Salom Fund had a busy autumn!
New Board Member
Ms. Farzona Komilova was elected to the Board of Directors by unanimous vote of the existing directors.
Ms. Komilova has been a frequent donor and volunteer for past Salom Fund projects. Her warm heart and enthusiasm for helping children has been an inspiration to our founders and board members, and we look forward to having her on the board.
Major Clinic Renovation Completed
Polyclinic #2 is a family medicine clinic in central Khujand that serves a population of more than 30,000 patients, primarily from low and middle income families. Salom Fund has conducted several significant renovation projects for the clinic in the last 18 months, including complete remodels of the physical therapy, child psychologist, and procedural offices and construction of two new pediatric offices, among others. We are conducting these renovations in stages in order to minimize disruption to the operation of the clinic. We began a new stage of this ongoing project in August 2025, by earmarking funds for a general makeover of the interior and exterior of the clinic. Work began at the end of August.
Salom Fund President Temur Samiev and Vice-President Kerry Given were in Tajikistan for the completion of these renovations, which were finished in time for a visit by the mayor of Khujand, the Honorable Firdavs Sharifzoda, on November 4, 2025.
You can read more about his visit here.
Salom Fund contractors went above and beyond to complete the project before winter, often working throughout the night in order to reduce disruption to clinic patients during the day. We also wish to thank the clinic director Dr. Gavkhar Kakhorova and her dedicated staff for their tireless work assisting the contractors with demolition and cleanup.
Salom Fund replaced a total of 40 windows in the corridor areas of all three floors of the clinic. Most of the windows have not been replaced for more than 50 years, and many were damaged: unable to open, unable to fully close, or with cracks or gaps between the panes and the frames. Replacing these old windows with modern, high performance windows will greatly improve the comfort of the clinic for patients and staff, and enable HVAC units to heat and cool the building more effectively and efficiently.
Salom Fund also installed plastic strip curtains on the clinic doors. The doors are normally left open during business hours, resulting in the foyer becoming very hot in summer and very cold in winter. The new strip curtains will help reduce drafts from the open doors while still allowing easy access to the clinic. In combination with the new windows, they will improve the comfort of the interior.
Salom Fund installed new railings for clinic porch and the stairs leading to the entrance of the clinic. The railings on the porch have created a secure stroller parking area for parents, and the railings on the stairs make it easier for elderly and disabled patients to enter the clinic. Even before the renovations were fully complete, Salom Fund board members, contractors, and volunteers in Khujand were able to observe the new railings being used by patients with mobility limitations for assistance climbing the stairs. It was a moving reminder that an improvement that might seem minor to most people can make a huge difference to those who need it.
Additional completed renovations to the clinic included:
- installing a new receptionist area in order to reduce wait time at the medical records archives, which was previously doubling as an information center
- replastering and repainting exterior and interior walls
- repainting the interior stairs
- re-securing or replacing loose tiles on the steps, floors, and fountain to reduce the chances of slips, falls, and other injuries
- re-tiling and repainting several bathrooms
- building a new kitchen and lounge for staff
- thoroughly renovating the staff conference room in order to replace the uneven and dangerous floor and improve the appearance
- cleaning the fountain on the patio in front of the clinic, which was being used by drivers to rinse oily rags
- trimming nearby trees to reduce hazards from dead and damaged branches
To celebrate the completion of such significant renovations, Salom Fund created this video showing more of the work we’ve done in Polyclinic #2 over the last 18 months:
Other Projects
After last year’s graduating class achieved a 100% university acceptance rate for the third year in a row, we are continuing to fund tutors for high school students at the Internati-Viloyati orphanage in Buston. Vice-President Given visited the orphanage on Halloween to distribute candy to the children and meet with the director, who updated us on the progress of the students receiving Salom Fund funded tutoring.
Autumn semester updates include:
- One student completed her high school education early and entered the law program at a university in Dushanbe.
- Another student achieved first place in the English language competition at the Sughd Region Olympiad and will attend the national Olympiad in Dushanbe, with the opportunity to win a trip to study at an English-language learning summer camp in Australia.
We are incredibly proud of the hard work of both these students and wish them the best of luck in their future studies!
Future Plans
Salom Fund plans to partner with prominent local Khujand businessmen and philanthropists Mr. Mirzobahtior Mirzobakhodurov and his son Mirzoabdurahmon Mirzobakhodurov in order to renovate a therapy pool at Clinic #2. This is the only therapeutic pool in the Sughd region that is accessible to young children with severe disabilities, but it has been unusable for about 30 years.
The renovations will include retiling and repairing the pool itself, including installing a new heater, filter, and pump, as well as replacing the windows in the pool room to prevent drafts, installing a new HVAC unit, retiling the floor, replastering and repainting the walls, renovating the changing rooms and showers, and more.
We previously collaborated with the Mirzobakhodurov family on the capital renovation of the Internati-Viloyati orphanage in Buston (formerly Chkalovsk) and their experience and on-the-ground presence was invaluable in the success of that project. We are honored to work with the Mirzobakhodurov family again.
You can help support our plans by donating today!
