Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

IATP News from Central Asia

July 2005

UZBEKISTAN

discussion
Director of Tashabbus Gulkhan
Asanova signs a decree on the full
reconstruction of the partner’s
building, which houses the IATP
access site and American Corner

Mayor’s Office Allocates Funding for Reconstruction of IATP Access Site in Navoi, Uzbekistan
On July 7, Navoi regional mayor’s office signed a decree issuing 12 million soms (about $11,000) to the Tashabbus Center for Social Partnership, the partner organization of the IATP access site and American Corner in Navoi, Uzbekistan, for full renovation of the building and adjacent areas. Tashabbus provides free space to the IATP access site, and will begin to cover site costs on August 1. IATP and Tashabbus staff worked with the Department of Architecture at the city mayor’s office to develop a construction plan, which includes reconstruction of the access site, which they believe will attract more users and make the site more practical. For the first time, the regional mayor’s office allocated funding for the institutional development of a nongovernmental organization, which demonstrates its high level of trust and acknowledgement of Tashabbus’ activities in the region. The IATP access site played a significant role in boosting Tashabbus’s place in the hearts of the city administration by providing high-impact, free-of-charge training to the community for over three years. Under the city mayor’s office, the Foundation of Citizens’ Councils, has agreed to waive Tashabbus’s utilities and 40% of rent in return for IATP-quality courses, which will be taught by the newly sustainable IATP site partner. They already have made plans to conduct trainings on computer and Internet basics for employees of the mayor’s office, the Foundation of Citizens’ Councils, the Women’s Committee, and the City Department of Public Education. IATP staff has already trained more than 70 employees of local government bodies, including regional and city mayors’ offices, the Prosecutor’s office, Regional and City Departments of Public Education, Public Health, and Taxation departments. In a country where charging money for services requires a long list of licenses and documentation, city-initiated expense waivers are great ways to support the financial sustainability of IATP.

Governmental Representatives Use IATP Resources

Approximately 11,000 governmental representatives have visited IATP access sites in the 11 countries in which IREX administers IATP;
IATP has trained more than 7,700 governmental representatives in computer and Internet basics as well as specialized trainings;
Governmental officials from many countries have been the guests of honor in IATP-hosted Web chats, including numerous members of parliament, US Embassy officials, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Residents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan Complete Distance Learning Course on Electric Technology
On July 15, eight students from Uzbekistan and three students from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan completed Ivan Savitsky’s distance learning (DL) course on electric technology via IATP’s DL portal. Electric technology is the science of electricity and electric current, which can be applied in nearly any information technology or communications sphere. The purpose of the course was to teach Central Asian students about electric circuits, electric current, mathematical descriptions of electricity, and creating a scientific base for deeper study of different electric disciplines. IATP DL Consultant Ivan Savitsky, a senior at the Institute of Informational Technologies in Tashkent, developed and improved this course based on the comments of 15 students, whom he had taught in March 2005. For his second group, which began on June 13, Savitsky taught beyond Uzbekistan’s borders and tightened the course’s focus by cutting the number of modules and elaborating on the most relevant lecture topics. Students completed five modules, which lasted four weeks and included online lectures, home assignments, and quizzes. Savistky engaged his students in forum-based discussions to enhance their critical thinking skills. One DL student, Aleksey Sidelnikov, who is a sophomore majoring in microwave-link equipment at Tashkent Institute of Information Technologies, wrote in a message to Savitsky, “Thanks to this DL course, I had an opportunity to obtain additional knowledge that is impossible to get at my university and anywhere else in Uzbekistan.” The DL course enabled the students to enhance their knowledge in electric technology, which they can apply in their academic or professional work.

KYRGYZSTAN

journalist
Marat Tokoev from Internews
shares his impressions about
media coverage of the election at
the IATP access site in Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan

Journalists, Observers, and Voters in Kyrgyzstan Meet Online to Discuss Outcomes of Presidential Elections
On July 27, IATP access sites in 10 cities across Kyrgyzstan hosted an online discussion on the July 10 presidential election for more than 30 participants, including alumni of US government-sponsored exchange programs, media representatives, and observers from local and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). On February 27, the disputed results of the parliamentary elections sent citizens to the streets, which led to the March 24 departure of President Akaev from his 15 years of power. The two-hour discussion covered issues concerning the outcomes of the presidential elections, violations of Kyrgyz electoral codes, and media coverage of presidential and parliamentary elections. When asked to compare the fairness of the presidential and parliamentary elections, Marat Tokoev, an observer from the Internews-administered Monitoring of Media Coverage in Kyrgyzstan project, remarked, “The presidential elections positively differ from the parliamentary elections in regard to media coverage…One of the main differences between the parliamentary and presidential elections was the freedom of expression in the media.” The participants also discussed some of the violations reported by observers. The chat participants discussed the high turnout (nearly 75%) and how the active participation of so many citizens proved how most of the country now understands the importance of elections. The online chat helped remind citizens to stay active and seek information. With the aid of the Internet, concerned citizens will be informed citizens and come to expect fair media, elections, and political actions, which are necessary in any democracy.

TAJIKISTAN

IATP user
Farooq Babrakzai posts his answers
to the participants’ questions in
Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Citizens of Tajikistan Meet Online to Discuss English Language Education in Tajikistan
On July 8, IATP united more than 25 teachers, students, and alumni at 10 IATP access sites throughout Tajikistan, for a two-hour online chat on English language education. The guest experts in the discussion were Professor Farooq Babrakzai, head of the English Teachers Association Parvona Jamshedov, and US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Jennifer Washeleski. The demand for learning English has grown during Tajikistan’s 12 years of independence, opening up job and other opportunities for English speakers. The US Embassy offers a myriad of opportunities for English education, including funding an educational TV show. Initiated by Washeleski, the online discussion addressed the challenges that educators face in teaching English and inform of resource materials, exchange programs, and trainings opportunities for teachers and students of English and students in learning English. The participants discussed the benefits of the American educational system and where to find English teaching resources. Ilhom Aliev (FLEX 05) asked the experts’ opinions on learning English online and Babrakzai replied, “Remember that technology is a tool. The important thing is the human mind, not the computer. True, technology, especially computers, are increasingly used in learning English and many other subjects. They are good if the students are 1) shy and feel comfortable working alone, 2) do not have time to study in classes, 3) want to work on special needs such as improving grammar knowledge, increasing reading speed, etc. But do remember that it is the person who [learns the language].” The online chat provided teachers and learners of English a rare online opportunity to meet and discuss improvements to English learning.

discussion
Margarita Khegai discusses
sustainability plan development
with the IATP access site’s
stakeholders in Kulyab, Tajikistan

Alumna Prepares IATP Partner Organization for Sustainability in Kulyab, Tajikistan
Throughout July, Margarita Khegai worked with IATP access sites in Tajikistan to create sustainability work plans. IATP management hired Khegai, who had consulted NGOs on business plan development for eight years, to help IATP partner organizations develop their sustainability plans, which include conducting paid courses on computer, Internet, and Web design basics and designing websites for local businesses. After conducting three trainings in Kanibadam, Khujand, and Kurgan-Tube, Khegai came to Kulyab to teach the sustainability workshop. IATP Administrator Nuriya Hamidova, two members of the local Alumni Advisory Council, and three representatives of Kulyab State University (KSU) attended the five-hour workshop on developing a sustainability plan at the IATP access site. KSU is IATP’s partner organization that provides free space for the site to be transformed into a Community Internet and Training Center, an access site that is financially viable through contributions from local businesses and modest fees from community members. Khegai’s training covered issues concerning project design, personnel management, marketing, advertisement, and strategic planning. She also taught the participants how to carry out problem diagnosis, formulation of goals, analysis of strength and weaknesses of an organization, factors of business success, and monitoring. Alisher Guriev, a representative of KSU, commented, “The training revealed all the strengths and weaknesses of the IATP access site and our organization, helped us make an analysis and prepare for a sustainable future of the access site.” As the result of these sustainability trainings, the partner organizations in the four cities developed their sustainability plans. Paivandi Shahrvandi, a local nongovernmental organization and IATP’s partner organization in Kanibadam, submitted its sustainability-related project proposal to the US Embassy-administered Democracy Commission Small Grants program.

KAZAKHSTAN

presenter
Saule Zhaparbekova (Fulbright 98)
stresses the importance of Web
resources for educators to alumni at
the ARC in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Alumna Shares DL Course Knowledge with Others in Almaty, Kazakhstan
On June 28, Saule Zhaparbekova (Fulbright 98), an English professor at Kazakh National University, conducted a seminar on distance learning (DL) opportunities for four alumni at the Alumni Resource Center in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Zhaparbekova was one of four winners of IATP’s Distance Learning Support Fund, which provided alumni of US government-sponsored program the opportunity to increase their professional and educational level through DL courses offered by US universities on topics including business, management, education, and language. In Kazakhstan, IATP provided 90% of the costs, and the DLSF recipient agreed to contribute 10% and teach others in the community what they had learned in their DL course. Zhaparbekova participated in the University of California-Berkeley’s DL course Web Design for Educators. The course was designed for educators wishing to effectively support their classroom curriculum and enhance their students' skills and learning through the use of the Internet. Zhaparbekova agreed to come to the ARC and share her experience as a DL student and its advantages with the alumni. She also encouraged the participants to explore the DL portal that IATP hosts. Zhaparbekova created a DL course on business correspondence in English and posted it along with other DL courses offered through IATP. Rauza Mukanova (Fulbright 98, RSEP 02), remarked, “DL is especially important in Kazakhstan, because of its vast territory, and people, who work in the sphere of education, need to be the ones to support it.“ Despite the various government programs on computerizing educational institutions in the country, such as connecting schools to limited Internet connectivity, many educators lack technology skills and Internet access.

The first commercial website
(www.turkestan.land.ru) created at
the Community Internet and
Training Center in Shymkent,
Kazakhstan

IATP Access Site Partner Develops Website Service in Shymkent, Kazakhstan
On July 1, IATP Administrator Anton Savinskiy created a website for Turkestan, a local travel company, as a way to bolster the paid services available at the Community Internet and Training Center (CITC) in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. CITCs are IATP access sites that continue to provide free Internet access and training each month for alumni and representatives of nongovernmental organizations, but charge modest fees for other services from local businesses and community members using the site. The CITC offers a wide variety of specialized computer training courses, scanning, printing, and typing documents, which helps the South Kazakhstan Regional Youth Library (SKRYL) sustain IATP’s free services. On June 10, Saken Usibaliev, director of Turkestan, requested help with the development of his company’s website. The CITC charges $30 (4,000 tenge) for homepage development and $7 (1,000 tenge) for each subsequent page, usually totaling around $70 per website. Competitors typically charge up to $200 for website development. Savinskiy and Zulfiya Kopenbayeva, a librarian and member of the CITC trainers’ team, developed the trilingual website, which contains information about the company’s services, including tours to famous sights in South Kazakhstan. Impressed by the quality of the website, Usibaliev commented, “This website brings us one step closer to our clients…this is one of our best investments.” The website fills the void of information for foreign tourists interested in travel opportunities in Central Asia.

TURKMENISTAN

alumni
Guljahan Muhiyeva provides alumni
with tips on grant writing in
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Alumna Leads Grant-writing Seminar in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
On July 5, Guljahan Muhiyeva (JFDP 03), an English teacher at the International Turkmen-Turkish University, conducted a seminar on grant writing for eight alumni of US government-sponsored exchange programs at the Alumni Resource Center (ARC) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Muhiyeva is one of three winners of IATP’s Distance Learning Support Fund (DLSF), which provided alumni of US government-sponsored programs with the opportunity to increase their professional and educational level through distance learning (DL) courses offered by US universities on topics including business, management, education, and language. IATP provided 90% of the costs, and the DLSF recipient agreed to contribute 10% and teach others in the community what he/she learned in the DL course. Muhiyeva took the Cal State-San Marcos’ DL course on “A to Z Grant Writing” from December to March. The course was designed for executive directors, organizers, board members, community volunteers, development officers, and individuals wishing to learn successful grant writing, proposal development, and fundraising for their organizations and personal projects. The course was successful as Muhiyeva received a Local Imitative Grants Program (LIGP) grant in June to implement a ten-day Teachers Immersion Camp, which will train English teachers throughout Turkmenistan. The main goal of Muhiyeva’s workshop at the IATP site was to teach alumni how to write grants and receive money for society-oriented projects from international organizations for the development of the community. Muhiyeva gave the participants step-by-step tips on how to research and develop mutually beneficial relationships with potential funding sources, create a development plan, write proposals,

The city’s website can be found at
www.iatp.edu.tm/mary_guide

Residents Create Online City Tour Guide in Mary, Turkmenistan
On July 18, Sergey Kolodin, Anton Orlov, and Parahat Agahanov finished their website on Mary’s tourist attractions after completing a one-week Web design course at the IATP access site in Mary, Turkmenistan. From July 6 to 15, IATP staff introduced the participants to Web page editors and taught them how to design a website, create links, optimize images for the Web, and create user-friendly layouts. Prior to the Web design course, all of the trainees attended a series of IATP courses on computer and Internet basics in September 2004. The website is mainly targeted at tourists visiting the old section of the city. Mary is one of the ancient cities of southwest Central Asia that UNESCO declared as one of the World Heritage Sites in 1999. The website contains thorough information in Russian on the history of Mary, its major attractions, shopping malls and markets, hotels, and recreation centers. With the addtion of this website, IATP server in Turkmenistan now hosts 130 websites, the majority of Web content hosted in the country.