The Global Fund For Children

Rebuilding

• By Joseph Bednarek on August 15th, 2011
• Category: Blog, Europe and Eurasia

Osh, Kyrgyzstan – Osh, the second-largest city in Kyrgyzstan and the unofficial capital of southern Kyrgyzstan, has been at the center of the country’s recent crises. In June 2010, ethnic Kyrgyz in the city rioted, targeting ethnic Uzbeks. The rioters looted and burned cars and shops and killed at least 400 people. The city is slowly trying to rebuild physically and psychologically. GFC grantee partner Ulybka Public Foundation, whose name means “Smile” in Russian, has been working with Osh’s most vulnerable children and youth since 2004. After the June “events,” as they are now known, director Elmira Umarova and the staff of Ulybka immediately stepped in to assist those who had been injured or left homeless, no matter their ethnic group.

During my visit to Ulybka, we drove through a part of the city that had been especially devastated by the riots, and I noticed numerous burned-out or destroyed homes. Using emergency grants and health and well-being grants provided by GFC, Ulybka was able to provide immediate care and assistance to many families. We visited several families, all of whom had constructed smaller and partly makeshift homes behind their ruined homes. At one house, I was introduced to a mother and her two sons, one of whom had been shot in the stomach by the rioters as the family tried to escape into the countryside. The boy’s injuries were life-threatening, but thanks to Ulybka’s help, he was able to have an operation that repaired his wound, and he promptly showed off his scar to us.

While Elmira and the dedicated Ulybka staff realized the importance of immediate care and assistance, they also recognized that the lingering psychological effects on the area’s children would be severe. Therefore, during the last school year, they introduced leadership clubs at five area schools. Each club has about 15 to 25 members, an elected leader, and a special, designated room at school. Each club focuses on creating a safe and cooperative space for children of all ethnic groups. Many parents also used the club rooms at the schools as a safe haven during the uncertain and uneasy months following the riots. Of the five clubs, three are at mostly Uzbek schools and two are at mostly Kyrgyz schools, but students from any background are welcome at any club.

We were able to visit all five of the clubs, meeting with each leader and discussing the club’s activities, which include art and music exhibitions, sports competitions, dances, many holiday events, and of course, activities that build leadership qualities. Each club has been outfitted with Ulybka’s huge posters that describe the qualities of leaders and the schedule of the club’s events. During our visit to the last club, at a village school near Osh, one of the students explained that she liked the club so much because she was able to understand the meaning of true friendship and cooperation, and that together, the students could organize something that was not only fun but that formed lasting bonds between friends and classmates.