Currently the public foundation "Kelechek + HP" works on empowering parents and their children with disabilities. Kelechek+ formally opened in February of 2011 but has been operating through the Association of Parents of Disabled Children (ARDI) to implement projects on disability issues in Kyrgyzstan since 2008. We currently run two projects: one is related to disability issues and the other to training young people on citizen journalism. One of the features of our projects is that we introduce our partners to new world of technology and media (websites, forums, information networks, Google groups, etc.)
We aim to:
- empower NGOs and young people (including those with special needs) through training in leadership, new media and internet technologies
- support development of the national network of organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic by supporting vulnerable families, women and their children
- create interregional and international networking with organizations in other countries working along the same lines
Main results and achievements of our organization in Kyrgyzstan:
General
2008
2009
2010
2011
We aim to:
- empower NGOs and young people (including those with special needs) through training in leadership, new media and internet technologies
- support development of the national network of organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic by supporting vulnerable families, women and their children
- create interregional and international networking with organizations in other countries working along the same lines
Main results and achievements of our organization in Kyrgyzstan:
General
- Thanks to HealthProm which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund project, the Association of Parents of Disabled Children (ARDI) - our main partner on the project - has become one of the leading disability organizations in the country.
- Together with local parents and the Ministry of Social Development, we have opened a day center within the Pokrovskij residential institution for children with disabilities which is the first such case in the country. Through ICCO funded projects we've provided technical assistance and training to staff and parents.
- 6 out of 10 day centers we've been working with have received grants from the Ministry of Social Development.
2008
- Since 2008 we have been issuing a quarterly newsletter on our projects and disability issues in the country.
2009
- In 2009 we published a directory of organizations working on (child) disability issues in the country (it was very popular so we republished it again in 2011).
- We helped ARDI organize advocacy campaigns called "Driving Against Indifference!" in 2009 and then 2010 (all together about 50 cars, and over 250 participants) conducted in the capital and in the countryside. This year the campaign has become nationwide with 6 participating regions.
- With the assistance of ARDI, ICCO and other local and international partners, HealthProm held two international conferences in Bishkek in 2009 and 2011 on child disability issues. Over 300 participants attended from 20 countries consisting of local and international organizations, government agencies, professionals and parents. As a result, the disability council was reestablished and recommendations were provided to the government and parliament.
- We run the two disability websites; the first, www.kelechek.kg, began operating in January 2009, and it primarily addresses the issues faced by parents of disabled children. Now we run another website, www.NURBALA.kg, devoted to children with intellectual disabilities and their parents.
2010
- In 2010 we helped our partners in Bishkek and Bokonbaeva open two family and disabled children support day centers which regularly work with 35 disabled kids and provide home visit services.
- Since 2010 we have been helping ARDI run the biggest informational disability network in the country through Google groups with 88 subscribers (up from the initial 30), consisting of mainly local NGOs from all regions of Kyrgyzstan.
2011
- In April of 2011, we organized a week-long study visit to Macedonia for 7 participants representing 6 disability NGOs and 1 state boarding institution (internat) for children with disabilities.
- From October of 2011 - April of 2012 we have successfully implemented a Soros funded 6-month project for training young people who have covered social issues in their blogs on citizen journalism.
- In 2011, together with local partner Nur Bala and social workers, we conducted research on child disability issues in the Talas region (covering 748 households with disabled children). A report and recommendations were presented to relevant ministries, officials, NGOs and partners.
- Thanks to HealthProm and personally to Mark Hunter we've been able to organize summer camps by Issyk-Kul Lake for children with disabilities from the Belovodskij (since 2009) and Pokrovskij (since 2011) residential institutions. They also provide Depakin medicines for children of these institutions.