Press release on the launch of «Ustat» mentoring project

On June 10, 2013 the "Roza Otunbayeva Initiative" International Public Foundation has launched "Ustat” mentoring project.

Mentoring among the Kyrgyz people has a centuries-long history. Institute of aqsaqals – worldly-wise authoritative members of the Kyrgyz community – was the most abundant among the nomadic people. Mentoring was a tool of skills and traditions as well as professional skills in various spheres of human activities communication.

The theme of mentoring also was reflected in the great heritage of the Kyrgyz storytelling - the "Manas" epic. A wise elder Bakay was a mentor of the main hero warrior Manas.

The development of the modern Kyrgyzstan is experiencing a number of difficulties to overcome which it requires integrating efforts of the whole society, youth and the older generation, men and women. The objective factors of the development of Kyrgyzstan suggest further increase of the role of women in modern Kyrgyz society. In the following, of course, focused and systematic training of women leaders will be required.

One of the training directions of such groups of young women will be passing the coaching institute for the purchase of a certain world view and relevant best practices of political management in the broadest sense of the word.

To achieve this purpose the "Roza Otunbayeva Initiative" International Public Foundation " in cooperation with NDI (NDI) and the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic have developed and launched the "Ustat" mentoring project which will last for 6 months.

The "Ustat" mentoring project is aimed at training young professional women, who will play a leading role in the political arena of Kyrgyzstan, and will be actively involved in policy and program development in the coming decades. Also, the project "Ustat" will help to expand the horizons of wards, to establish a strong bond and a foundation for future dialogue between women from the different professional fields, expand the public's knowledge and build a positive attitude towards the new institution of mentoring among successful people, and after the implementation of the project the process on development and market introduction of innovative and skilled leader will be built.

The discovery was made up of three blocks. The first was the official part. The second was meeting of mentors and wards. The third was the first installation training for mentors, where they familiarized themselves with the project goals and objectives, principles, plans, monthly activities, mentors’ responsibilities and qualities necessary for a mentor. At the end of the orientation session, mentors filled out the form on their expectations.

Today, even in the presence of these programs, the community of young advanced women is compartmentalized within the city, not to mention the national level. Accordingly, there is no proper system of interaction, in which, in particular, young staff could meet with mentors to gain experience, knowledge, and build leadership skills. The "Ustat" mentoring project would like to address this gap and to give a chance to young women to have the opportunity for further development.