Growing up, I assisted my family in cultivating a variety of crops. There were years when [Shavat] ran nearly dry, forcing us to painstakingly irrigate each field and bush by hand."

Kasym observed that women were the most affected, as they had to take on additional household and income-generating responsibilities. After designing a water-saving irrigator in university, Kasym sought to find sustainable solutions that enabled women to produce goods and support their families in the face of an escalating water crisis. This is how he came across Central Asia Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA), the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia's (SICA) program elevating forward-thinking youth across Central Asia through educational activities and grant opportunities.

The dissemination of false information and the proliferation of online fraud pose significant issues for internet security worldwide. Uzbekistan is no exception, as over 35 percent of respondents surveyed by the grassroots research institute "Public Opinion" struggled to distinguish between objective and subjective information, critically evaluate information, or verify the validity of information presented to them. Zilola Jamolova, a teacher at the Academic Lyceum of Jizzakh State Pedagogical University, found this problem especially alarming after witnessing several of her students fall victim to blackmail, deception, and online fraud.

"As a teacher, I spend a lot of time in classrooms, and once in a while I hear stories from students about cases of online fraud, stalking or fake news that they or their relatives have fallen victims to," Zilola says. "I can’t forget the harrowing case where a 26-year-old man from Andijan impersonated a schoolgirl to coerce a 10-year-old girl into sending him intimate photographs and videos. In that particular case, the man was sentenced for a coercion attempt. Tragically, though, there are many cases where online fraud or the dissemination of false information result in suicide, loss of savings, or even human trafficking."

The issue of violence against women remains a significant concern in Central Asia. United Nations data from 2023 indicates that one in three women in the region has experienced physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. According to research conducted by the Eurasian Research Institute, Uzbekistan is ranked 62th out of 162 countries in terms of gender equality. Other Central Asian countries face similar situations, with Kazakhstan in 44th and Tajikistan in 70th place. These rankings are influenced by critical issues such as high maternal mortality rates, high teenage birth rates, and low female representation in parliament, indicating significant challenges in achieving gender equality.

Unwilling to remain on the sidelines, Yudjina Shin, a civil activist and beneficiary of the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program, decided to address the issue by launching an Instagram channel no.hate.power, to raise awareness on the topic of gender equality in Central Asia. Thanks to a grant from USAID’s SICA, the channel became a popular platform, garnering over 1000 subscribers, with a total reach of 48,000 people (Telegram and Instagram).

"Statistics reveal that girls in Central Asia encounter systemic discrimination, with the gender gap resulting in unfair treatment of women and girls in the workplace, families, and society at large. One major issue seems to be the lack of legal literacy among girls. To promote gender equality and empower women and girls, it is crucial to challenge and change the stereotypical expectations that society imposes on women. We need to openly discuss our rights, stand up against injustices, and prioritize information campaigns and educational programs," Yudjina explains.

Alina Ilnitskaya, an activist from Kazakhstan, provides critical support to women and girls who have suffered from sexual violence and abuse. Her path to activism is rooted in her own deeply personal experiences. "As a child, I was sexually abused. Between the ages of 10, 11, and 12, I couldn't fully grasp what was happening to me, so I convinced myself it was happening to someone else and that I was merely an observer," she recounts. It took Alina many years to take the first step toward seeking professional help and discussing her experiences. "Survivors of violence frequently battle not only with feelings of shame and guilt but also with denial. Convincing ourselves that everything is okay is a coping mechanism that helps us move forward, yet it signifies the silent struggle many survivors endure," Alina explains. This insight motivated her to engage in activism, with the goal of offering support to sexual violence survivors throughout Central Asia. One of her key initiatives is Būlbūl, an Instagram channel and Telegram bot dedicated to assisting victims of sexual violence.

Gulzoda Avazova, the director of Taskin NGO, has observed injustices and violence against women throughout her life. Previously, she encountered a manager who consistently harassed female employees. Her decisive action led to his dismissal. This experience galvanized her commitment to advocate for women's legal rights, prompting her to pursue work in the field of women's legal protection.

"My neighbors, colleagues, acquaintances, and relatives frequently confided in me about harassment or violence they endured. Many women felt their only recourse was to confide in a friend or whisper to a neighbor about being physically abused or thrown out of their homes with their children. I couldn't stand by as a mere listener. I advised them on where to seek help and encouraged girls and women to pursue justice. I believe that silence only perpetuates the cycle of violence. It's crucial to speak out to end this enduring issue," she notes.

Nurgali Rakhmanov is the head of the NGO Digital Society and a graduate of the Policy Research School (PRS), an initiative of the USAID-funded Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program. For years, Nurgali has been interested in the public procurement system. In 2021, he stumbled upon an ad in social networks calling for applications to SICA’s Policy Research School.

For 21 years, Madina Yergaliyeva has led Initiative Support, an NGO that tackles socio-economic challenges. Since then Madina has been assisting in improving the situation in the healthcare system, increasing the access of citizens of Kazakhstan, including those living in the Aral Sea ecological disaster zone, to medical services. Living in Qyzylorda, a town in southern Kazakhstan close to the Aral Sea, Madina knows firsthand about the direct impact that ecological issues have on local life. For years, the irreversible processes of environmental degradation due to the shrinkage of the Aral Sea have worsened living conditions and ecology in the region.

Yekaterina Geldimuradova, a former school teacher in Turkmenistan, was eager to improve the existing education system’s approach to child development. "The conventional system fosters conformist behavior, where children are expected to simply do as they are told, without enough opportunities for self-expression and creativity," says Yekaterina. "This can result in a lack of self-awareness and boundary-setting skills and can even make them feel unimportant." In response to this problem, Yekaterina launched the first Montessori-based education center in Turkmenistan, Perzent Bilim Merkezi (“Children’s Education Center”).

For many years, cases of torture by law enforcement officers in Kazakhstan have not reached the court, as victims lacked evidence and access to complaint mechanisms. Yet after January 2022, when a series of mass protests triggered by a sudden surge in gas prices led to violent clashes between protesters and police, numerous reports of torture and cruel police treatment surfaced. The need for a more effective mechanism for filing complaints and investigating cases of torture became more pronounced. In response to this need, the Expert Independent Research Institute (EIRI) Public Foundation, with the support of USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) program, launched a project to combat torture of Kazakhstanis by state law enforcement agencies. The team created an educational website and a series of free videos that has helped more than 5,000 victims of torture find step-by-step procedures to protect their rights. Moreover, thanks to SICA support, the organization conducted workshops and roundtables for law enforcement officials that received public recognition and more than 20 media mentions.

On December 8, 2022, local news about the death of a lone snow leopard on the outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan, went viral. According to the autopsy, the death resulted from a plastic bag found in the animal’s stomach. For Menli Atayeva, a Central Asia Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA) alumna from Turkmenistan, cases like this are an alarming testimony to human-caused ecological disaster. “Given that there are only about 180 snow leopards left in Kazakhstan, it is essential we do something to battle the extinction of this species,” she says.

Maruf Aliyev was a well-known public figure in Kokand, Uzbekistan, when he was asked to head the newly minted Public Council for Kokand’s hokimiyat (city administration) in 2019. “At that time the councils were a new phenomenon, created for the implementation of the procedures outlined in Public Control Law [of 2018],” Maruf notes. Public councils intended to bridge the gap between the public and the state, but Maruf soon noticed that the reality was far from the ideal.

Natalya Plotnikova knows firsthand how isolating the life of a person with disabilities can be. At the age of 11 months, she fell off a table and broke her spine. Since then, she has used crutches and a wheelchair. In 2000, Natalya founded Opa Singillar (“Sisters”) Qibray Society for Women with Disabilities, an NGO that provides legal and psychological support and hard skills seminars for women and girls with disabilities living in Qibray district outside Tashkent, Uzbekistan. For years, difficulties with financing hindered the organization’s development. Thanks to an Institutional Development Grant (IDG) from USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) project, Natalya and her team have developed and implemented a new strategic plan that boosts their number of beneficiaries and donors. The grant has also allowed Natalya to fully refurbish her office to provide access for all beneficiaries using wheelchairs.

Samal Rakhatova studied social media management in university, but she had trouble finding a job in the field upon graduation. She worked other jobs but felt unfulfilled and distanced from her passion. Eventually, she quit her job and became virtually unemployed, until she found Promising Professions for the Future, a project supported by USAID’s Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA).

SICA’s institutional development experts helped Zahira Begaliyeva and her team revise the organization's mission, which ultimately helped forge new partnerships and attract new donors.

Zhandos Meirmanov hails from Karagandy, an industrial city in the heart of Kazakhstan. Growing up, Zhandos studied in a Kazakh-language school and spoke Kazakh at home. At university, he joined the local debate club. This political science major credits debate for honing his communication, argumentation, and problem-solving skills. The catch? Debates only took place in Russian.

Farrukh Umarov, 29, from Tajikistan, is an Oxford University graduate and the founder of Ilmhona, a tech skills acceleration center. He was born in Istaravshan, a small city in northern Tajikistan, to a family of labor migrants. Farrukh's father, like hundreds of thousands of Tajiks, migrated to Russia when the boy was only 10.

Many people look to warmer seasons with anticipation, excited for all that the good weather has in store—but not Vladislav. As a neighbor to the community landfill, Vladislav balked at the smell brought by warmer weather as heaps of litter baked in the summer sun. “It is really difficult to thrive in these conditions,” he says. “At some point you realize that you need to take action and make a change.”