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. 💚
A series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) was successfully conducted as part of the comprehensive needs assessment in the Community Development Projects (CDPs) of Kok-Chu, Bolot Mambetova, Bel-Aldy, and Zhapalak located in Chui, Issyk-Kul, Osh, and Jalal-Abad regions of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The discussions brought together representatives of various community groups, including teachers, healthcare workers, parents, youth, farmers, entrepreneurs, representatives of local self-government bodies, and vulnerable population groups. The focus groups served as a platform for open discussion of current community challenges, identification of priority needs, and exploration of possible solutions.
The discussions covered issues related to education, healthcare, access to clean water and sanitation, rights protection, social support, employment, and income generation. Special attention was given to the challenges faced by vulnerable groups, access to basic services, improvement of living conditions, and strengthening the capacity of local communities.
The Focus Group Discussions enabled the collection of valuable qualitative information and ensured active community participation in the needs assessment process. The findings will be used for further planning and for developing practical programs and initiatives that are responsive to the real needs of the communities.
Environmental debates (Eco-Debate) among high school students were successfully held at Secondary School No. 48 (Kerme-Too) and Secondary School No. 45 named after M. Myrzaev in Osh city.
Although for many students this was their first experience participating in debates, from the very beginning they demonstrated great interest, active participation, and sincere engagement in discussing current environmental issues. During the event, participants learned how to express their opinions with arguments, listen to opposing views, work as a team, and collaboratively find solutions.
The eco-debates became an important platform for developing public speaking, critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork skills.
We hope that such initiatives will inspire young people to continue their personal development and participate in future debate tournaments, helping to build an active civic position.
Elnura Sakabekovna Kadyralieva, Deputy Director for Educational Affairs at Secondary School No. 21 named after Y. Alymbekov in the Abdy-Suerkulov rural municipality of Toktogul district, Jalal-Abad region, continues to inspire her colleagues through her outstanding achievements, professionalism, and dedication to education.
Following the results of 2026, she was awarded the honorary title “Best Teacher of the Year” and received the “Pride of the Nation” badge.
One of her most remarkable achievements was participating in the national “Leader Teacher” competition held on May 7, 2026. Competing among 651 teachers, Elnura Sakabekovna demonstrated excellent results and won an educational trip to Singapore.
It is worth noting that Elnura Sakabekovna actively participates in Community Development Projects in Bel-Aldy, Toktogul district, Jalal-Abad region, making a significant contribution to the development of education, support for local community initiatives, and the upbringing of the younger generation.
We sincerely congratulate Elnura Sakabekovna Kadyralieva on her well-deserved achievements and awards! We wish her strong health, continued success, and many more accomplishments in the field of education.