Kyrgyzstan
Overview
Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous region bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. It is a rural nation with only a third of its population living in urban areas.
Kyrgyzstan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has since struggled with both poverty and unemployment. The 1990s were marked by very poor economic performance, resulting in a decay of the social infrastructure as well as political instability. During this time, nearly 5,000 Jews immigrated to Israel. While the economy has improved, social services continue to lag behind. The south is also plagued by political and security issues due to Islamic fundamentalists’ terrorist activities in the region.
Need
Because of the country’s strained and outdated health care system, the elderly Jewish population of Kyrgyzstan is particularly at risk. The high levels of poverty and unemployment make it difficult for many in the Jewish community to provide for even their most basic needs without assistance.
Response
JDC works with the Jewish community to help it rediscover its Jewish heritage and culture and provide basic services for elderly and poor Jews. JDC’s efforts include:
- Food packages, meals-on-wheels, and communal meal programs
- Winter relief, such as warm clothing and blankets, as well as help with heating and utility bills
Impact
JDC established a Hesed in the capital of Bishkek that houses both a welfare center and a Jewish Community Center. JDC also supports a Community Health Partnerships program that is developing a training model for health care professionals.
- 35 homebound clients receive approximately 12,000 hours of home care
- 55 items of medical equipment are loaned each year
- More than 2,100 prescriptions are provided and 140 doctor visits are made annually
Responding to 2010 Political Upheaval
JDC continues to respond to the political upheaval that began in April, which included the posting of an anti-Semitic slogan on the parliament building. JDC has since expanded social services such as providing food and medicine through the local Hesed and is monitoring the safety of its clients. Hesed services have gone uninterrupted throughout the crisis: staff prepared and delivered extra food packages and meals-on-wheels, and when public transport was at a standstill, home care workers slept at the homes of bedridden clients.
» Return to Former Soviet Union