Karakol Orphange
I have said elsewhere that I have subscribed to a wide range of newsletters and podcasts – and they help me to keep in touch with news about people and events, discussions in tourism and business, history, mathematics and other topics that interest me.
Some arrive daily, others weekly, a few on a monthly basis, some only occasionally when there is a particular reason, (such as when Kyrgyzstan is mentioned is mentioned in the British parliament). There is one that arrives quarterly … and I’ve just had dinner with one of the editors, Hugh, who happens to be here in Kyrgyzstan at the moment, prompting me to add this page to ianbek.
It’s the newsletter of a charity project – supporting an orphanage in Karakol. He’s a consultant and I met him several years ago when worked on a project that helped to support the development of tourism in the area. At the time I was President of KATO – The Kyrgyz Association of Tour Operators – and we worked together on organizing a couple of activities. He told me about how he was involved in supporting a local orphanage. At the time, I listened but didn’t take that much interest. As it happens, he often tends to eat one of the restaurants in Bishkek that I frequently visit … and so we often meet and exchange pleasantries … occasionally we would share a table and he would tell me a bit more. The more I heard, the more interested I became.
In fact, he’s been drawn into supporting a number of projects up in Karakol – as well as the orphanage he supports a couple of local Microfinance organizations that make small loans to individuals and small businesses – and all three projects seem to be doing quite well. I wasn’t that interested in the Microfinance projects, but I was in the orphanage – of course, an orphanage has an emotional appeal, helping children, especially when they are disadvantaged in some way.
Apart from the genuine and infectious enthusiasm that Hugh exuded, (and which has brought a lot of support from family, friends, and colleagues back home in Ireland as well as here), amongst the things that attracted me in what I was hearing were:
- the fact that it was direct assistance – the money raised went to help the orphanage and made a direct contribution to improving the lot of the children;
- the realism of the various projects undertaken, although some were reasonably large and impressive, others small and basic, but they all addressed specific needs – and a lot could be achieved with only a small contribution. A contribution USD100, (about 4300 som), EUR100 (about 6000 som) or GBP100 (about 7000 som) would go a long way. To give you an idea: 1000 som (about USD25, EUR20, or GBP15), may not be much to us but it is a considerable sum here – the average of a week’s wages in some parts of the country.
- the fact that attention was being paid to the question of sustainability, so that the orphanage would not become dependent on “handouts” – which would always be useful but cannot be guaranteed;
- indeed, the people involved were not going to be dependent on handouts … they did not “rest on their laurels” but were more than prepared to do things to “help themselves”, (not literally, not personally … on the contrary, in fact, the family involved gave time and effort for free). For example, they managed to persuade lots of people in the neighbourhood to help – especially when labour was needed, free of charge.
- although Hugh termed it an “orphanage”, it dealt with a wide variety of children with problems – not just “orphans” – and there was an emphasis on returning children to their homes, with their extended families, so that they could return to a “normal” life rather than becoming “institutionalized”;
Hugh and Jean have managed to inspire many people into helping the orphanage … people have been sponsored to run marathons, events have been held to raise money for them, especially by their local branches of Lions International. Here in Bishkek, the Rotary Club have made a donation and the International Women’s Club have made a considerable donation from the sale of Jam and Honey!
I am not sure if Hugh was trying to get me to agree to sponsor this, or if he was simply telling me because I was prepared to listen, but he said that one of the problems that the orphanage faced was a lack of suitable furniture, (desks, bookcases) for a “study room” so that the children could sit in peace and calm, read and do their homework. They didn’t want to buy new and fancy (and expensive) furniture – better to buy the materials and make it themselves … several people had already agreed to provide the labour for free -all that was needed was the basic material. As a former schoolteacher, I found myself drawn to helping with this … but as it turned out there was an even more urgent need.
Winter was approaching and there were problems with electricity supply and this would/could mean problems with heating the building during the long winter months. Work had been undertaken on installing a boiler to heat the building – but they needed some bricks to complete the building. Once again the work was being provided by local people for free. In the end, we bought the bricks.
We were also able to send them some linen, towels and so on, from the hotel.
As far as I am aware, the study room still needs to be completed. For the long summer holidays, however, (and here they last for three months – not just six weeks), they have set up a small playground.
Hugh told me that he and his wife, Jean, produce a quarterly newsletter to keep people up to date with events in Karakol and results of various fundraising efforts .. and he promised that he would send me one. He did, and you can see the copy here, (Karakol Update June 2008_smaller). When I got it, I asked if he would mind if I sent it to some friends and acquaintances with a covering letter … and he said: “By all means, no. Go ahead.” So I did. Anyway, here’s what I wrote:
I don’t normally do this, but I have recently come across a charity and which is doing a particularly good job supporting three projects in Karakol … and I thought I would try to spread the word about it …
I learned about it from Hugh Coulter, whom I met several years in his role as a consultant working on various TACIS projects here in Kyrgyzstan.
As he tells the story, on occasion he was approach by the director of an orphanage looking for some form of sponsorship. When he looked into it, he was really impressed with the set up and he and his wife, Jean, have set out to try and raise funds to help. They have been helped and supported in their efforts by a lot of friends … especially by the Lions.
The “orphanage” (why the quotation marks? – because it doesn’t deal just with orphans, but is really a sort of “children’s refuge”) began as a sort of soup kitchen for street children, but with the support of the local Governor, who allocated them a building, it started to take in children. They have a good record of getting children back to the extended families so that the children don’t become institutionalized. It’s basically run on a volunteer basis and one of the things that really impresses me is that they are trying very hard to be self-sustainable – hence the diversification which you can read about in the newsletter.
As time went by Hugh and Jean became aware of another need – that for micro-finance – and so they set about trying to establish and support a couple of micro-finance organizations. These make loans which are really quite modest – maybe 5000som (about 100 Euro) and they have an impressive record.
In all three of the projects they support, I am impressed to see how a little contribution can be made to go a long way.
Apart from offering them moral, and modest financial support I have no connection with the Charity. If you are interested to learn more, I am sure that Hugh and Jean would be happy to provide you with more information. Hugh’s email is:hugh.coulter@gmail.com.
Thanks for taking the time and trouble to read this far … and I hope you find the newsletter interesting.
I scrolled down my address book and sent the message off to a host of people … family and friends, former clients and so on. Thinking that was the end of the matter, you can imagine my surprise when I started to get responses … for example:
- they were offered a page on the addicted to travel website, ( www.addictedtotravel.com );
- Magnus of Odyssey, the publishers of a guide book to Kyrgyzstan, organized a collection at a launch for the latest edition – and offered a donation for every copy of the book purchased at the event … copies of the newsletter were printed and distributed to those present …
- that got attention here in Kyrgyzstan – as it was reported on local radio and several of the authorities have been in touch with the orphanage for updates about their work
- several clients and former clients made donations … including John, Ursula and Denis, Joelle and Nicole (who seem to have to have done battle with the French Banking system who had trouble transferring money … to Ireland!)
- Umar and Marie asked guests at their wedding to make donations in lieu of buying them presents (… wow!)
- There’s talk of, (it hasn’t happened yet), a magazine article about the orphanage appearing in the UK later in the year …
… and these are only the responses that I know about.
As I said in my original email … “thanks for taking the time and trouble to read so far … I hope you find the newsletter interesting”, and perhaps I could add … if you would like to support them, then please contact Hugh and Jean … and remember: “Every little helps” and “A little can go a long way“!
Bishkek