The project works to assist legal clinics in developing law student’s practical legal skills, while students provide free legal assistance to those who cannot afford a lawyer on their own. Under close guidance of professional lawyers, students give free legal consultations in civil, administrative, criminal and economic law. To date over forty people have already received quality legal assistance from the clinic.

After a stimulating meeting with the university administration, students and facilitators at the Legal Clinic, Ms. Postill met representatives of the local authorities to discuss project achievements, goals and aspirations. Since 2005 EU and UNDP have supported projects, under the Enhancement of Living Standards (ELS) programme, for the improvement of living standards of the rural population in five regions of Uzbekistan. These projects have used an integrated approach to combine community development and income generation.

An hour drive to Vodiy community in Pap district was well worth the time as the community greeted the guests with smiles and welcome words. What could be better than seeing the people contributing to real results? People of Vodiy community together with the ELS rehabilitated a rural health clinic which will now benefit more than 4500 women, men and children of not only Vodiy community, but also neighboring Birlashgan community thus giving access to improved medical services and helping to lower the number of gastrointestinal, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and other diseases.

Vodiy mahalla also proudly showed-off their small demonstration-plots for early vegetables and the greenhouse, all established thanks to support of the ELS. These demo-plots as they are fondly called by the project team will help household incomes from sales in local and regional markets, and make a major contribution to families’ nutrition requirements. There is very strong traditional knowledge base of small-scale fruit and vegetable processing in the communities. The ELS income generation component is tailored to the needs of rural households and small farmers, men and women with a focus on equitable access to capital, markets, means of production, knowledge and support /advisory services.

To finish off, Ms. Postill will also visit one of the Information Resource and Business Development Centers in Chust district set up by the ELS initially and which have become a long-term presence in the communities linking social mobilization, community development planning and income generation for improved local governance and better living standards. The Centres organize training and inform communities, on what matters most to them, for example health, education business, access to credit, improved agricultural practices, HIV/AIDS, drinking water and sanitation. The Centers also help farmers expand their farm enterprises by providing information on how to access credit for collective purchasing, production and marketing. In this way a multitude of crucial actors in local development can exchange information, discuss and come together to replicate successful ideas and benefit from EU and UNDP experience in rural development.