DUSHANBE, April 6, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, spouse of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is accompanying her husband on his tour of Central Asia’s countries, yesterday visited the Vahdat district, some 20 kilometers east of Dushanbe.

Ms. Suman Taghoyeva, chairperson of Tajikistan’s Committee for Family and Women’s Affairs, accompany Mrs. Ban on the trip to Vahdat.

In Vahdat, Mrs. Ban visited a private missionary orphanage, Blagoslaviye, which is house for 18 children.

Ms. Yelena Ghulomova, principal of the orphanage, told Asia-Plus that the orphanage functioned mainly due to donations from local residents.

“There are not so many orphaned children among our pupils.  They are mainly children from vulnerable families or children of those who left for Russia seeking better employment opportunities,” Ghulomova said.

Mrs. Ban familiarized herself with the orphanage living conditions.  “It is very important to take care of children because they our future, you know,” Mr. Ban said.

In Dushanbe, the spouse of the UN secretary-general visited the training center, Sarvar, which was established in 1998 with support from the UNDP CO in Tajikistan.