I N T A J I K I S T A N
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Mahbuba Qurbonalieva Central Asia Institute-Tajikistan Country Director
T A J I K I S T A N
The Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan sits high in the Pamir Mountains, far from the resources and attention most communities take for granted. Since 2012, CAI has focused our efforts here— renovating schools, expanding women ' s entrepreneurship, and providing scholarships so students can complete their studies.
At the heart of this work is Mahbuba Qurbonalieva, who has led CAI-Tajikistan since its founding. As CAI-T’ s Country Director, she has never shied away from the myriad challenges that come with the territory. From earthquakes and avalanches to dilapidated road infrastructure and lack of critical government services, she has worked tirelessly to make lasting change— safer, healthy classrooms and school buildings for children to thrive, higher learning opportunities for girls, and sustainable local businesses owned and operated by aspiring women entrepreneurs.
Her leadership and accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. Last year, Mahbuba was selected for the U. S. State Department ' s prestigious International Visitors Leadership Program on " Community Strategies to Safeguard Women " in Washington, D. C.— a global convening of leaders committed to community change.
It ' s a recognition that reflects what we ' ve always known. The stories of women like Muqaddas( see below) don ' t happen without people like Mahbuba showing up, year after year, to make sure they do.
CAI has long been committed to working hand-in-hand with CAI-T and our other incountry partners to empower them to be the agents of change in the communities we serve. We are enormously grateful to Mahbuba for her dedication and tireless work making education and economic opportunities possible for the people of Gorno- Badakhshan, Tajikistan.
M U Q A D D A S: A H U G, A D R E A M, A N D A F U T U R E
I N T A J I K I S T A N
When Muqaddas met CAI’ s Executive Director, Alice, words weren ' t enough— she pulled Alice into a hug before she could finish saying hello.
Since childhood, Muqaddas had dreamed of becoming a lab technician. But like so most families in this remote corner of Tajikistan, her family struggled financially. All that changed when she heard about an organization called Central Asia Institute-Tajikistan that provided scholarships for girls from Gorno-Badakhshan to pursue higher education. She applied, was selected, and soon that dream came within reach.
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Alice and Muqaddas in Tajikistan, 2025
" I feel so happy, lucky, and grateful," she told Alice. " I ' m so grateful that this organization exists to support me, and other young women like me, who can ' t afford their education. Now our futures are bright."
For young women in Gorno-Badakhshan, financial barriers have long stood between ambition and opportunity. CAI-T ' s scholarship program is tearing those barriers down— one student, one dream, one bright future at a time.
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people reached by CAI programming— 59 % women and girls.
6 1 7 students and teachers benefited from two separate school renovation projects in Tajikistan ' s most underserved districts— improving safety, sanitation, and learning conditions.
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college students, 70 % women, had their tuition and living expenses covered in full— six to pursue master ' s degrees and 28 to pursue their bachelor ' s degrees.
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