Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

IATP News from Central Asia

January 22-February 3, 2005

KAZAKHSTAN

IATP users
Raikhan Khobdabergenova and a
fellow member of the penitentiary
monitoring commission work on the
grant proposal in Shymkent,
Kazakhstan

Alumna Wins Grant that Improves Human Rights Legislation
On February 1, Raikhan Khobdabergenova (IV 99), head of the Lawyers’ Association, called the IATP access site in Shymkent to let the staff know that Kazakhstani President Nazarbayev had signed a decree to improve human rights for prisoners, thanks to work she completed at the IATP access site in Shymkent. President Nazarbayev added articles that establish prison observer commissions in every region into the Criminal Enforcement Code. The articles are a result of Khobdabergenova’s initiative and research. A prominent lawyer, she formed a group with five colleagues to propose a project, using the IATP access site for computer and Internet resources. IATP staff taught Khobdabergenova computer and Internet applications that helped her compile a proposal and send it to the American Bar Association’s Central East European Law Initiative (ABA-CEELI) public service project. ABA-CEELI advances the rule of law in the world by supporting the legal reform process in Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East. A month later, she learned she had won $7,000 to create a penitentiary system observer commission of five lawyers. Throughout October 2004, the commission visited five prisons in southern Kazakhstan and monitored prison conditions. As a result of their work, the commission members wrote a detailed appeal to Parliament to include additional provisions on human rights for prisoners. The commissions can freely visit and monitor prisons in order to secure the rights of prisoners. Raikhan commented, “If it weren’t for the grant, that was prepared through resources provided at the IATP site, this tremendously important change in the human rights situation would not have happened.”

IATP and Teachers

Approximately 600 teachers use IATP resources each month;
More than 20,000 teachers have registered at IATP access sites;
IATP has trained more than 15,000 teachers through its many courses designed for educators.

class
IATP staff introduces local residents
to Web design in Karaganda,
Kazakhstan

Librarians Create New Websites in Karaganda, Kazakhstan
On January 24, ten local residents posted eight new websites to IATP’s server after completing a week-long Web design course at the IATP access site in Karaganda. IATP staff introduced the participants to the basic features of website editing software and taught them how to design a website, create links, optimize images for the Web, and create a user-friendly layout. As a result, Lydia Vlasova, a librarian from Balkhash, a city in eastern Kazakhstan, created a website dedicated to the most prominent social figures of her hometown. The new Web resource contains detailed information about the city founders, World War II veterans, artists, and sports figures, including the biography of Vassiliy Zhirov, who won a gold medal in boxing at the Olympics in 1996. Librarian Akmaral Tusupbekova from the Regional Scientific Library, IATP’s partner organization, posted a website about her library’s environmental club. The Web resource describes the club’s mission and calendar of activities, which includes roundtables with governmental and nongovernmental organizations on environmental issues. Tusupbekova commented, “I’m not an IT-savvy person at all, but due to IATP staff’s great training and assistance, I created a useful and interesting resource by myself. The website will help attract more residents of Karaganda to our club.” The new websites raised the total number to 915 resources hosted by IATP in Kazakhstan, representing nearly 18% of the Web content hosted in the country.

KYRGYZSTAN

US Ambassador Stephen M. Young
(left) and Assistant Public Affairs
Officer Rachel Cooke (right) join
the online chat from the IREX office
in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

US Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Chats with Alumni about Upcoming Parliamentary Elections
On January 25, twenty-two alumni of US government–sponsored exchange programs joined US Ambassador Stephen M. Young for an online discussion of the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 27. During the online discussion, Ambassador Young gave an overview of recent developments in the country from the perspective of the US government and answered questions posed by alumni. The ambassador dispelled the doubts Joldoshbay Osmonov (CC 03) from Jalalabat expressed about the effectiveness of the hand markings to be used during elections by noting that the ink had no negative health effect and was successfully used in dozens of countries around the world, effectively preventing multiple voting. The ink cannot be washed off or erased, but naturally biodegrades over several days. “I am proud to tell you that at the (Kyrgyzstani’s) government's request, the United States is fully funding the costs of the equipment and training to effectively apply this ink to your upcoming elections,” Ambassador Young remarked. Ambassador Young commented in his concluding statement, “I know I've met a number of you personally, and look forward to continuing our conversation around restaurant tables in your hometowns in the coming months.” IATP Regional Program Manager for Central Asia Colin Guard continued the online conversation with alumni from the IREX office in Tashkent, providing some perspective on recent elections in Uzbekistan. The chat served as a window for alumni on election practices in the United States and throughout the world, and through the alumni, gave Kyrgyzstan’s general public access to information not otherwise available.

IATP training
Ainura Cholponkulova (CI 96 and
Fulbright 04) conducts a workshop
at the American Corner in Talas,
Kyrgyzstan

Alumni Conduct Workshops on Advocacy and Business Communication in Talas and Osh, Kyrgyzstan
From January 19 to 27, Ainura Cholponkulova (CI 96 and Fulbright 04) conducted a course on advocacy in Talas and Anara Madalieva (CC 04) conducted a business communication workshop in Osh as part of IATP’s Alumni Mobile Training Corps (AMTC). AMTC is designed to spread the knowledge alumni gained in the United States beyond the capital cities and reach the general public outlying regions. From January 25 to 27, Madalieva conducted the business communication workshop for 15 participants, including three alumni of USG-sponsored exchange programs, at the IATP access site in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Madalieva, who visited Fitchburg College in Massachusetts on a month-long business development program, is the executive director of KOLDO, a local business support center. She traveled to Osh to share her professional experience and knowledge with policymakers, political analysts, local community leaders, and media representatives, all of whom face obstacles in effectively using information for business communication. She offered tips on constructive business communication, using information technology to communicate, team work, provision of positive feedback, and public speaking. On January 19 and 20, Cholponkulova led an advocacy workshop for 24 employees of government agencies, NGOs, international organizations, and small businesses at the American Corner in Talas, Kyrgyzstan. Cholponkulova, who earned a PhD in Law from the Adilet School of Law in Kazakhstan in 2002 and studied at Johns Hopkins University on a Fulbright scholarship from 2003 to 2004, coordinated various education-related projects at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNDP, Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), and USAID. Over the course of the workshop, the participants explored tools used to design and implement advocacy strategies, compared case studies from Kyrgyzstan and other CIS countries, and analyzed advocacy campaigns conducted by NGOs in order to influence decision-making processes at all levels. Zamira Turukmanova, the director of Gender Equality Center, a local NGO, remarked, “[Cholponkulova]’s ability to combine expertise in advocacy and experience in teaching helped us to gain knowledge useful in our everyday work. This seminar helped me to understand legal instruments of public policy and lobbying in our country, and her case studies showed where and how to use these tools.”

TURKMENISTAN

IATP user
Shahruh Hudaybergenov learns
about DL opportunities from
Alexander Mukhamedov at the
IATP access site in Dashoguz,
Turkmenistan

Residents of Turkmenistan Introduced to Distance Learning Online
On January 25, 10 residents of Dashoguz and Turkmenabat joined an online chat on IATP’s Distance Learning (DL) program with IATP Web Development and Training Coordinator Alexander Mukhammedov. During the two-hour online discussion, Mukhammedov introduced IATP access site users to the goals of DL, its implementation, registration procedures, and required prerequisites. He covered all the courses hosted by IATP in Turkmenistan and in Kazakhstan, which include material on psychology, math, journalism, and Web design. Mukhammedov then explained how each DL course was created as a website in Moodle, a software package designed to help educators create high-quality DL courses that include lectures, tasks for students, forums, and chats. Madina Aliyeva commented, “What I learned today was really important for me. The new opportunity to study online free of charge encourages me to sign up for one of the courses and continue my education, which I couldn’t do before.” College admissions have become more competitive in the last few years as the government in Turkmenistan has passed laws restricting enrollment and requiring that high school graduates work for two years before entering college. DL matches the training skills and needs of people otherwise separated by time and space and allows people to learn without taking them away from home or the office. Through this online chat, IATP drew the public’s attention to an alternative form of education.

alumna
Law students learn to use online
resources at the Alumni Resource
Center in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Alumna Shares Legal Online Search Experience with Law Students in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
On January 29, six law students at Turkmen State University attended a workshop on Internet resources for legal research led by Jeren Niyazberdiyeva (Muskie 02) at the Alumni Resource Center in Ashgabat. Niyazberdiyeva is a lawyer who received her law degree at the University of Minnesota Law School in 2002. During her workshop, she showed the students the websites of several international organizations, online legal databases, and general search mechanisms. The participants were directed to the official website of the United Nations as the primary source of international law documentation, international human rights, and many other websites. She handed each participant a list to take home with the URLs of the websites they visited and others she recommended for individual study. Most lawyers and law students in Turkmenistan use hard copies of international law materials that are hard to find and expensive to buy. Through the Internet, students can save time and money and find everything they need when conducting research. Begench Hangeldiyev remarked, “Thanks to this workshop and IATP’s online resources, I learned a lot. For the first time, I could browse different websites and find important materials for my professional research.”

UZBEKISTAN

doctor at IATP
Dr. Aleksandr Lee browses
www.medlinks.ru for medical news

Physicians Prepare for Distance Learning Course in Urgench, Uzbekistan
From January 25 to 29, 13 physicians participated in a training course at the IATP access site in Urgench to learn basic Internet skills in preparation for taking a distance learning (DL) course to be held in cooperation with the Medical Express project. The physicians learned how to use chat and forum interfaces for online conferencing and opened new e-mail accounts to keep in touch with their colleagues. They also explored several important websites related to medicine, starting with the homepage of Medical Express, a Russian resource on diagnostic procedures, and a medical news website. Gynecologist Kudrat Jumaniyazov, commented, “Thanks to IATP training, I can now be sure that I am ready for distance learning. The course and IATP resources will definitely help me grow professionally, and make my contribution to medicine in Uzbekistan.” The DL course to be conducted in February has been developed by the Institute of Doctors’ Professional Development in Tashkent, and will be hosted on the IATP server, and is one of the first components of a comprehensive overhaul of Uzbekistan’s system of professional development for physicians, spearheaded by the Medical Express project and using IATP’s network.

PCV
Peace Corps Volunteer Nick
Smallridge assists participants
during the discussion on gender
issues at the IATP access site in
Navoi, Uzbekistan

Secondary School Students Discuss Gender Issues-related Contest in Navoi, Uzbekistan
On January 22, 18 secondary school students met online to discuss an upcoming, young writers’ essay contest at the IATP access site in Navoi, Uzbekistan. Staff of Tashabbus Women’s Center for Social Partnership organized the contest in order to raise awareness of gender-related issues and encourage reflective and creative discourse among the young people of Uzbekistan. During the online discussion, participants used English, Uzbek, and Russian to cover the linguistic needs of all participants. They discussed how to write a coherent essay, brainstormed ideas, and exchanged experiences. Many participants had participated in Peace Corps volunteers’ (PCVs) training sessions on gender issues. During the chat, the PCVs helped students formulate questions and answers in English. Afterwards, students expressed their hope that they would become one of the six finalists who will attend a day-long young writers’ workshop and awards luncheon in Tashkent. National essays will be posted on the School of Young Journalists’ website that has a section devoted to the contest, complete with an open forum for feedback and comments on the essays. The chat illustrated the ways the Internet can unite people from different organizations.

TAJIKISTAN

Volunteer, a local NGO in Khorog,
now has its official website at
www.volunteer-pamir.freenet.tj

Residents in Tursunzade and Khorog, Tajikistan, Publish New Websites
From January 24 to 28, residents created nine new websites after completing IATP Web design courses at the IATP access sites in Tursunzade and Khorog. In Tursunzade, IATP staff conducted a mobile training for five participants, who created five Web resources devoted to a wide range of topics, including college student Elena Baklanova’s personal website about her impressions of her vacation, her friends, and hobbies. In Khorog, IATP Access Site Administrator Amirsho Merovarshoev taught four trainees how to design a website, create links, optimize images for the Web, and create a user-friendly layout. As a result, Maram Azizmamadov, the director of Volunteer, a local nongovernmental organization (NGO), created the official website for his organization. It contains information about the NGO’s mission, which is to raise public awareness about the serious drug problem in Badakhshan province, conduct preventive work, assist drug addicts in obtaining medical treatment and rehabilitation, and promote healthful lifestyles among young people. The website also contains information about projects carried out by the NGO and includes an online photo gallery. Azizmamadov commented, “I am excited that with the wonderful help of IATP staff, I was able to create a website for our organization. I am sure it will help us to spread the word about its goals and activities, and possibly reach more partners.” The nine new websites raised the total number of Web resources hosted by IATP in Tajikistan to 351, representing nearly 30% of the Web content hosted in the country.

alumnus
Miraval Oshurbekov accesses his
online course at the Alumni
Resource Center

Alumnus Starts Online Course in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
On January 24, Miraval Oshurbekov (CI 03) visited the Alumni Resource Center (ARC) in Dushanbe to obtain necessary materials for the second lesson of a distance learning (DL) course he is taking thanks to IATP’s Distance Learning Support Fund (DLSF), which is covering 90% of the tuition. The course, offered by California State University at San Marcos, is entitled “Project Management Fundamentals.” DL matches the training skills and needs of people otherwise separated by time and space and allows people to learn without taking them away from home or the office. Oshurbekov graduated from Tajik Agrarian University and currently works as a specialist in the Water User Associations Program of Winrock International, a nonprofit organization that works with people around the world to increase economic opportunity, sustain natural resources, and protect the environment. His primary goal in taking the DL course is to improve his managerial skills and improve his ability to properly plan, carry out, and evaluate the many projects he is tackling at work. Oshurbekov also hopes that the skills he will obtain in this course combined with knowledge and experience he gained in the United States will help him win a grant to publish a book in Tajik on irrigation management using Western methods to address the shortage of such literature in Tajikistan. Oshurbekov commented, “I think this course will help me in the future to successfully implement other water related projects in Tajikistan, a country rich in water resources, and contribute to its further development. I am thankful to IATP for giving me an opportunity to enhance my knowledge and experience.” Distance learning provides Tajikistani residents the opportunity to take courses not available in their hometowns on a individualized schedule that conveniently meshes with their work and family commitments.