Much has been accomplished, but the Uzbekistani private sector cannot continue to rely on grants from Western donors. Uzbekistan must develop a practical, self-sustainable system of credit in order to help those who want to help themselves. It is important for Uzbekistanis to learn how to save their money and at the same time make this money available for loans. In this respect, Uzbekistan has much to learn from the experience of the United States with credit unions. Such cooperative financial organizations are new to Uzbekistan, but they already promise to be a worthwhile tool for fostering economic self-sufficiency and development.
Credit unions offer people an opportunity to learn how to save their money.
At the same time they make this money available for loans. The work of the BWA is particularly important because in practice Uzbekistani women do not have the control over their lives that Western women enjoy, even though the government has granted them political and economic rights. Since independence, the resurgence of Islam has tended to limit women's horizons further. This is particularly true in rural areas, but even in cities a Muslim woman establishing a business would probably choose to run it from her home. This makes credit unions especially important.