From 18 to 23 August 2025, residents of Chorkesar and Yangiabad took an important step toward building more sustainable futures by participating in business planning trainings. Organized under the “Stakeholder Engagement for Uranium Legacy Remediation in Central Asia (Phase III)” project — jointly implemented by UNDP and OSCE, with funding from the European Union — the sessions brought together over 40 participants, including aspiring entrepreneurs, women leaders, and youth.

Turning Ideas into Action

The training covered essentials such as goal setting, profitability assessment, and business planning, while giving participants the chance to develop concrete business ideas rooted in their community’s needs.

“This training helped me see how my small idea of packing dried fruits and other products could become a real business,” shared Ms. Joylobova Qamara from Chorkesar. “I now understand how to plan, calculate costs, and think about long-term impact.”

Looking Ahead

The project goes beyond classroom learning. In 2025–2026, selected business plans will receive seed funding to launch pilot initiatives — creating jobs, improving local services, and strengthening resilience in communities long affected by the legacy of uranium mining.

Why It Matters

These trainings:

• Equip locals with practical tools for livelihood improvement.
• Encourage innovation in often-overlooked regions.
• Foster resilience in areas facing environmental and economic challenges.

For Chorkesar in particular, where uranium mining left behind both environmental degradation and economic hardship, investing in people’s skills shifts the narrative from dependency to self-reliance.

The Bigger Picture

The initiative delivers more than just business knowledge:

• It strengthens trust between communities and institutions.
• It promotes inclusive development, especially for women and youth.
• It links economic activity with environmental sustainability goals.

Ultimately, this is not only about starting businesses — it is about creating opportunity in places that need it most.