Tajikistan

Small businesses are of enormous significance for the sustainable development of Tajikistan. To promote them, KfW Development Bank is committed to the development of the financial system. It supports private micro financing institutions and banks to focus their business towards micro entrepreneurs and small businesses as well as private households in rural areas. In 2005 it employed funds from the German government to found First Microfinance Bank, specialising in micro-financing and provided further support with refinancing funds and equity. First Microfinance Bank is meanwhile represented in all urban and rural regions of Tajikistan and offers private small businesses and micro entrepreneurs as well as households loans, savings products or money transfer services. Furthermore, KfW Development Bank participated with its own resources in the founding of AccessBank Tajikistan. AccessBank is specialised in financing small and medium-sized businesses, particularly in the urban centres of the country.

After Tajikistan´s independence and the following civil war, the healthcare system of the country worsened considerably. Tajikistan is not capable of providing an appropriate level of healthcare to its population. The major part of healthcare costs has to be borne privately, which is a serious problem particularly for families with low incomes. The mortality rate of mothers and infants is still high, just as the number of people infected with tuberculosis. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 5 to 15% of all newly infected persons and 25 to 50% of all reinfected persons are affected by multi-resistant tuberculosis, which is much harder to treat. In order to stem its spread, the infection has to be diagnosed and treated early. That is why KfW Development Bank is helping to implement a nationwide tuberculosis program. In this regard the Macheton national tuberculosis hospital as well as its national reference laboratory are of utmost importance.

Project information - Tuberculosis