Gala event marks the completion of the first phase of the “Girls in Science” mentoring program

On 30 October 2021, a gala event was held at the Hyatt Hotel to mark the completion of the first phase of the UNICEF Girls in Science Project mentoring program.

The event was attended by RozaOtunbaeva, former President of the Kyrgyz Republic, founder of the RozaOtunbaeva Initiative; UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan, Christine Jaulmes; and Olga Bryzgalova, Chief Specialist of Pre-School, School and Extra-Curricular Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The event summarized the first phase of the UNICEF Girls in Science Mentoring Program. The organizers thanked the mentors of the project and gave them gifts.

As part of the Girls in Science mentoring program, 113 women with successful and professional experience in Kyrgyzstan, particularly in the fields of technology, science and creative industries, were selected as mentors. Each mentor was assigned a group of girlsof grades 7-10 from schools in Bishkek, Osh and Chui regions. Over the course of 5 months, 113 mentors worked with 800 mentees.

During regular meetings, mentors did career guidance work with mentees, explaining the importance of STEM professions in the future, which encompassed: talking about their own experiences, giving them constructive advice, supporting their aspirations, working with ineffective and stereotypical attitudes and beliefs of mentees, and trying to develop leadership qualities in mentees. Mentors paid great attention to the mentee's personal development. The mentors encouraged their students to lead a healthy lifestyle; and in order to enhance general cultural development, they visited museums, exhibitions and concerts with the girls. 

The Roza Otunbayeva Initiative to improve knowledge and skills for effective mentoring has developed a Mentee Guide and a Mentee Diary for girls, which they can successfully use.

A total of 3,000 high school girls from pilot schools will participate in the Girls in Science Project mentoring program by 2022, with 150 mentors working with them.