12 August 2020, Tashkent - The Joint Programme of UNDP and UNFPA ‘Building the resilience of local communities against health, environmental and economic insecurities caused by environmental destruction in the Aral Sea region’ funded by government of Japan is assisting businesses and enterprises in Karakalpakstan to help minimize COVID-19 infections in their communities and districts. 

This work has included supporting the ‘Rafael’ Private Enterprise in the Shumanay district to establish a solid laundry soap production unit, thereby helping maintaining high levels of hygiene in homes and public buildings in their district.

The extent of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the Karakalpakstan region and Uzbekistan as a whole was entirely unforeseen. To protect against the virus, WHO has recommended people keep socially-isolated, maintain two meters’ distance from each-other, wear a facemask, and frequently wash their hands with soap. COVID-19 has heavily impacted businesses large and small across Uzbekistan, requiring them to adapt their operations to new quarantine roles, but also motivating them to find ways to support their communities. 

PE ‘Rafael’ manager Dilbar Koshpanova has adapted her business to the new conditions, and expanded her operations to produce the ‘Bereket’ solid laundry soap. With support from the Joint Programme she received the equipment needed to produce this product, and now has the capacity to make over 1,000 pieces each day. This environmentally-friendly soap is being used in households, hospitals and other public and private spaces.

Moreover, the Joint Programme has helped save the jobs of four women and protect the health of people living in the Takhtakupir district, by providing the ‘Rano-Sheber’ sewing workshop led by Ulbolsyn Annabaeva with raw materials needed to sew medical masks. The workshop now produces 20,000 multi-use medical masks per month, available to rural communities, along with its normal range of traditional clothing.

The Joint Programme has allocated special funding to support the regional COVID-19 response, and to ensure rural communities at pilot districts in Karakalpakstan stay healthy and safe. Currently the programme is implementing four additional income generation projects, and is delivering equipment to the region’s Bozataw and Karauzyak districts.