Chris and Timur researching camelsChris and Timur researching camels
Chris Alexander - Project Coordinator and Writer
Chris from Cambridge, England has been working on this interactive guidebook since he joined Operation Mercy Khiva in 1998. Before this he worked at Leicester University where he also completed his BA in Media Studies. Chris continues to work with Operation Mercy, currently heading up a joint UNESCO / Operation Mercy Project, reviving Timurid designs for hand woven, naturally dyed carpets. This project provides an income and trade for disadvantaged young people in Khiva.
Catriona in actionCatriona in action
Catriona Macdonald - Editor and Writer
Catriona from Edinburgh, Scotland, has also been working on the interactive guidebook project since its inception. A primary school and English language teacher by profession, Catriona is now using her teaching skills by providing primary health education to communities within the Khiva region.
David - the man who canDavid - the man who can
David Deivard - Photographer and Technical Assistant
David from Eskilstuna, Sweden, joined Operation Mercy for nine months and became the project's main photographer and technical advisor. His wife also worked in Khiva as an occupational therapist and both of them are now back in Sweden.
Azamat in the Tosh HauliAzamat in the Tosh Hauli
Azamat Matkarimov - Guidebook Designer and Design Editor
Azamat, from Nukus, Karakalpakstan, has graduated from the well renowned Progress Business School and is now working with Counterpart researching health statistics in Karakalpakstan. Somehow he has also found time to design this introduction and the guidebook sections as well as editing the overall design of all sections. He now plans to start a web designing business in Nukus. His employment was made possible through an IREX/IATP grant.
Andrey shows the team his latest designsAndrey shows the team his latest designs
Andrey Karyakin - Tour Designer
Andrey, a graduate from Bukhara's prestigious Turkish College, has juggled his work for this project with starting up an internet service in Bukhara and assisting the Bukhara Information Centre. His employment was made possible through an IREX/IATP grant. Andrey has also designed a web page about Bukhara.
Temur Yunusov - Translator
Temur, also a graduate from the Bukharan Turkish College, has worked as a volunteer translator for Operation Mercy integration camps for the past two years. He is now studying in Tashkent, and has plans to complete a PHD in Genetics in the UK. His employment was also made possible through an IREX/IATP grant.
Andrew Varley - technical advisor
Andrew dragged the guidebook into the 21st century by simplifying a lot of the code and using PHP to serve pages dynamically. Andrew works with Operation Mercy in Khiva, before which he worked for many years in the software industry.