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Central Asia
Outside of China, Central Asia economic development is essential to the growth of the world. Here are some of the reasons that you should consider investing in a non-profit effort to bolster central Asia. The region typically includes the countries of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Sometimes the countries of Iran and Pakistan along with the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of Western China are included in the region because of similar ethnic and religious backgrounds of the peoples. One nickname for the core Central Asia countries are “The Stans” due to the ending of the name of a majority of the countries.
Energy Resources in Central Asia
The continental shelf that is around the Caspian Sea currently holds the third largest potential energy base in the world. In order to preclude civil violence and colonialism in the area, the indigenous people must learn how to profit from their own land and resources. With its 40 million barrels of untouched oil, Kazakhstan remains a tempting target for Russia and China unless its people take control of the resources.
Interest in Alternative Energy Sources
If you care about the environment, then you should focus your attention on central Asia. Turkmenistan is transporting over 30 million cubic meters of natural gas to China over the next 30 years. Central Asia also has potential for hydropower options that the rest of the world simply cannot maintain without help from the area.
Power Potential – Hydroelectric
In Tajikistan, the source of more than 40 percent of Central Asia’s water, this is no mere platitude. The mountainous state lacks the industry and natural riches that bless other former Soviet Central Asian republics. Water is one of the few resources the country possesses in great abundance. Here, water irrigates endless fields of cotton, one of the main sources of income in this primarily agricultural land. Tajikistan’s Nurek — the world’s highest dam (pictured above), at 984 feet, which was a prestige project of the Soviet Union — is the difference between light and darkness, heat and no heat, for the majority of Tajikistan’s seven million inhabitants, supplying nearly all the country’s energy needs. It also provides cheap electricity to power the Talco aluminum plant, the nation’s largest industrial enterprise.
Tajikistan with its water resources is one of the largest countries with hydropower engineering capacity in the world. Hydropower engineering resources of Tajikistan are unique. The country occupies the eighth place in the world by its hydropower engineering resources and one of the primary places by its specific resources. Tajikistan has capacity to produce up to 527 milliard kWh electricity with total capacity of 4070 megawatts of hydroelectric power stations, however, nowadays, the country uses only up to 5% of existing potential. Tajikistan also desperately needs more economic aid as well as investment in infrastructure. According to assessments of many experts, it will take five-seven years and more than 2 milliards USD to rehabilitate the energy system of Tajikistan. Tajikistan’s potential in hydroelectric power is a prime example of a sector that would benefit from outside investment via an entity like the World Bank.
Regional Instability
Civil war and other instability is one of the main reasons that the people of central Asia have been unable to steward their own resources. Investing in a non-profit effort towards the area strives to bring peaceful prosperity through social enterprise projects to warring people will benefit everyone. The sooner that Asian tribes agree on peace and begin productive trade for themselves, the sooner that they will raise their populations out of poverty. An example is Tajikistan’s poverty — the average monthly salary is barely $170 per month — this contributes to this instability mix. The end result is a toxic brew of unnecessary repression, authoritarianism and poverty. By most accounts there are somewhere between 300 and 500 Tajik citizens fighting with the Islamic State. With Tajiks reportedly able to earn $3,000 or more a month fighting with the Islamic State, it is not surprising that some are tempted by this relative windfall.
Omega International
Omega International (Omega) works with communities within Central Asia to develop meaningful economic and social initiatives. It is our goal to give Central Asian regions a means by which to expand their foreign trade, better local education, and create a better local economy overall. We recognize that healthy growth starts from the ground up.
We need your help!
For only 33¢ a day you can change the world! $10.00 per month provides struggling people with hope for a better future. Please join with us in Ten4TheLaunch to change lives. Omega International is dedicated to a creating a sustainable presence in Central Asia starting with The Launch training center in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The Launch will offer skills training in English and other languages, Tourism and Hospitality, Soccer Coaching and Business Entrepreneurship. As we strengthen infrastructure of Central Asia radicalization and insurgency are weakened. Your tax deductible donation will help provide hope to those who have little.
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Remember, Omega International is USA 501(c)(3) non-profit organization so you donations are tax deductible for our supporters filing in the U.S.
Please contact us for any questions you may have about our non-profit initiatives in Central Asia or about the economic climate there as a whole.