KULOB, January 3, 2014, Asia-Plus -- A day rehabilitation center for children with disabilities in the Khovaling district, Khatlon province now works in full swing.

“The European Union has provided 500,000 somoni through Mission East for establishment of this center,” Rajabali Rahmonov, program manager, Mission East’s office in Kulob told Asia-Plus in an interview on January 3.

“In Jonbakht and Khovaling jamoats alone, 132 children with disabilities do not receive proper medical treatment,” Rahmonov said, noting that representatives of the mobile team of the Zarshedbony NGO, which is the partner of Mission East in Kulob, now make available social and rehabilitation services to those children.

Meanwhile, one more day rehabilitation center for children with disabilities was launched in the city of Kulob at the end of last year, bringing the total number of such Mission East-supported centers in the country to five.

The day rehabilitation centers for children with disabilities now operate in Khovaling, Shouroobod, Muminobod, Kulob, and Panjakent.

Mission East is a Danish relief and development organization, which works to help the 2/3 of the world''s poor, who live in Eastern Europe and Asia.  Mission East works through activities ranging from disaster relief to development assistance and has a mission to help vulnerable populations and support communities'' capacities to organize and assist themselves.

In Tajikistan, Mission East has worked since 1997.  One particular group of people, who are especially vulnerable to the effects of poverty in the rural areas of Tajikistan where Mission East works, is people with disabilities.  Mission East has undertaken to help children with disabilities in rural areas get access to rehabilitation services, and provides support for parents to better help their children and stand up for the rights of their children.