ACTED has been present in Kyrgyzstan since 1999 working in all 7 regions of the country: Batken, Chui, Issyk-Kul, Jalalabad, Naryn, Osh and Talas. ACTED’s vision in Kyrgyzstan aligns with our global 3Zero programmatic strategy, by building the capacity of institutions and civil society, promoting transparent and participatory governance mechanisms, fighting gender-based violence, and developing green and inclusive economic opportunities.
Kyrgyzstan boasts a rich history, influenced by diverse interaction, exchange and at times domination by other powers. Progress in the country depends on the its ability to mitigate against natural disasters and climate change while finding ways to harness its natural resources and human capacities.
Today in Kyrgyzstan, nearly one in three children lives in poverty. Unemployment drives migration and is concentrated among youth and women. Kyrgyzstan is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most remittance dependent countries, accounting for 31% of its GDP in 2020, leaving it especially vulnerable to external shocks. The country’s economy is predominantly agrarian, however, only 7% of the total area of the country is arable land. The sustainable use of the country’s scarce arable land and natural resources is critical to its future given also its exposure to climate change and limited adaptive capacity.
ACTED has been present in Kyrgyzstan for 22 years, addressing the needs of hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries across the country’s seven regions. ACTED’s interventions centre on civil society development, transparent and effective governance, advancing women’s rights and preventing Gender-Based Violence, Natural Resources Management, inclusive economic development, green transition and climate change.
ACTED Kyrgyzstan is implementing projects that empower communities, businesses and stakeholders to promote dialogue and investment in sustainable development and green transition. ACTED promotes green tourism in the region by increasing local production and use of renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services. ACTED supports green financing, strengthens market connections and helps boost the competitiveness of business and other actors to drive a local tourism development agenda that benefits communities and the environment.
ACTED Kyrgyzstan is implementing two regional tourism projects in cooperation with ACTED Tajikistan and ACTED Uzbekistan. The EU-financed Silk-Road CBT Initiative is designed to boost investments, develop the private sector, and promote economic diversification by strengthening the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) sector in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The Set to SWITCH project will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the CBT industry in Central Asia. The project aims to foster market linkages and promote green tourism in the region.
ACTED is also strengthening democracy and improving access to justice through the Active Communities project, which is being implemented by FHI360 and ACTED.
Finally, ACTED is improving access to finance through its sister organization OXUS.