Also during the quarter, Ms. Sanavbar Sharipova, General Director of IMON INTERNATIONAL successfully completed her one year internship and graduated from the Hubert Humphrey scholarship program at Michigan State University, USA. The purpose of the program was to provide executives from developing countries to obtain experience and exposure in the US marketplace, both from an academic and real-world perspective.

The Humphrey Program is supported by the US Congress through the Dept of Educational and Cultural Programs of the US State Department. During the program, Ms. Sharipova also had an opportunity to participate in an internship at Wells Fargo Bank, gaining valuable experience while also sharing her perspective on microfinance. The scholarship provided Ms. Sharipova with an excellent opportunity to establish valuable business contacts in the US as well as a valuable cultural experience. Commenting on the experience, Ms. Sharipova said, “I knew that after one year in the United States, I would improve my knowledge, skills and professionalism. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the interest the students and facility at Michigan State took in Tajikistan. I really enjoyed the way people treat each other and the friendships I made there.”

On June 12, in conjunction with the Women’s Network of Metro Minnesota Leadership, Ms. Sharipova met with the staff of Wells Fargo Bank to discuss microfinance. The meeting was very informative for both sides, allowing much free and open discussion and an opportunity to introduce many people to Tajikistan, many of whom would have difficulty finding it on the map. Said Ms Sharipova, “I was proud to tell them about the people, traditions and values of Tajikistan, as well as about our Organization. I’m sure that the experience that I gained will help our Organization over the long term.”