As parents, Lola
Karimova-Tillyaeva and her husband, businessman Timur Tillyaev, have
a personal understanding of what children need to thrive. They also share a
deep love for their native homeland of Uzbekistan. Recognizing the paucity of
assistance provided to poor families and especially orphans in that country, in
2002 they decided to do something about.
The result was the foundation,
You Are Not
Alone. Lola Karimova and Timur Tillyaev set themselves a
very specific, ambitious goal. They aimed to use the organization to provide
comprehensive help and support to disadvantaged Uzbek kids. As the couple say,
“Education is at the heart of everything the You Are Not Alone foundation
does,” (http://timurtillyaevtimurtilliaev.over-blog.com/you-are-not-alone-foundation-timur-tillyaev-lola-karimova).
Since that time, it has proven itself remarkably successful.
Now working with the new Karimov
Foundation, You Are Not Alone has seen hundreds of children through
both primary and secondary schooling. On occasion, stand out students are also
offered bursaries to enable them to pursue university level studies either inside
the country or abroad.
However, Lola Tillyaeva
and Timur Tillyaev do not wait for kids to reach school age before stepping in.
One of the first phases of the program was focused towards orphanages. Several
institutions across Uzbekistan received funds to enable upgrades to both their
physical facilities and the range of services they could provide. Speaking at
the time Lola said the aim was to, “ensure that vulnerable children grow up in
a caring and loving environment.” (https://www.lolakarimova.com/about-the-foundation).
As time went on, the organization began to broaden its reach. Identifying a need at the State Perinatal Centre in Tashkent, You Are Not Alone acted. They generously provided a range of specialized new equipment such as x-ray systems, cardiac monitors and ultrasound machines. The benefits of this material to mothers and their new-borns was immediately apparent. Rarely are the positive consequences of philanthropy so immediately evident, (https://www.lolakarimova.com/healthcare-assistance).
Another strategy has been to
form partnerships with other NGOs with more specialized expertise. For example,
they’ve teamed up with the French organization, Association La Chaîne de l’Espoir
(Chain
of Hope). In this way they are in a position to assist children with chronic cardiac
conditions. The foundation provides access to the best specialists, whether
they be Uzbek or foreign. If necessary, kids can be flown to international
hospitals to ensure they receive the best care. So far, the partnership has
seen over 130 Uzbek
children receive life-saving cardiac surgery.
Lola Karivoma´s great work was
recently recognized by the Fashion 4 Development organization. On the 24th
of September 2019 they awarded her the coveted Fashion 4 Development award at
the 9th Annual First Ladies luncheon in New York. In Lola Karimova
they see someone who is committed to “supporting
the UN Millennium Development Goals and ‘Every woman, Every child through
education, empowerment, enhancement and enrichment,” (http://www.fashion4development.com/aboutf4d).
Lola Tillyaeva spoke after receiving the award, saying: “It is a
great honour for me to be the recipient of this award that recognizes not only
my efforts but also the efforts of other people who are committed to
safeguarding the health of our planet.” (https://www.lolakarimova.com/news/lola-karimova-tillyaeva-receives-fashion-4-development-leading-lady-award).
