According to Mr. Kerim Shatmanov, Manager for Government and Community Relations of Kumtor Operating Company, initially 130,000.00 US Dollars shall be allocated for funding micro-projects aimed at enhancement of social infrastructures of villages selected through competition. “If the projects are successful and will indeed benefit rural citizens, Kumtor Operating Company is ready to increase the amount of financial support for development programs and expand the villages’ coverage in future” Mr. Shatmanov reassured the participants of the meeting. Today citizens of 13 villages of Ton District located along Balykchy-Barskoon road, can benefit from the small grants of up to 10,000 US Dollars value during the pilot phase of the project.
 
According to UNIFEM National Program Manager of Women Land Rights Project, Mrs. Indira Kadyrkanova, the major goal of the Project is to increase living standards of rural citizens, especially women living in Ton District, Issyk-Kul province through expanding their access to major assets of social and economic infrastructure. “Our choice of Ton District has not been accidental. According to official statistics Issyk-Kul Province is the poorest in the country. In 2008 the poverty level in the province amounted to 52,2%, whereas the poverty level at country level equaled 31,7%. As of December, 2009 4526 families (18,7%) of Ton district were considered to be poor with income less than 1527 Som”, Indira Kadyrkanova says.

According to Mrs. Kadyrkanova despite aid provided by the private sector and international organizations to Issyk-Kul province, the level of districts development, specifically of Ton district remains to be low. Infrastructure of the district’s villages is aggravated, including all types of social and economic infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, roads, telecommunications, power supply and etc. Non-agricultural types of activities, which would otherwise generate higher income for the villagers and influence on efficiency of agricultural sector are not developed.

The participants of the meeting were provided detailed information about terms and conditions for grants allocation. In particular, one of the mandatory conditions is joint development of project applications by local communities with local self-government bodies and partnership thereof aimed at strengthening interaction between the two parties. Under the Project’s framework UNIFEM will provide technical assistance in social mobilization, conduct trainings on gender-based strategic planning of village district development, participation of the local population in local self-governance, which will contribute to improved capacity of both the communities and representatives of local authorities.  

Bakyt Ryspaev, acting head of Ton District assured the participants of the meeting that the district administration will provide all possible assistance in preparing and implementing micro projects aimed at enhancement of lives of rural citizens.  


WHAT DO THE MEETING PARTICIPANTS SAY:

Anarbekov Akimzhan, member of District Kenesh of Ton District
 
I really like the proposed project. Our country is living through hard times; our people are living through hard times as well. Therefore, we have to work and work and work. We also must welcome any possibility to stabilize our work, including grant aid. I do think that our villagers will be very much interested in such project. There are many girls and women, who do not know what to do and stay at home jobless. However thanks to these grants they can open sewing workshop, confectionery workshop and etc. I was also happy to learn that micro projects will be implemented with active participation of local self-government bodies. As you may know, village councils do know about all problems the villagers face. Problems of villagers are problems of the heads of village councils. Therefore, it is the village councils that should be primarily interested in implementing such projects and help mobilize women and create self-help groups.  As far as members of local keneshes are concerned, we are ready to approve plans of our village councils and ensure public control over implementation of such projects.

Asanakunova Mairamkul, Member, District Kenesh, Ton District, Principal of School
 
This project will be one of the most important for us projects. It should be noted that Ton District is the poorest district in Issyk-Kul Province, whereas our Karakol village is among the poorest villages of the district. We do have lots of unsolved problems, which can be at least partially settled with the help of the project.
For instance, our school was built in 1965. Until today no capital renovation was carried out in the building. The roof is leaking; widows got deformed, which makes it impossible to attend classes during winter. Therefore, our kids have to go to another school built in 2007 and study in two shifts, yet this school cannot accommodate all kids. If we could participate in the competition and win the grant we would repair windows and the roof. Children are our future, but if we do not care about their health, what they will grow to be? Therefore, the issues of children health and their study should be one of the priorities.  


UNIFEM provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies aimed at women rights protection, foster women's participation in political processes and administration and women’s empowerment.

Please contact Mrs. Indira Kadyrkanova, National Program Manager, Women Land Rights Project, UNIFEM office in Bishkek for more detailed information: e-mail: indira.kadyrkanova@unifem.org or Tel.: 31-48-43/42/47