The Youth Ecological Center (YEC) was
founded in 1993 as a union of youth, scientists, and teachers for the ecological education
of the general population and the distribution of independent social/ecological
information. In 1995, the YEC succeeded in organizing the first Tajik collective
communication and information unit with the assistance of ISAR/USAID and the American NGO
called The Sacred Earth Network. YEC was also involved in the creation and development of
the first independent NGOs in Tajikistan. In 1997, YEC registered the first Tajik
independent social/ecological NGO in Tajikistan and became a member of the Social
Ecological Union, an international organization composed of more than 400 NGOs from the
United States, Canada, CIS, and Baltic states.

In an effort to spread basic knowledge of democracy, as well as civil and legal
education, YEC created the Independent Young Leaders School in Dushanbe and the Youth
Democratic Union. Since 1997, more than 3,000 young people have taken part in seminars and
courses on democratic leadership. YEC also created the Resource Center on Ecological
Education in Dushanbe providing technical and informational services free of charge to
more than fifty NGOs in Tajikistan, and to a great number of teachers and youth. Besides
editing textbooks, offering free access to e-mail, and providing an open stack library,
YEC organizes seminars for teachers and youth. It also runs an ecological Sunday school
attended by more than 100 high school seniors in Dushanbe.

YEC has also succeeded in organizing, issuing and distributing "Tabiat" the
only independent social/ecological bulletin in Tajikistan. More than 100 NGOs in
Tajikistan submit their information to appear in the printed version of the
"Tabiat" bulletin nowadays. Due to the support of the American organizations SEN
and LEEP, the electronic version of "Tabiat" is available worldwide over the
Internet and is the only source of ecological information from Tajikistan.

In 1997, the YEC founded the Fanskie Mountains National Park (18,000 square hectares),
where members prevented forest cutting for three years with the assistance of the local
population. The local population does not have the money to purchase coal for fuel so they
cut down trees in the forest. To remedy this situation, the YEC has created new businesses
where people earn money to enable them to buy coal. The YEC is building bathhouses and a
local bread bakery. YEC projects are strengthening local communities, assisting their
stable development, preserving the natural environment and developing local tourism.

Sergei Vorsin, Youth Ecological Center