School gardens: providing healthy nutrition for children
On August 25, 2026, Good Neighbors Kyrgyz Republic organized a practical experience-sharing workshop on "Organization of Healthy Nutrition in Schools" at K. Chokoev School in Kotormo village under the "Green Schools for Healthy Nutrition" project. School principals from the Uch-Terek and Bel-Aldy areas participated in the event.
The primary goal of the workshop was to demonstrate how the effective use of school grounds allows for growing fresh fruits and vegetables for the school cafeteria, thereby enriching students' daily diets with nutritious hot meals. 🍲🍛
During the field visit, the team of K. Chokoev School shared their unique experience:
- Crop diversity: apples, cucumbers, potatoes, strawberries, as well as lemons and bananas are successfully grown on the school grounds.
- High yield: the school harvests crops twice per season.
- Reliable storage: participants were shown a self-constructed basement storage facility that keeps the produce fresh throughout the entire school year.
Participants showed great interest in the practical details, discussing irrigation, crop cultivation, food storage, and adapting these approaches in their own schools. In addition, the school leaders addressed key challenges of mountainous regions, particularly the short agricultural season and limited access to irrigation water.
The workshop served as clear proof that school-based farming is an accessible and effective tool for enhancing hot meal programs and improving children's health. 💚
Altynbek Erkimbekov, Head of the Department of Upbringing and Extracurricular Education at the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic, summarized the outcomes of the four-day Training of Trainers on the "Safe Educational Environment" Methodological Guide.
In his interview, Altynbek Erkimbekov emphasized that creating a protected school atmosphere requires the combined efforts of the government, international organizations, and the pedagogical community.
Instagram video
A four-day intensive Training of Trainers was held in Bishkek, dedicated to implementing the Methodological Guide on Ensuring a Safe Educational Environment for teachers and social workers.
The event was organized under the "Safe Educational Environment" project by Good Neighbors in the Kyrgyz Republic in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic. The official opening was attended by Altynbek Erkimbekov, Head of the Department of Upbringing and Additional Education at the Ministry of Education.
The primary goal of the initiative is to promote the creation of a safe, violence-free school environment for children and adolescents. Over the course of four days, participants mastered key aspects of adult learning, examined response algorithms for various types of violence and bullying (including cyberbullying), studied the trauma-informed approach, legal frameworks for child protection, and effective strategies for engaging with families and school staff.
Strengthening the capacity of teachers and social workers is a crucial step by Good Neighbors toward implementing unified child protection standards, expanding access to a supportive school atmosphere, and shaping a psychologically healthy future for the younger generation.
Instagram video
“Now we are ready to pass this knowledge on to our students!” — GRT preparation training participants share their impressions
A three-day training course on General Republican Testing (GRT) preparation for teachers of Mathematics, Kyrgyz, and Russian languages has concluded.
The initiative was implemented by Good Neighbors in the Kyrgyz Republic in partnership with the Center for Educational Assessment and Teaching Methods (CEATM).
Training participants highlighted the high practical value of the knowledge gained and the inspiring atmosphere of the sessions:
“We explored deeper approaches and strategies for preparing our students for the GRT. Over these three days, we gained everything we expected and even more. Now we are fully ready to pass this knowledge on to our children and contribute to improving the quality of education!”
Instagram video