VZCZCXRO6760
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0787/01 1741237
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231237Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3026
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5346
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3074
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2939
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3590
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1029
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3644
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ASHGABAT 000787 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; PRM/ECA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREF TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN: REVISED GRANT PROPOSAL FOR PRM FY 
2009 JULIA TAFT REFUGEE FUND 
 
REF: (A) STATE 14280  (B) ASHGABAT 529 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet 
distribution 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  The following is Embassy 
Ashgabat's revised recommendation for FY 2009 
support via the Julia Taft Refugee Fund to finance 
a refugee assistance project.  The proposed project 
would provide equipment and materials for the 
establishment of income generating workshops for 
metalwork, carpet-weaving, and sewing.  The 
beneficiaries are refugees, and former refugees who 
have received Turkmen citizenship, in Gokhan 
settlement, Mary Province, Turkmenistan.  The 
project aims to assist refugees/former refugees of 
both genders between the ages of 18-35 to develop 
income-generating skills.  The proposed project is 
expected to be especially useful for refugee youth 
who do not have access to vocational education. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
THE PROJECT TITLE/ESTIMATED COST 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Project title:  Establishment of income 
generating workshops for metalwork, carpet-weaving, 
and sewing for refugees and former refugees in 
Gokhan settlement of Mary Province, Turkmenistan. 
Estimated duration and cost:  The project to be 
implemented by implementing partner NGO Keik Okara 
is envisaged for 12 months at a cost of $12,120. 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Rural Turkmenistan is awash in economic 
and social problems that limit career opportunities 
for young people.  These difficulties are 
particularly acute for resettled refugees living in 
rural areas, who lack language skills, resources 
and social support networks.  Unemployment and lack 
of vocational training make it difficult for young 
people to earn a living in their area of residence. 
These conditions in turn trigger illegal labor 
migration from rural areas, generating a host of 
other social and health problems. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The refugee and former refugee population 
of Gokhan consists of 121 Afghan prima facie 
refugees - 19 families, 166 Iranian prima facie 
refugees - 26 families, and 309 former Tajik 
refugees - 61 families.  The former refugees from 
Tajikistan were granted Turkmen citizenship in 2005 
when the government granted citizenship to 
approximately 10,000 refugees from Tajikistan, 
primarily ethnic Turkmen, who came to Turkmenistan 
during the Tajik civil war.  Despite having 
citizenship, these former refugees continue to face 
challenges integrating into Turkmen society. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Ashgabat-based Keik Okara NGO has worked 
as UNHCR's implementing partner in Turkmenistan 
since 1998.  It conducts needs assessments among 
urban and rural refugees.  In Gokhan, the area of 
the proposed refugee assistance project, Keik Okara 
conducted an assessment, revealing that among its 
refugee population, there are individuals with 
various trade skills who, for lack of material 
resources, are not able to earn a living.  They are 
also unable to provide training and employment for 
the next generation who currently lack trade 
skills.  Since 2006, Keik Okara has carried out 
training in rural areas of Mary Province and 
 
ASHGABAT 00000787  002 OF 004 
 
 
established partner relations with representatives 
of village administrations, the Mary Provincial 
Governor's office, and the Mary Provincial World 
Turkmen Humanitarian Association, all of whom will 
consult and carry out monitoring in the course of 
implementation of this project activity. 
 
NEED FOR A METALWORK WORKSHOP 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In Gokhan, there are motorized vehicles 
and mechanized farm equipment.  The proposed 
metalwork shop would provide repair and maintenance 
services for vehicles and agricultural machinery. 
The workshop also would make metal structural 
pieces for cattle shelters, fences for private land 
plots, and spare parts for agricultural machinery. 
 
NEED FOR A CARPET WORKSHOP 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The proposed carpet workshop would allow 
the weaving of better quality carpets and would 
diversify the assortment of goods, resulting in 
higher sales of their products. 
 
NEED FOR A SEWING WORKSHOP 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The proposed sewing workshop to be located 
in the general school in Gokhan settlement would 
include seven sewing machines and three hemming 
machines.  This would allow young women who 
finished school to come to the sewing workshop and 
produce garments for their families as well as for 
mass production.  Students of the school would be 
able to use the sewing workshop for vocational 
training.  The workshop's working hours would allow 
young women to learn cutting and sewing skills 
before lunch, and to make the actual garments for 
sale after lunch.  Seven sewing machines and three 
hemming machines would create 20 jobs for young 
women (working in two shifts). 
 
PROJECT BENEFITS 
 
¶10.  (SBU) The establishment of the proposed 
workshops in Gokhan would create jobs, develop 
vocational skills, provide better quality products 
and services, and create a basis for 
entrepreneurship.  Young people would learn 
business skills, including organizing publicity and 
marketing events, business networking, and building 
constructive dialogue with representatives of state 
and business structures. 
 
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 
 
¶11.  (SBU) In order to fully implement the project, 
Keik Okara will organize the following tasks: 
 
-- Prepare a premises for the equipment; buy the 
equipment; install and adjust the equipment; to buy 
necessary materials for sewing workshop; 
-- Select experts who have knowledge and 
professional skills to train employees; form 
working brigades; appoint a responsible person for 
safety. 
-- Prepare a three-month program of training 
courses; inform the population about curricula; 
form training groups; conduct training courses 
among youth for development of professional skills. 
-- Sell finished products among the population; 
inform the population about services provided; 
deliver welding services on location or in the 
 
ASHGABAT 00000787  003 OF 004 
 
 
workshop; provide metalwork services to local 
population; to sell finished sewing products; to 
maintain equipment in a working condition. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Keik Okara NGO will provide a financial 
and descriptive evaluation report based on the 
beneficiary population's feedback. 
 
EXPECTED RESULTS OF THE PROJECT 
 
¶13.  (SBU) As a result of the project, it is 
expected that 45 persons ages 18-35 will receive 
vocational training, and jobs and improved conditions for 
economic development will be created.  Young people 
(boys) will develop professional skills on 
metalwork, turning and milling; (girls) will 
develop skills of carpet weaving and sewing. 
Overall, the project would establish a basis for 
entrepreneurship, provide jobs, enable participants 
to fulfill village customers paid orders, improve 
conditions for economic development and increase 
individuals'ability to compete in labor market. 
The trained youth would be able to share their 
knowledge and experience with others.  The project 
would create an opportunity for partnerships with 
representatives of state and business structures. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) After completion of the project, it is 
planned that the workshops will be self-financed 
and/or will use donor contributions from 
international organizations. 
 
PROJECT BUDGET 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Budget Items 
 
Funding from Refugee Fund grant: 
 
-- Salary for project manager - USD 720 
     TOTAL SALARY EXPENSE - USD 720 
 
-- Sewing equipment, including seven sewing 
machines, three hemming machines, spare parts, 
patterns, a table, and miscellaneous sewing 
supplies - USD 4,050 
-- Carpet bench - USD 2,750 
-- Metalwork equipment, including metalwork lathe, 
tool kit with hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, anvil 
- USD 3,600 
     TOTAL EQUIPMENT EXPENSE - USD 10,400 
 
Shipment of equipment from Ashgabat - USD 500 
Travel expenses for monitoring/ evaluation - USD 
500 
     TOTAL GRANT AMOUNT - USD 12,120 
 
Expenses covered by other sources: 
 
-- Services of the assistant manager will be 
provided by Keik Okara. 
-- Cost of obtaining and upgrading premises for the 
workshops will be paid by the local government 
authority. 
 
TEXT OF KEIK OKARA NGO'S CODE OF CONDUCT 
 
¶16.  (SBU) In accordance with the mission of 
the organization and principles of international law 
and codes of conduct, all Keik Okara NGO's staff, 
including core staff, interns, contractors, and 
volunteers (Keik Okara workers) are responsible for 
promoting respect for fundamental human rights, 
 
ASHGABAT 00000787  004 OF 004 
 
 
social justice, human dignity, and respect for the 
equal rights of men, women, and children.  While 
respecting the dignity and worth of every 
individual, the Keik Okara worker will treat all 
persons equally without distinction whatsoever of 
race, gender, religion, color, national or ethnic 
origin, language, marital status, sexual 
orientation, age, socioeconomics status, 
disability, political conviction, or any other 
distinguishing feature. Keik Okara NGO's workers 
recognize that certain international standards of 
behavior must be upheld and that they take 
precedence over local and national cultural 
practices.  While respecting and adhering to these 
broader frameworks of behavior, Keik Okara 
specifically requires that Keik Okara workers 
adhere to the following Code of Conduct. 
 
Commitment to Keik Okara Code of Conduct 
 
- Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse constitute 
acts of serious misconduct and are therefore 
grounds for disciplinary measures, including 
summary dismissals. 
- Sexual activity with children (persons under the 
age of 18) is prohibited regardless of the age of 
majority or age of consent locally.  Mistaken belief 
in the age of the child is not a defence. 
- Exchange of money, employment, goods or services 
for sex, including sexual favours or other forms of 
humiliating, degrading or exploitative behavior is 
prohibited.  This includes the exchange of 
assistance that is due to beneficiaries. 
- Keik Okara NGO does not allow sexual 
relationships between workers and beneficiaries 
since they are based on inherently unequal power 
dynamics.  Such relationships undermine the 
credibility and integrity of humanitarian aid work. 
- Where a staff or volunteer develop concerns of 
suspicions regarding sexual abuse or exploitation 
by a fellow staff or volunteer, s/he must report 
such concerns via the reporting mechanisms. 
- All staff members and volunteers are obliged to 
create and maintain an environment which prevents 
sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the 
implementation of this code of conduct. 
 
The prohibitions set out above are not intended to 
be an exhaustive list.  Other forms of sexually 
exploitative or sexually abusive behavior may be 
grounds for administrative action or disciplinary 
measures including summary dismissal.  Volunteers 
in violation of the above will be dismissed and 
removed from the Keik Okara volunteer database. 
 
¶17.  (U) Post certifies that it has the authority at 
Post and the capacity to award a grant to the 
intended recipient agency prior to the end of the 
fiscal year. 
 
¶18.  (U) Embassy Ashgabat's points of contact for 
this project are Political Officer Peter Eckstrom 
and Political Assistant Gozel Pashikova.  Post 
stands ready to provide any additional information 
that might assist PRM is reviewing this 
recommendation for support via the Julia Taft 
Refugee Fund. 
 
MILES