Counterpart International marks 10 years of assisting Azerbaijan's needy

Since 1997, Counterpart's dedicated Community and Humanitarian Assistance Programs (CHAP) provided food, clothing, medical equipment, housing items and many other living essentials to orphans, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, the elderly, people with disabilities, families and needy children throughout Azerbaijan's 52 regions.

Last year, Counterpart brought clean drinking water to a camp for internally displaced persons – a comprehensive project that involved cleaning water tanks, plastering tank walls and constructing a water drainage system. The reconstructed water tanks have now decreased the risk of water-borne illnesses and contagious diseases.

In 2005, Counterpart ramped up its activities when its community development teams joined their humanitarian colleagues to strengthen Azerbaijan's "Civil Society." They did this by bringing together government officials, business, community leaders and media representatives to discuss issues and public policy priorities that reduce poverty and boost sustainable development at local, national, and regional levels.

"The beauty of Azerbaijan, a country stretching from the soft shorelines of the Caspian Sea to the east, to the rugged beauty of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, starkly contrasts the tough conditions in which many of its residents live in the post-Soviet era," said Lelei LeLaulu, Counterpart's President. "Counterpart is committed to the solutions that improve the quality of life and create the opportunity of long-term self sufficiency," he added, congratulating his organisation's Azerbaijan staff for supporting "not only their fellow nationals, but also legions of people seeking refuge from conflict in the region."

"Counterpart's accomplishments have positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijan's citizens," said Gerald Oberndorfer, Director of Humanitarian Assistance for Europe and Eurasia at the United States Department of State, as he congratulated Counterpart on its ten-year landmark.

Counterpart's Azerbaijan partners include the U.S. Department of State, DRMO Scott AFB, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Wallace Road Warehouse), Gleaning for the World, Orphan Grain Train, DRMO Warner Robins Air Force Base, DRMO San Diego, DRMO Eglin AFB, DRMO Oklahoma City, DRMO Warner Robins Air Force Base and Feed My Starving Children.

Since 1965, Counterpart has given people a voice in their own future through smart partnerships, offering options and access to tools for sustained social, economic and environmental development. Operating on five continents, Counterpart is supported by the generosity of its corporate and individual donors, foundations, host countries, multilateral institutions and several U.S. government agencies.

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