In Ak-Jar and Shagym Villages of Osh Region, active citizens made it possible to install street lighting and build a new playground. These initiatives were completed in March 2022 with support from the USAID Jigerduu Jarandar Project.
Initiative groups of active community members worked on improving street lighting in Ak-Jar and creating conditions for development of children in Shagym. Local activists mobilized resources, engaged local authorities and entrepreneurs, addressed legal issues, and worked with fellow villagers.
For example, in Ak-Jar, an initiative group was able to raise funding and install streetlights on 11 main streets of the village stretching a total length of 8 km. The activity was implemented in cooperation with local authorities with support also from fellow villagers. The local community members have noted that the well-lit streets make the village safer and more accessible during the night for the villagers.
In Shagym, a new playground was built where children with disabilities can also play. Local community members contributed not only their funds, but also their labor through the “ashar” (collective labor) practice. The initiative group monitored the progress of construction and ensured transparency in the use of the funds collected.
“Having worked with the initiative group and witnessing how our aspirations to make our streets safer were coming true, I am now confident that we, as residents, can do a lot for our village and achieve success,” said Shairgul Kolbaeva, a schoolteacher from Ak-Jar village and the member of the initiative group.
The USAID Jigerduu Jarandar Project supported these initiatives by providing training for activists as well as legal and technical advice. In addition, the Project provided small in-kind grants for purchasing the necessary equipment.
"The initiatives of the Ak-Jar and Shagym residents are an excellent example of how active citizens can change and improve the life around them. At USAID, we believe that active and involved citizens are the backbone of any democratic society," noted Noel Bauer, the USAID Democracy and Governance Office Director.
Jigerduu Jarandar is a five-year project in support of civic participation funded by USAID and implemented by FHI 360 in Kyrgyzstan between 2019 and 2024. One of the key goals of the project is to enhance collaboration between the civil society, the government and the private sector to address issues of local concern. Since 2020, the Project has been supporting citizen-driven initiatives in 10 municipalities of Chui, Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad and Osh regions. The initiatives include creation of public spaces, construction of safe sidewalks along major roads, street lighting, improvement of children’s access to musical education, inclusive playgrounds, and heated and from a hygiene standpoint safer bathrooms inside schools.
For more information, please contact: Dinara Akmatbekova, USAID Jigerduu Jarandar Project, +996 550 206652, Dakmatbekova@fhi360.org
