Eurasia Foundation opened its representative office in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in 1996.

Eurasia Foundation’s programs promote social and economic development in Turkmenistan. The Foundation supports agriculture and private enterprise development, and provides small grants for the development of civil society sector and the improvement of public policy and administration.

To support the viability of private farmers, the Foundation provided funding to give livestock and crop farmers, including those in the Afghan border region of Mari, business and agricultural training. It supports the Center for Women Economists to research the role of NGOs in society and to engage in advocacy efforts promoting more supportive NGO legislation.

As part of its strategy to establish partner foundations throughout the region, Eurasia Foundation set up Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA) as an independent organization in 2005. Although EFCA does not currently have an office in Turkmenistan due to tightening governmental restrictions, Eurasia Foundation remains committed to social and economic development in the country and continues to be involved in various projects.

Programs

EFCA’s projects in Turkmenistan include:

• Turkmenistan Business and Crafts Development Projects, which develops business and crafts in Turkmenistan by modernizing business training programs for Turkmen entrepreneurs and extending support to artisans.

Impact

• The Business Development Project assessed the educational needs of Turkmen entrepreneurs, developed new business courses and modernized the curriculum based on existing market needs at the School of Economics and Business in Turkmenistan. 10 new business administration courses were designed and adapted according to research results and the recommendations of international and local experts. As a result, the School of Economics and Business under the Polytechnic Institute developed a plan to introduce business courses in September of 2011.
• The Crafts Development Project assessed the needs of Turkmen artisans and, based on those results, developed and implemented series of business trainings and master classes for 109 artisans. Chapak, a local NGO and partner of EFCA in the project, opened a crafts information center and launched the artisan’s website http://www.chapak-artizans.com which provides information about crafts in Turkmenistan and upcoming events.