Capital: Bishkek
Area: 198,500 km²
Population: 5.1 million (July 2005)
Ethnic groups: Kyrgyz, Russian, Uzbek, Ukrainian, German and other groups
Official language(s): Kyrgyz
Religion(s): Muslim, Russian Orthodox and other religions
Currency: 1 som = 100 tyiyn
SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country
In 1996 SOS-Kinderdorf International started with the SOS Children's Villages' work in Kyrgyzstan, which had become independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. The national SOS Children's Village association was recognised by the Kyrgyz government in the summer of 1997. The country, which is a presidential republic, has insufficient funds to provide adequate accommodation for orphaned and abandoned children. Therefore, SOS-Kinderdorf International built the first SOS Children's Village in the north of the country, in the capital Bishkek.
The first families moved into SOS Children's Village Bishkek early in 1999 and the attached SOS Kindergarten, which is also open to children from the neighbourhood, went into operation at the same time. As the need for suitable places for orphaned and abandoned children is very high, a second SOS Children's Village was built on lake Issyk Kul, in the small town of Cholpon-Ata. At the same time, an SOS Hermann Gmeiner School was built next to SOS Children's Village Bishkek, which is open to SOS children as well as children from the community. In October 2005 an SOS Youth Facility was set up in Bishkek for the youths who have outgrown the SOS Children's Village, where they are cared for up to their independency.
As the need for suitable places for orphaned and abandoned children is very high, a second SOS Children’s Village was built at lake Ysyk in the small town of Cholpon-Ata and populated in autumn 2002. An SOS Kindergarten, going into operation simultaneously, is attached to this SOS Children’s Village too.
In January 2007, SOS Children’s Villages Kyrgyzstan started to operate Family Strengthening Programmes in Bishkek and Cholpon-Ata, which enable children who are at risk of losing the care of their family to grow within a caring family environment. To achieve this, SOS Children’s Villages Kyrgyzstan works directly with families and communities to empower them to effectively protect and care for their children, in cooperation with local authorities and other service providers. Another programme started in Cholpon-Ata the same year. Its aim is the qualitative improvement of services of public schools and kindergartens by offering skill enhancement to teachers and educators as well as supporting children on a demand-oriented, individual basis.
At present there are two SOS Children’s Villages, one SOS Youth Facility, two SOS Kindergartens, one SOS Hermann Gmeiner School and three SOS Social Centres in Kyrgyzstan.
Website of SOS Children's Villages Kyrgyzstan
(available in Kyrgyz, Russian and English)