The ANSO Green Aral Sea Science Initiative (ANSO IPO) successfully implemented a project to provide safe drinking water to schools in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan on September 8, addressing a critical need in the drought-stricken region.

Three schools in remote rural areas of Shimbay and Kegeyli Districts have been equipped with high-efficiency water purification systems. These systems utilize advanced reverse osmosis and filtration technologies to remove salts, impurities, and harmful substances from previously undrinkable brackish water.

"The purification units have solved the critical challenge of providing safe drinking water in schools," said Mr. Tajetdinov Aybek, Head of Shimbay District. Teachers and students at Shimbay District Primary School No. 31 now have access to clean, palatable water, and the school is also providing water to over 100 nearby households.

The Republic of Karakalpakstan is located in western Uzbekistan. The region faces significant challenges due to its arid climate and water scarcity.  Schools have traditionally relied on heavily salinized groundwater or long-distance pipelines, posing potential health risks. The ANSO IPO project, which included on-site investigations and sample assessments, directly addresses these issues.

QIAO Jianfang, director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences emphasized the project's alignment with the ANSO IPO's mission to promote sustainable development in the Aral Sea region. She noted that it represents a concrete step under the "Joint Laboratory for Green Aral Sea Technology R&D and Demonstration" established by XIEG and the International Innovation Center for the Aral Sea Basin.

Government and education officials from Shimbay and Kegeyli Districts expressed their gratitude for the project, highlighting its positive impact on living conditions and regional sustainable development.

The ANSO IPO, hosted by XIEG, is committed to ecological and environmental research in Central Asia's arid regions. This project, supported by UNDP and building upon previous collaborations with Uzbekistan in areas such as climate change and water resource management, strengthens the China-Uzbekistan partnership in science and technology and will provide tangible benefits to local communities.

The Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO) is a non-profit, non-governmental international scientific organization founded in 2018 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 36 other international science and education institutions from around the world.