Gulbodom Khojaeva

Gulbodom Khojaeva is 27 years-old and married with 2 children. She started her own business 8 years ago because her husband was unemployed at the time. To earn extra income for her family, Gulbodom sells confectionery like candies, cookies, and pastries at the local market. Gulbodom dreams for all her children to receive higher education. Today she requests 5000 TJS to expand the range of goods that she sells at the market. Gulbodom will use the extra income from expanding her product selection to improve her family's living situation and pay for her children's education.

More about Tajikistan and IMON International

Tajikistan is known for its rich history, which includes being a key post along the Silk Road and the end of Alexander the Great's rule. It has also produced great thinkers, philosophers, scientists and poets, including Rudaki, Avicenna, Ferdowsi, Omar Khayyam, Jomi, and Rumi. The country is home to communities that still speak the ancient Sogdian language, epic mountain passes, and a civilization that dates back to the 4th millennium BC. And, even today, it is a complex mixture of the Islamic faith, Soviet culture, New West culture and Central Asian traditions.

But Tajikistan is also the poorest of the former Soviet republics. The civil war, which ignited soon after its independence from the U.S.S.R., further damaged the already weak economy. In addition, 93% of the country is mountainous and only 7% of the land is arable. These conditions have resulted in high levels of unemployment and have forced hundreds of thousands to seek work in other countries, mainly Russia. While the people of Tajikistan are working to improve its agricultural production and manufacturing sector, nearly two-thirds of the population still live in abject poverty.

IMON's History

Since December 2007, IMON International has worked closely with Kiva and Kiva lenders to ensure that poor and low income clients represent a viable business proposition. Funds raised through Kiva have already been distributed to thousands of IMON International's clients and will continue to provide thousands more with permanent access to the varied financial services they need. To learn more about IMON International's work, please visit: www.imon.tj

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