Day 16
Tajikistan
The World Food Program (WFP) has been involved in Tajikistan since 1999 primarily offering a school feeding program. The program has recently been extended until 2027. About 450,000 children in 2,000 schools across 52 districts receive daily hot meals. The program also invests in the development of school canteens, bakeries, and greenhouses, in order to transition to a nationally owned school feeding program. Praise God for this program and pray for all the children and families who benefit through it. Pray for a new beginning in Tajikistan to better provide adequate food for its population. Pray for the development of innovative solutions for food production at low costs. Praise God for his compassion to the poor (The Bible, 1 Samuel 2:8).
Source: WFP Tajikistan Country Brief, June 2022 (Relief Web)
Central Asia’s poorest nation, Tajikistan has never recovered from the Soviet era. After five years of civil war following the 1991 Soviet collapse, an UN-brokered peace deal resulted. Secular forces dominate, but economic stability hasn’t returned. Tajikistan voted to allow its president to rule indefinitely. Each year greater legislative restrictions oppress the Tajik masses. Secular forces also dictate religious law. Although the constitution guarantees religious freedom, oppression is widespread. Literature confiscation is a primary tool the government uses against Christians. Churches must register to be legal, a near-impossible task. However, both registered and unregistered church gatherings continue to take place.
