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FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001111 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM SOCI SCUL TSPL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: A WOULD-BE EDUCATION NGO FORCED TO OPERATE AS 
A BUSINESS 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet distribution 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On August 27, the Director of "Soltan Dag" 
Educational Center briefed Embassy Political Assistant on the 
activities and background of the organization.  Soltan Dag provides 
foreign language and computer literacy courses to the public on a 
fee-paid basis.  The organization gives discounts or free of charge 
training to orphans and children from disadvantaged families. 
Soltan Dag received a license for providing education from the 
Ministry of Education.  It annually trains around 600 people and so 
far conducted over 20 training programs.  It mainly operates on its 
own income, but would welcome international donor assistance to 
expand its training services.  Soltan Dag has successfully 
implemented two grant programs funded by the U.S. Government.  As is 
the case with other NGOs, Soltan Dag has no choice but to disguise 
itself as a business organization in order to survive in an 
environment that is unfriendly to NGOs.  END SUMMARY. 
 
TRAINING COURSES 
 
¶3. (SBU) The founder and Director of Educational Center "Soltan 
Dag," Rejep Sultanov recently briefed Embassy Political Assistant 
about the organization's background and activities.  Soltan Dag, 
founded in 2002 as a Private Individual Enterprise, provides foreign 
language and computer literacy courses for the public on a fee-paid 
basis.  The Center specializes in English, Russian, Turkmen, French 
and German languages, while its computer courses include training on 
MS Office, Photoshop, Corel Draw, and Page Maker software and 
general internet skills.  On average around 130 individuals 
(children and adults) attend the Center's courses.  The figure 
declines to 50-60 in summer.  The Center provides training in small 
groups of 6-8 persons, while other educational centers can not offer 
such small courses and still make a profit.  The Center provides 
morning, afternoon and evening courses to make them convenient for 
its customers.  The courses last from three to nine months.  After 
completion of each three months of study, and subject to passing the 
language tests, students receive certificates of completion. 
Training costs from 70-80 denominated Turkmen Manats (approximately 
USD 25-28).  According to Sultanov, the Center provides free of 
charge or discounted training to orphans and handicapped children 
attending the courses. 
 
LICENSING ISSUE 
 
¶4. (SBU) Soltan Dag is not registered as a public organization.  In 
2002 it received a three-year license to conduct educational 
activities from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and has renewed the 
license several times.  According to Sultanov, the process of 
getting the MoE license was cumbersome, because first the Academy of 
Sciences (formerly Supreme Council on Science and Technology) had to 
give a recommendation to MoE, and only then MoE considered the 
application for the license.  When asked his view of the process of 
renewing the license, Sultanov replied "It's Turkmenistan, nothing 
is simple here."  Beginning in 2006, the Center provided secretarial 
training courses and obtained the necessary license for this type of 
activity. 
 
GRANTS AND FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE 
 
¶5. (SBU) Soltan Dag received two grants from the U.S. Government for 
$7,550 and $3,423 to implement the Embassy's ACCESS 
micro-scholarship programs for teaching English to disadvantaged 
children (orphans, children from needy families) for a two-year 
period.  The Center successfully completed one grant and is now 
implementing the second grant program.  Within the framework of the 
program, the Center formed two groups, each consisting of 12 
children, and taught them English not only in the Center's Ashgabat 
premises but also at a summer camp in Gokdere.  Financially, Soltan 
Dag is a self-sufficient organization.  Sultanov said that the 
payment the Center receives from its customers barely covers Soltan 
Dag's needs such as salaries to teachers, rent payment for premises, 
maintenance of computer and office equipment, and income tax 
 
ASHGABAT 00001111  002 OF 002 
 
 
payments.  He commented saying "We make almost no profit.  Even if 
the income is not much, I am happy as long as it covers basic 
expenses and enables us to teach more children." 
 
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND STATISTICS 
 
¶6. (SBU) The staff of Soltan Dag includes the Director, Deputy 
Director and a receptionist that work on a permanent basis, four 
contracted teachers, and volunteers, who are usually the Center's 
alumni.  The language teachers are instructors from local 
universities and freelance teachers.  From 2002 to present, Soltan 
Dag implemented over 20 training programs.  According to Sultanov, 
annually the Center trains around 600-800 people, the figure 
includes both language and computer course students. 
 
FUTURE PLANS 
 
¶7. (SBU) When asked the Center's plans for the future, Sultanov said 
that in cooperation with the UK Embassy, his organization would like 
to teach computer skills to deaf and mute children.  He had seen the 
new law on education and was happy to learn that it allowed for 
private schools.  Sultanov is keenly interested in founding a 
private school that would teach foreign languages and computer 
skills.  With the aim of learning about private schooling, he 
applied for a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program.  He 
alleged that he did not qualify for the program "because some 
employees of the organization that administered the program in 
Ashgabat let their own acquaintances participate in the program." 
(NOTE:  His allegation was likely sour grapes.  The Community 
Connections program, administered by ACCELS, has a rigorous review 
process, including an interview panel with USAID participation.  The 
selection process for the 2007 education program was highly 
competitive, with 58 applicants for 10 spots.  END NOTE.)  Also, 
Sultanov said he would like to organize a study trip to London for 
his best students but cannot afford to do so alone for financial 
reasons.  In its activities, the Center cooperates with Agama Club, 
an NGO that specializes in sports.  Together with Agama, they 
conduct rock climbing and excursion programs.  When asked whether 
the organization, being an Individual Enterprise, pays taxes, 
Sultanov said they do, although he thought that "educational 
organizations should be given tax benefits.  Yet to avoid problems 
with authorities we pay the full amount of income tax." 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT:  Many NGOs such as Soltan Dag have no choice but 
to become business organizations in order to survive in a tough 
climate for NGOs.  The Turkmen government has shown no willingness 
to register new NGOs and allow them the legal benefits that 
registration would bring.  Rather, government officials seem to 
think that government-run organizations are the best way to address 
social issues.  END COMMENT. 
 
CURRAN