Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

IATP News from Central Asia

May 2005

UZBEKISTAN

Andrey Grishin (CC 02), a journalist
at the International Bureau of
Human Rights, joins the discussion
from the Alumni Resource Center in
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Central Asian Journalists Discuss Internet Coverage of Andijan Events
On May 31, more than 25 representatives from the media, NGOs, and alumni of US government-sponsored exchange programs gathered at 13 IATP access sites in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to participate in an online discussion on the Internet and media coverage of the recent events in Andijan, Uzbekistan. According to Uzbek officials, a group of armed Islamic extremists attacked prison guards in Andijan o¬n May 13, and freed a group of the imprisoned criminals. The official death toll of this incident is 173. However, international media organizations and human rights groups claim that on May 12, protesters rallied against the unlawful detention of several local businessmen, which led to the prison attack on May 13. That same day residents marched to the city center, where the militia later fired on thousands of people, killing between 500 and 1,000. Moderated by Uzbekistani journalist Solekh Yakhyaev (IV 01), the two-hour online discussion addressed the role the Internet played during this event as it became the sole source of objective media for residents in Central Asia. The participants discussed the most visited online resources, including the website of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, a recognized international news organization, which supports local journalism in the areas of conflict, as well as the popular Russian-language Central Asian news portal at www.ferghana.ru. To avoid the informational blockade in the future, Yahyaev suggested that the participants join listservs, which deliver the latest news updates to subscribers’ mailboxes. In the days following the unrest in Andijan, 65 IATP access sites throughout the region contributed to the free flow of information by providing Internet access to thousands of users, who at times shared computers to allow every interested user to learn about the events. The IATP-initiated online discussion enabled journalists in Central Asia to discuss issues related to accurate reporting and provided an opportunity to receive firsthand news directly from Uzbekistani journalists.

IATP and the Media

Media representatives throughout Eurasia use IATP access sites to post stories online, to read Western news sources, and to communicate with other journalists.
Since IATP began, more than 3,100 media representatives have used IATP services and 2,000 journalists have been trained by IATP in computer technology.
Journalists often cover major events at the IATP access sites and are avid participants in many of IATP’s Web chats.

IATP trainer
Dmitry Polonsky (front) shows
Anton Popov (rear), an IATP
trainer and Web designer, teaches
advanced Web design at the IATP
access site in Navoi, Uzbekistan

Students Establish Web Studio for Sustainability in Navoi, Uzbekistan
On May 13, IATP Web Development and Training Coordinator Dmitry Polonsky conducted a training in advanced Web design for four IATP volunteer trainers in Navoi, Uzbekistan. The participants each had two years of Web design experience and had previously conducted IATP Step-by-Step Web design courses. Polonsky taught his fellow Web designers to use an advanced programming tool that allows one to create a very user-friendly website and easily change color or text size. As a result, these IATP volunteer trainers and seven other Web designers have founded Kaskad, a Web studio that will offer high-quality paid computer and Web design courses. The proceeds from the Web studio will allow the access site to become more sustainable and will fill a void in the region, as there are no other Web design studios that offer Web design courses and information technology services in the Navoi region. Pavel Neklyudov, who will run the studio, noted that the studio hopes to unite Web designers into a single team to meet a unique customer service niche in computer skills and Web design in Uzbekistan.

TURKMENISTAN

Myahri Altybayeva (FLEX 04) from
Dashoguz, Turkmenistan, follows
the chat with John Turner,
Assistant Secretary of State for
Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific
Affairs

Alumni in Turkmenistan Discuss Global Environmental Issues with US State Department Official Online
On May 17, ten alumni from IATP access sites in Ashgabat, Mary, Dashoguz, and Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan, joined alumni from more than 12 countries for an hour-long online discussion with John Turner, the Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) via the State Alumni website. With 20 years of experience, Turner heads the US Department of State programs and activities concerning infectious diseases, biodiversity, the environment, oceans affairs, and science and technology. The online chat enabled the alumni to learn about ecological issues, such as global warming, climate change, endangered sea animals, the disastrous tsunami in Southeast Asia, and respiratory diseases caused by indoor air pollution from poorly ventilated wood and manure stoves. Yerbolat Sadykov, an exchange student from Kazakhstan studying at Panama High School in Oklahoma, asked how one can make a difference to help address global environmental problems. Turner answered, “We need to first help citizens around the world become aware of the critical state of much of our natural resources... [A}nd our attempts to increase environmental stewardship must be accompanied by efforts to improve economic standards and enhance social conditions. We can't deal with environmental challenges in isolation of economic and social well-being.” Thanks to the ECA-initiated online discussion, the alumni had a unique opportunity to discuss environmental issues around the world. Every month ECA conducts online chats with US government officials, which serve as a great source of information for alumni, encouraging them to make differences in their communities.

IATP users
Residents browse through online
resources on smoking at the IATP
access site in Balkanabat,
Turkmenistan

Residents Mark No-Tobacco Day in Balkanabat, Turkmenistan
On May 31, Amanbagt Rahimova and Ogulgul Saryyeva conducted a two-hour workshop in honor of the UN-initiated World No-Tobacco Day for 10 participants, including medical professionals, students of Turkmen Polytechnic Institute, and residents of Balkanabat, Turkmenistan. Rahimova and Sariyeva are doctors at the Balkan AIDS Prevention Center, which works with drug and alcohol abusers. To start the seminar, Rahimova talked about health issues caused by smoking. According to the World Health Organization’s website, today 90% of smokers are at risk of developing lung cancer, 75% experience bronchitis and emphysema, and 25% have cardiovascular diseases. She stressed that pregnant woman who smoke are at increased risk of experiencing a wide range of health problems, including ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and premature labor. Rahimova noted that children are more likely to start smoking themselves, if they see celebrities smoking in movies, and if tobacco products are cheap and easily available. Sariyeva stated that 84% of smokers live in developing countries and Turkmenistani teenagers are becoming smokers at an alarming rate. Later, Rahimova and Sariyeva encouraged the participants to browse through online resources on health and preventive measures, which they had found while preparing for the seminar. Turkmenistani health organizations do not conduct any seminars and activities throughout the country to prevent youth from smoking, and this IATP-initiated event aimed to urge the participants to understand the dangers of smoking.

KAZAKHSTAN

website
Assel Khismetova’s presentation
can be downloaded at www.iatp.kz

Student Wins Full College Scholarship with Multimedia Presentation in Atyrau, Kazakhstan
On May 3, Assel Khismetova, a senior at West Kazakhstan High School for Gifted Children, thanked the IATP access site in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, for all its help in helping her create a multimedia presentation. Khismetova’s slide show presentation entitled “Scientific and Practical Use of Astronautics on Earth” won her a full scholarship to study at the department of physics and nuclear physics at one of Kazakhstan’s most prestigious and expensive institutions, the Eurasian University in Astana. Khismetova had been preparing for the International Scientific Student Conference (ISSC), which was held in Astana, for several months, but she was not happy with the quality of her presentation. Svetlana Baiguzhina, her teacher, suggested Khismetova go to the IATP access site to learn how to make her presentation more impressive, engaging, and professional. After a five-day, in-depth training on creating slide show presentations, Khismetova redesigned her presentation by scanning materials, adjusting the format, systematizing the text, and tightening her means of delivery. At the two-day conference, Khismetova and 120 other high school seniors presented in front of academics, scientists, and astronauts at the Eurasian University, who served as the committee’s expert to choose the best students. Khismetova’s presentation was one of 30 works chosen to be published in the annual national anthology of the best scientific research of school students. Khismetova says, “If it weren’t for the IATP training, my work would have been completely different. Now I use the acquired knowledge not only for myself, but I also share it with my schoolmates.”

Gulzhan Baitureyeva (CI 02)
delivers presentation on distance
learning

Alumna Conducts Distance Learning Course at IATP Site in Almaty, Kazakhstan
On May 13, Gulzhan Baitureyeva (CI 02) delivered a presentation on distance learning (DL) for sixteen alumni, representatives of nongovernmental organizations, and college students at the Alumni Resource Center in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Baitureyeva, who researched DL at Colorado State University in 2002, is working as a DL consultant for the Almaty Academy of Education. She used the opportunity to talk about the advantages of DL, a growing educational medium that utilizes the Internet for learning and provides the same quality of instruction that one would receive in a normal classroom, but with more flexibility for the student. Baitureyeva invited Natalya Chernykh and Yerbolat Turantayuly, the instructors of two DL projects in Kazakhstan, to present their courses, including an online resource for Kazakh language learners and Internet-based business school. Baitureyeva commented, “I wanted to show how many opportunities there are in the Internet. The choices for education, personal development are endless; you just have to know how to find them.” IATP provides residents of Kazakhstan with the opportunity to take DL courses not available in their hometowns on an individualized schedule that conveniently fits into their work schedule and family commitments.

KYRGYZSTAN

City Council holds its plenary
session in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan,
to discuss funding the IATP access
site

City Council Allocates Funding for IATP Access Site in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan
On May 25, Valentina Hmelevskaya, a librarian from IATP’s partner organization, the Tokmok Central Library (TCL), and IATP Administrator Evgeniy Gaponov successfully lobbied for financial support at a City Council plenary session to support the IATP access site in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan. TCL provides free space to the IATP access site, and will begin to cover all site-related costs on July 31. Although the library has already began to offer some fee-based services, including printing and scanning services, computer and Internet use, and online information searches, these fees will not cover all the costs of the site nor allow the site to offer free computer access during specific hours. The library aims to provide the most reasonable prices in the region, charging 15 soms per hour (approximately $.30) for Internet access, while Internet cafes charge an equivalent of $1 per hour. In a country where the average monthly salary is $45, the Internet remains too expensive for most residents. During the plenary session, many NGO representatives and other avid IATP users made a case for the city to help fund the IATP access site. Among those to plead a case for IATP access site funding were representatives of the Tokmok resource center for human rights and the public foundation for people with disabilities, all explaining how much they have benefited from IATP and how necessary the access site is for the Tokmok. The city administration allocated 54,816 soms, approximately $1,337, from the budget to TCL in order to maintain and run the IATP access site from July 2005 through 2006. Accordingly, after receiving official approval from the City Council in June, the TCL will spend 4,568 soms ($111) per month to cover the remaining site expenses. Martinova remarked, “Thanks to the IATP access site, the number of computer literate people in town dramatically increased. Now, the local city administration will be helping sustain the site, which has been providing its services to the population since February 2003, thanks to the American taxpayers.” By July 31, the partner will be covering full cost of the site and offering a minimum of 20 hours of free IATP services each week, completely independent of US State Department funding.

DL consultants
Elena Putalova (right) discusses her
DL course with fellow IATP DL
Consultant Anar Madalieva in
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

IATP Users Complete Distance Learning Course in Grant Writing
On May 11, six college professors, government officials, and international organization representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey finished Elena Putalova’s DL course on grant writing and management, which is hosted on IATP’s DL portal. Putalova is an expert in grant writing and has helped Green Women, a local ecological organization, win more than $30,000 through five grants from the Soros Foundation, Global Ecological Foundation (GEF), and HIVOS to run ecological, gender, media, and other projects. In September 2004, Putalova applied to participate in the IATP DL Academy, a new initiative to develop full-scale DL courses in sectors, including business administration, education, and NGO development. After a three-month training on teaching DL courses, Putalova began her course on March 14. Putalova, whose ten-week course consists of six modules, taught the participants about planning and writing an outstanding grant proposal, researching grant-giving organizations, and developing budgets and project implementation. Larisa Kuznetsova, the director assistant at Femida, a local NGO, wrote, “These types of courses are rarely free of charge. This course has greatly contributed to our understanding of grant writing procedures, which will increase our chances of getting funding to run projects to benefit our legal system.” The DL course is the fourth offered in Kyrgyzstan by trainees of IATP’s Distance Learning Design and Facilitation Course, who have created courses on Marketing, Arabic for beginners, and Effective Business Communication Skills and trained 21 students online.

TAJIKISTAN

IATP user
Abdujabor Akramov reads an e-
mail message concerning his
project at the IATP access site in
Kulyab, Tajikistan

Association of Disabled in Kulyab, Tajikistan, Wins Grant Using IATP Resources
On May 28, Abdujabor Akramov, the chairman of the Association of the Disabled (AD), a local nongovernmental organization, visited the IATP access site in Kulyab, Tajikistan, to share that he had won a grant online. Founded in 1992, Akramov’s organization works to promote equal opportunities for its 4,100 disabled members through human rights, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. In April, three AD staff completed IATP’s Step-by-Step trainings in computer, office software, and Internet navigation skills. The staff used their skills and IATP’s Internet to find information about the ABILIS Foundation, its grant opportunities, and eligibility criteria, as well as help Akramov e-mail his grant proposal to the foundation. The project aims to support and improve the well-being of 25 disabled women in Kulyab by teaching handicraft, providing them with fabric and the means to sell garments on the market. Each year the ABILIS Foundation, a development fund founded by people with disabilities in Finland to support the activities of the disabled in developing countries, announces small grants ranging from 500 to 10,000 Euros. On May 25, ABILIS Foundation e-mailed Akramov to let him know that his project was awarded $13,994. Akramov remarked, “I did not realize before how the Internet can be useful for our work. I was amazed by the impact that IATP trainings had on our employees, who gained computer and Internet skills. Thanks to IATP services, we were able to complete all the application requirements online and obtain good results.”

alumna
Sitora Khalimova (FLEX 04) shares
plans of the AAC in Dushanbe from
the Alumni Resource Center in
Dushanbe, Tajikistan

IATP Alumni Advisory Councils Share Best Practices Online
On May 3, more than 12 members of IATP Alumni Advisory Councils (AAC) in Dushanbe, Kanibadam, Kurgan-Tube, and Kulyab, Tajikistan, met online to exchange experiences and discuss plans for upcoming activities. AACs were launched throughout the region to provide alumni and active users with the opportunity to take more responsibility for the management of IATP, contributing to the sustainability and independence of access sites. During the 90-minute online discussion, participants learned more about AAC activities in other regions of the country and shared plans for the future and ideas for improvement. IATP staff began the discussion by going over the main concepts and objectives of AACs and the responsibilities and privileges of its members. Participants shared their impressions and lessons learned from past activities. Musharraf Hasanova, president of the AAC in Kanibadam, mentioned a few activities members of the AAC in Kanibadam have organized, such as monthly English seminars for teachers, advanced training courses, and seminars with journalists. Ismoil Dodoboev from Kurgan-tube AAC remarked, “I have personally been involved several times in site administration and found it quite interesting and useful. It helps me improve my independent thinking, management, and pedagogical skills.” Sitora Khalimova (FLEX 04) from the AAC in Dushanbe, shared plans for upcoming events such as a training course on photo editing, a seminar about life with an American family dedicated to the International Day of Families, and an online chat with exchange students currently in the United States. Akmalkhon Ibragimov (FLEX 04) concluded, “We should use IATP services to implement various projects and make our contribution to the betterment of society. We need to share our experience and knowledge with people, and involve more people in our events. We have a good chance to develop the education in our country and make a difference.”