- "Umid” Humanitarian and Social Support Center was declared the national winner for Azerbaijan in the world competition of «Energy Globe Award – 2007»

"Umid” Humanitarian and Social Support Center participated in a competition of "World Award on Sustainability – 2007” ("Energy Globe”) conducted by the European Parliament, and was awarded with a certificate as a national winner for Azerbaijan by an international Jury. The most unique 15 initiatives from among 853 projects submitted by 109 countries were presented to the European Parliament in Brussels for getting world award for 2007. The best project from every country was awarded with National Energy Globe Prize."Umid” HSSC was declared the national winner on Water category with "Improvement of Potable Water Provision in the communities along BTC/SCP” project. This category projects include those focused on potable water provision, household water, irrigation water, protection of water ways, transportation, disposal and processing of waste water.

Awarding Ceremony, organized in Brussels, was a unique chance for identifying winners whose projects had focused at environmental protection and an important factor of sustainability in management of world resources. This ceremony was the best challenge and enthusiastic means for applying to ”Energy Globe” competition which had formed the most advanced environmental award of the world during 9 years.

- Living Unievrsity Conception started to be applied in Community Development Process

Community Development Process is a self-forming and self-governing natural teaching process through outside assistance. One of the directions of this process is called "Living University”, implementation of which is carried out in stages based on "Teach and learn via observation” principle through taking a support from initial source. Learning process is organized in this "University” based upon community’s needs and successes."Umid” HSSC started to apply this conception within frameworks of "Community Investment Program” implemented in the western regions of Azerbaijan under financial support of Save the Children."Umid” HSSC’s role in Living University conception is mainly consisted of the mentoring. These mentoring services include round tables, training and consultations arranged for development from the point of view of handover of knowledge and skills to others and mastering useful habits, as well as seminars and conferences organized within the projects. Mentoring is realized as a continuation of development intervention (training, consultation etc.) in communities to promote efficiency of its impact. The communities benefited from mentoring services provided by "Umid” HSSC hand over their knowledge and skills to the nascent communities as the next stage.

- Five more villages were provided with pure potable water

The first stage of «Improvement of potable water provision in the communities» project implemented by "Umid” HSSC for the purpose of improvement of potable water provision and providing needs of the people for potable water in the communities along BTC/SCP was completed successfully in 2007, after which the second stage of the project started to be implemented.During the second stage of "Improvement of potable water provision in the communities along BTC/SCP” project, water purification devices were installed in 5 new communities, management structures were formed for managing the devices, opening ceremonies were organized with participation of the representatives of relevant agencies and community members, and communities’ need for potable water was met. In order to promote effective, transparent and sustainable exploitation of water purification units installed in new communities, as well as to organize sale of water, two new LLCs – "Shalala GASH” and "Bulag ACH” LLCs were formed.

- Awareness-raising activities on alternative energy sources were carried out among community members and schoolchildren

Awareness-raising activities were being conducted through the "Energy Bus” for providing detailed information about alternative energy sources in the communities located along Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan pipeline and help the communities to find energy solutions. During these awareness-raising activities, information was being provided to the people about safe and effective use of energy through demonstrating working models of alternative energy technologies, insulation materials and appropriate schemes for the visitors of the "Energy Bus” having mobile exhibition character.Moreover, movies about Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan pipeline, goal and objectives of the Caspian Energy Center and the projects implemented in the communities under the support of BP, as well as environment, ecology and management of daily wastes and alternative energy units were being broadcasted on a large-screen monitor placed outside the Energy Bus.Awareness-raising activities on Environment/Ecology, Alternative Energy and Safety were being carried out in a form of training and competition among the secondary schoolchildren as well. "Environment, Ecology, Effective Usage of Energy and Safety” painting and story contest was organized with participation of 479 8-15 years old pupils from 35 schools of Yevlakh, Agdash, Tovuz and Akstafa regions. 267 stories and 281 paintings were submitted by the contest participatants. 7 paintings and 6 stories were selected as basic winners from among the submitted stories and paintings, 33 paintings and 14 stories were awarded with enthusiastic prizes. The winner paintings and stories were published on "Shakar Villasi” newspaper, and the pupils were motivated to write articles, and present pictures reflecting current status of ecology, energy and safety through this newspaper.

These projects focused at improvement of access of the people to cheaper and alternative energy technologies, and in this way support their self-assistance.