People and stories
Stories of women whose leadership and work are improving water access and communities across Central Asia.
Khadisha Akayeva
A young journalist and civic activist from Semey. With support from a SICA programme grant, her “Equal Rights for the Outskirts” campaign persuaded the authorities to install public drinking water standpipes for 20,000 residents of the suburban settlements of Voskhod and Vodny. Her media campaign drew attention to the lack of water and prompted officials to address the communities’ water supply.
Meerim Seidakmatova
An environmentalist and water management specialist from Kyrgyzstan known for her environmental activism. In 2021 she became the national coordinator of the Central Asia Youth for Water regional network, mobilizing young people to join Sustainable Development Goal projects and dialogues on transboundary rivers, including the Chu–Talas basin. She also completed a mentoring programme for women experts at the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) and participates in the Women in Water Management in Central Asia network, supporting exchange among women water professionals.
Uguloy Abdullaeva
One of the first women in Tajikistan to lead a local water users association, she has devoted her life to improving access to water. Although the country has substantial water resources, about 60% of its population lacks water at home. She builds water supply systems in remote areas where farmers and families face shortages. After six months at the association, she secured a $420,000 grant from the US embassy. The funding paid for land, an excavator, an office, pipes, drainage and water control structures. Two years of USAID water management training helped her build a professional team. Water problems in the district have declined and farmers now take better care of infrastructure. A USAID audit ranked her association first among 72 associations in Khatlon Province; it now serves four districts.
Ogulsuray Atayeva
Founder and head of Eco-Durmush, the first women’s environmental NGO in the Dashoguz region. Since 2015 she has brought together international projects, government agencies, NGOs and businesses to help rural communities acquire the knowledge and skills they need amid climate change and the Aral Sea crisis. Under her leadership, Eco-Durmush promotes sustainable agriculture and more efficient water use, including drip irrigation to improve yields.
Gulnar Akilbekova
A farmer and entrepreneur from Karakalpakstan, a region affected by the shrinking Aral Sea. In 2017 she established a farm on 36 hectares of degraded land, using unconventional methods such as planting licorice to restore the soil despite official scepticism and financing problems. The first year was difficult because of scarce irrigation water and unreliable power for pumps; she even drove the tractor herself. She eventually harvested a good crop and shared some land with local farmers to support their families. With a UNDP grant she opened a small bakery that produces several tonnes of goods each month and provides jobs and income for local women.