LocationsAuthor: Guzal Fayzieva
A ray of light falls on the family budget
August 26, 2024
Khusnida Karimjanova
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan, Guzal Fayzieva
How an ordinary rural family saves on electricity bills
Oydin and Khusnida Karimzhanovs are the wives of two brothers, “ovsinlar” in Uzbek, members of one large family in the rural hinterland – the village of Bakhrin in the Khodjabad district of the Andijan region of Uzbekistan. This is where you can feel the Uzbek traditional way of life, centuries-old foundations and customs. In the provinces, people mostly live in large families consisting of several generations. The heroines of our story developed friendly and almost familial relationships - living under the same roof, they became accustomed to helping each other.
A warm summer breeze sways the trees, quails sing leisurely, and a family is having breakfast sitting on a topchan, a traditional Uzbek wooden piece of furniture that is a square platform with small walls, designed for relaxing and dining outdoors. Strong green tea is poured into bowls – strictly half full, which signifies respect and honor; right there on the dastarkhan (tablecloth) is golden “navvat” – crystal sugar, popular in eastern countries, and hot flatbreads, straight from the tandoor... The conversation is going about the latest news that the elder daughter-in-law Oydin brought. She works as a cashier at a local bank, and today she learned from colleagues there is an opportunity to get subsidies for solar panels - devices that convert sunlight into electricity. By installing them on the roof of the house, it is possible to significantly reduce energy costs and ensure its sustainability. And most importantly, women are provided with a higher rate of subsidies! This news caused lively debates in the family - of course, it is scary to try something new and unusual. We have lived without it so far, and we have enough expenses already… However, using solar panels could help to avoid sudden power outages - and this is a strong argument. The electricity supply in rural areas is a sore subject, especially in winter. After heated discussions, it was decided - Oydin goes to apply for a loan in her own name.
Oydin Karimjonova with her children
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan, Guzal Fayzieva
Subsidies for energy efficient technologies and materials are provided in Uzbekistan within the framework of the project “Market transformation for sustainable rural housing in Uzbekistan”, which is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the financial support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and in cooperation with the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Republic of Uzbekistan. When purchasing products such as solar photovoltaic panels and energy storage systems, solar water heaters, heat pumps, double-glazed windows and heat-insulating materials for external walls and roofs, part of their cost is covered by subsidies from the UNDP/GEF project. The use of the listed materials and technologies helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is the main goal of the project - to provide the rural population of Uzbekistan with improved and affordable housing conditions that do not harm the environment. Thus, the project contributes to increasing demand for energy-efficient and low-carbon housing among the rural population of Uzbekistan. At the same time, women, pensioners and persons with disabilities, as well as those included in the “iron notebook”, are provided with higher subsidy rates - by 2.5% more.
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan, Guzal Fayzieva
To receive subsidies, it is necessary to conclude a purchase-sales agreement or a service agreement with the supplier company and obtain a subsidized loan from the nearest bank branch with an additional partial subsidy from the UNDP/GEF project. Next step is installing energy-efficient building materials and equipment in the house, which is what the Karimzhanovs family did on the initiative of their elder daughter-in-law, Oydin. According to the terms of the project, the woman received a 32.5% subsidy for the purchase. Soon after completing the paperwork, specialists came to their house to install solar panels on the roof, which aroused the interest and curiosity of the neighbors.
"They ask, what is this thing on your roof, what is it for? Do you think it will work? And then, when there was a sudden power outage in the area, how surprised everyone was that the lights were still on in our house», - Oydin Karimjanova remembers with a smile. «We thought it would be difficult to operate such equipment, but actually there is nothing difficult, and the panels do not require special care. It's been a few months since we installed these panels, everything works great, and how much money we've saved! For example, electricity consumption in our house has decreased by almost 40 percent. The most important, during the cold weather, our children are warm and cozy".
Khusnida Karimjanova
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan, Guzal Fayzieva
According to experts, the main conditions for success are competent placement of solar panels and an effective control system. Such power supply enables to be practically independent of the centralized electricity supply.
"Once my daughter had a birthday party, we invited guests, relatives, neighbors, set the table. We were sitting, and suddenly the lights went out. And it was unknown when it would be turned back on. Well, what to do, we turned on the flashlights on our phones, lit candles, and somehow celebrated the holiday. Now we are insured against such cases. And most importantly, in winter the air conditioner and heater work well, which is the most important thing", - Khusnida Karimjanova shared in an interview.
In addition to housework, Khusnida does sewing and takes orders at home - her working tool, a sewing machine, is always at hand, and therefore the availability of electricity is especially important for her. But this is temporary, and when her children grow up a little, she, like Oydin, plans to go to work in her specialty - as a biology teacher at a local school. Khusnida graduated from the Namangan State University, she has two specialties - biologist and agronomist.
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan, Guzal Fayzieva
"It is important for a woman to get an education, to have a profession that will generate income. I am pleased to see that in our country women reach great heights, it is inspiring. And even this project provides women with a higher subsidy rate – thanks to such measures we feel supported and encouraged to move forward", - says Khusnida Karimjanova.
In the evening the whole family gathers around the TV watching their favorite “soap opera”- the cozy moments of harmony. The bulb under the ceiling lights the room, the air conditioner provides cooling, the foreign characters play they roles on the TV screen – the power supply is uninterrupted.
Khusnida Karimjanova with her family
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan, Guzal Fayzieva
To date, the UNDP/GEF project has provided subsidies worth almost 500 million soums. To receive subsidies for energy-efficient technologies and materials, one must contact the banks that are partners of the project, or submit an application on the website www.energymarket.uz . Suppliers of these products can also register on the online platform www.energymarket.uz to participate in the project. Follow the news about the provision of subsidies on the Telegram channel @BMTTDsubsidiyasi.