Shelina Dilgir’s Visit to Tajikistan: Country of Many Wonders

Shelina Dilgir traveled to Tajikistan this past summer and drove across country to Khorog where she met and interacted with many  Ismailis and AKDN projects. She was recently asked to speak about her experiences on an online Canadian publication called, Quarter Section. The feature was recently published online with pictures.

http://www.quartersectioncollective.com/home/2016/12/4/travel-guide-tajikistan-country-of-many-wonders

When my husband Raheem and I put Tajikistan on the “must visit country list” I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had some understanding of the humanitarian aid work happening there (by groups like the Aga Khan Development Network or AKDN) and I had learned about the tremendous history the Shia Ismaili Muslims have had in this country and region.

As a Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim myself, I was fascinated about others living in Tajikistan. This community’s history and religion goes back centuries, and under Soviet rule was, for the most part, hidden. I had also come to know that Tajikistan is considered the poorest of all Central Asian countries, and that as a result, the city’s infrastructure, economic condition, and educational system has faced considerable setbacks. Why did I want to visit this place with such a troubling and often forgotten history? As a former overseas humanitarian worker, plus a follower of His Highness the Aga Khan, I was intrigued by learning more about the Shia Ismaili Muslims who were living and thriving there. That, combined with my desire to see and experience the community in that country, was all that it took for my husband and I to make our way there!

Click here to read the story at the source: http://www.quartersectioncollective.com/home/2016/12/4/travel-guide-tajikistan-country-of-many-wonders

Shelina Dilgir is a Fundraising and Civil Society Adviser living in Vancouver, Canada. She has been involved in international development for over 15 years working and volunteering with organizations such as the Aga Khan Development Network, Cuso International and the American Foundation with Children with AIDS. She’s worked and lived in Mongolia, Russia, Philippines, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Lesotho and Sierra Leone. She and her husband are avid globe trotters and enjoy experiencing new cultures and cuisine.