On 29 March 2026, the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Fund for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship marked its fifth anniversary. Established in accordance with the Decree of the President of Turkmenistan dated 26 March 2021, the Fund has become a pillar for the younger generation, providing comprehensive support to children requiring special attention from the state and society.
Over the years, the Fund has achieved significant milestones: since its inception, 758 operations have been performed, and 2,467 children have received treatment at the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Center. The center employs a comprehensive approach, combining innovative medical technologies with natural local remedies.
The organization’s activities extend beyond direct assistance. The Fund actively strengthens the material and technical base of the healthcare system with the procurement of ambulances for children’s hospital departments, “Dialog+” hemodialysis machines, and medical supplies produced by the Turkmen enterprise “Arkadag Medisina Klasteri Menejment.”
International cooperation is a key vector of development. Last year, the city of Arkadag hosted an international conference dedicated to healthcare, early childhood development, and inclusive education. The forum’s final document received global recognition, being translated into the official languages of the UN and distributed as an agenda item for the 79th session of the General Assembly.
The geography of the Fund’s interaction is constantly expanding. Delegations have visited Monaco, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, China, Russia, and Qatar. In 2025, significant Memoranda of Understanding were signed with the UNICEF Representative Office in Turkmenistan, the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
“Raising physically strong and spiritually rich happy generations, and protecting the health of mother and child in our independent Motherland are among the priority areas of state policy. (…) At the state level, we attach great importance to the implementation of a complex of organizational, legislative, legal, and economic measures aimed at the adaptation and preparation for life of children in need of special care and support,” notes President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
The National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, emphasizes the spiritual significance of this mission: “The people say: ‘Öý ýaraşygy çaga’ (‘A home is adorned by a child’). Therefore, we strive to support children, assist them, and care for their future—this is our main goal.”
Festive events in honor of the Fund’s fifth anniversary were held in the city of Arkadag on 29 March. As part of the celebrations, the Vice-President for Medical Affairs of the Fund, Oguljahan Atabaeva, presented “Arkadag” medals to the UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan, Narine Sahakyan, and the Representative of UNICEF in Turkmenistan, Jalpa Ratna.
According to the Presidential Decree, the high awards were presented for “services in strengthening the international cooperation of independent neutral Turkmenistan and implementing the rights of children in need of care for decent and full participation in the life of society and the state, a great personal contribution to the development of the humanitarian, charitable, and volunteer movement in Turkmenistan, and fruitful public activity.”
The Fund’s anniversary served not only as a review of five years of work but also as a confirmation of Turkmenistan’s unwavering commitment to the principles of humanism. The organization’s large-scale initiatives continue to open new opportunities for thousands of children, guaranteeing them the right to a healthy and happy future under the protection of the state. /// nCa, 30 March 2026 (photo credit – TDH)