Community Empowerment: Gulmairam's inspiring journey through change in her village

JANY-PAKHTA, Kyrgyzstan − In 2021, Gulmairam Egemberdieva, a deputy of the local council and social pedagogue in Jany-Pakhta village, who received Spotlight Initiative-supported the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) training, and very soon became one of the local GALS champions spearheading a transformative change on the ground.

GALS is a community-led empowerment methodology to promote more harmonious and violence-free relationships in families and communities. Together with the other 22 GALS champions, Gulmairam has mobilized more than thousands of community members and families across 12 municipalities to promote values of gender equality and life free of violence.

A ripple effect from trainings

Later in 2022, Gulmairam benefited from another training, which introduced her to the innovative methodology of design thinking, which serves as a strategy for creative problem-solving and offers a defined process for innovation in various fields, including eliminating gender-based violence.

Moreover, Gulmairam along with other participants learned how to write social projects, apply for grants and funding opportunities, present your projects, and follow all key elements of project management. This newly acquired knowledge had a ripple effect, not only enhancing her ongoing work but also enriching her personal life.

“I took valuable lessons about family dynamics, relationships, and self-awareness. I learned the importance of listening to different perspectives, defining problems and real root causes, finding ways and human-centered solutions, calculating risks, and managing time and resources effectively. This methodology became a lens through which I began to see the essence of every individual," recalls Gulmairam.

Successful start

After participating in the pitching date and presenting her idea in front of an evaluation committee, Gulmairam together with her teammate, partner Public Foundation "Alga", won and received a small grant along with technical support and mentoring to implement her social innovative idea for the elimination of violence against women and girls in her community.

As a result, at the beginning of 2023 together with the local self-government council, they launched the first “Family support center” in the Chui region.

It serves not only as a temporary shelter for women survivors of domestic violence, but also as a safe space for local activists and community members to gather, organize different events, run social store to provide humanitarian assistance to families in need, and conduct GALS training in Jany-Pakhta village.

Today the Jany-Pakhta Family Support Center operates based on municipal premises with the administrative support of the local self–governance entity.

"That allows us to provide the center with electricity and water at no cost," shared Ms. Egemberdieva.  

“This building was previously abandoned, and much of the repair work had to be done. The idea of opening this family support center is a huge contribution to the village’s development and the local budget. For its stable work we will support the work of the center further with local investments,” the head of Jany-Pakhta local self-government Mr. Maksat Abdykerimov notes. 

Located in the center of the village, the center’s rooms are convenient; there is a temporary shelter and a meeting space for members of the local committee for domestic violence prevention in Jany Pakhta village, and the social store is running in the same building.

"Thanks to the project activities I learned to establish and strengthen communications with local authorities in practice. Moreover, I gained skills of working with the local population through mobilizing and training at our center," sums up Ms. Egemberdieva. 

Recognition by the local self-government body

The impact of Gulmairam and other like-minded people's work became more evident with her appointment as a social worker at the local self-government body. In collaboration with Maksat Kadyrbekovich, the Head of the local self-government body, they plan to expand the Family Support Center and open a recreation center in Jany-Pakhta village so that the local population, especially women and girls, will have a public facility for leisure and recreation activities.

"I will continue my work, not just as a GALS champion, but as a social worker, addressing the issue of domestic and gender-based violence. My incredible journey was not only about writing projects and forming budgets but more about design thinking, problem-solving, sustainability planning, and, above all, making a real difference in the lives of individuals and the community as a whole," underlines Gulmairam.

Gulmairam has not only become a driver of change in her community but has also become an integral part of the whole women's movement in their country. She exemplifies the power of commitment, compassion, and the relentless pursuit of positive change.

Gulmairam's impact on her community and beyond is undeniable, proving that one person's commitment to a better future can inspire and drive transformative action for the entire society.

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The global Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls is a joint European Union and United Nations initiative being implemented in Kyrgyzstan since 2020. Spotlight Initiative enables women and girls to realize their right to a life free from discrimination, stigma, and all forms of violence.

By Gulaiym Shigaibaeva