Tajikistan has been deeply impoverished by the effects of the 7-year civil war that followed its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Even now, more than a decade after the war ended, PWDs have been getting little support from the government, with the result that both they and their families live under difficult financial straits.

The head office of the national Federation for Persons with Disabilities is located in Dushanbe. As the focal point of assistance for PWDs nationwide, AAR JAPAN has been supporting this organization’s capacity-building and institutional maintenance.

AAR JAPAN has held regular tailoring classes for PWDs and their families to enable PWDs to acquire technical skills that will allow them to generate income for themselves. Making use of the facilities of the Federation for Persons with Disabilities, AAR JAPAN has now expanded its services to provide tailoring, cooking, and vegetable gardening classes in order to enable PWDs to acquire basic job capabilities and develop their social skills. We have also been holding rehabilitation workshops for children with disabilities. In addition, AAR JAPAN organizes markets where goods produced by groups of PWDs are sold, which not only help PWDs earn a living, but also encourage interaction between PWDs and people in the community.