The following students were accepted, as finalists of FSA Flex exchange program in year 1999-2000 from Tajikistan:The Freedom Support Act Future Leaders Exchange Program provides scholarships to more than 900 secondary school students each year. Each recipient lives with a host family for one academic year and studies in a U.S. high school. The scholarships are awarded through a merit-based competition, open at no cost to secondary school students. The program is supported by U.S. citizens and local secondary schools who voluntarily host, educate, and support students with no financial compensation. In order to qualify as a candidate for FSA FLEX, applicants must be citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan enrolled in a secondary school with an academic standing of good (4) or better. Candidates must also be eligible for a U.S. visa; meet the age requirements set for each country, and have previous English-language study.
Name of the finalist |
Placement |
Zumrad Asadbekova |
Eddville, Iowa |
Naimjon Avezov |
Fayetteville, New York |
Umed Bakiev |
Jerseyville, Illinois |
Dilrabo Jonbekova |
East Bethany, New York |
Firuz Kamolov |
Boulder, Colorado |
Maroufjon Kholmatov |
Prescott Valley, Arizona |
Aleksey Makarov |
Mardensdale, Iowa |
Maria Molotkova |
Windsor, Pannsylvania |
Bakhtiyor Naimov |
Fort Worth, Texas |
Ruhshona Safarova |
Tucson, Arizona |
Bakhtiyor Zuhurov |
North Vernon, Indiana |
Nasima Rakhmatova |
Austin, Texas |
Nazira Rakhmatova |
Bountiful, Utah |
Irina Son |
Moorhead, Minnesota |
Zamira Yusufjonova |
Cincinatti, Ohio |
Tajikistan is a small country, 93 percent mountainous, which at 54,000 square miles is roughly the size of Wisconsin. Tajikistan shares borders with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, and Afghanistan. Tajikistan is made up of a number of distinct and relatively isolated regions separated by high mountain ranges. The population is highly concentrated in the Western half of the country as the eastern half consists of the Pamir mountain range, the foothills of the Himalayas. The northern region, Leninabad Oblast, is Tajikistan's most industrialized and developed area and includes its second largest city, Khujand. Located in the Fergana Valley. Dushanbe and the surrounding Hissar Valley are another important industrial center, including textile, metal working, and building materials factories, most of Tajikistan's hydroelectric capabilities, as well as the giant Tursunzade aluminum plant. Kulyab and Kurgan-Tyube, are the heart of Tajikistan's cotton production. Garm region relies on production of potatoes, fruits, such as nuts and honey, livestock and tobacco. Pamir region is mostly mountaneous, includes beatiful Pamir mountains and peaks.
