The name “Hamsoya” comes from the Tajik word “neighbor,” and the Hamsoya Youth Center is all about connecting neighbors together to become a thriving relational community. Located in the heart of Dushanbe, the center is focused on engaging the neighbourhood through skills training and personal development.
The goal of Hamsoya is to create a safe space of belonging, where individuals can grow in character, capacity, and leadership.
At the center, students can participate in activities and clubs in a variety of areas, such as English, Korean, leadership, business, art, photography, and media. The Hamsoya Youth Center also includes community service as a regular part of its activities – participants are invited to support others within their own community.
Hamsoya is a space for building relationships through meaningful connection in order to develop genuine community that continues beyond the four walls of the center.
Stories from the projects
A model for her children: Nargis and embroidery
Embroidery and mental health may not seem connected at first glance, but for Nargis and many other women in Omega’s Embroidery Course, it has made all the difference.
More than a business: “bringing happiness, joy, and music”
“Music can bring us closer to one another,” Jawad says. “Today, whether you are a Tajik or an Afghan, when you hear a song from Adele or Elvis Presley or whoever it is that you know, even if you don’t know what they are saying, you still feel things. You are a little more joyful,…
Counting down the days
Sano had always been interested in learning to embroider and was excited to gain a new skill. She had looked at embroidery courses before, but they all charged a fee, which she knew she couldn’t afford each month. When her friend brought her to Nuur Women’s Center – part of Omega’s projects in Vahdat –…
Rozia the Tailor: Growing in skills, growing in business
When Rozia and her family of 7 arrived in Tajikistan – just one month before the previous government of Afghanistan fell – she wasn’t sure how they would make ends meet. While it was good to feel safe, there were still plenty of challenges they had to face. “We didn’t have a place to stay…
Husna’s story: realizing her vision
Husna – a recent graduate from Omega’s Personal Development Course – is warm, charming, and easy to talk to – but she says that hasn’t always been the case. It’s only in the last few years that she has become the person she is today. “If there was something social, I tried to avoid it,”…
“Bit by bit”
Less than a year ago, Robia had never played soccer, but you wouldn’t know it now – twice a week, she is out on the field with her team, excited to be there. “The first day that we went, none of us could really play, and we did some weird things! We were all laughing –…