Shuhrat Sharipov

Shuhrat applied for a loan of $2400 US in order to purchase new goods for his store. He wants to develop his business and increase his income to save money and create a better life for his family.

More about Tajikistan and IMON International:
Tajikistan is perhaps best known for its epic mountain passes and its rich history which includes its place as a key post along the Silk Road and events at the end of Alexander the Great's rule. It has produced famous 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 and a civilization that dates back to the 4th millennium BC. 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. A civil war, which ignited soon after its independence from the U.S.S.R., further damaged an 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 productivity and the 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 viable business prospects. 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.