07.08.2014

At the end of July, HM Ambassador Judith Farnworh visited the ‘Buchur’ educational centre. The visit was organised by the Women’s Public Union Erayim. The centre is located in the №77 Secondary School, in the Ak-Orgo region of Bishkek.

At the invitation of the WPU Erayim, volunteers from the UK have come to the centre to teach children and students the English language.  The Ambassador was kindly invited by this year's coordinator, Joe Colleyshaw, a 4th year student from the University of St Andrews. Last year the Ambassador also visited the schools where the British volunteers were working in the Chui Province and in Ak-Orgo. The Ambassador also reviewed the work of Erayim’s self-help groups in the village of Lenin-Zhol, in the Chui Province. Just like last year, this year the Ambassador sat in on the British volunteers lessons. After the volunteers’ lessons, the Ambassador announced she had brought gifts for the participants of the English course. The school children were presented with bags, which had the embassy’s logo printed on the front, as well as some small accessories. The students then expressed their sincere gratitude to the Ms Farnworth. The Ambassador showed great interest in the work of the volunteers, and in turn, expressed her opinions and good will towards their work. During a conversation over tea, the coordinator of the ‘English Summer School’ programme, Joe Colleyshaw, discussed the work of the British volunteers in the Chui Province, the At-Bashi region and Ak-Orgo with the Ambassador, as well as large number of children participating this year and their increased interest in studying the English language. In addition to this he also expressed his desire to collaborate closely with the embassy to bolster the work of the volunteers. The staff of the WPU Erayim spoke of their ongoing work in the south of the country, as well as their plans to open school radio-stations and found more maternity units. The education centre ‘Buchur’ asked for help in attracting a long-term volunteers to the school. In turn, the Ambassador expressed her opinion of the said proposal and stressed that all suggestions will be taken into account in the planned programmes of the British Government during the next year. The ambassador also encouraged Erayim and the school to apply to all relevant programmes that have already been established. At the end of the meeting, the Ambassador expressed her sincere gratitude to the British volunteers, for their voluntary assistance to the Kyrgyz children in learning the English language, culture, history, literature, customs, whilst at the same time broadening their horizons.

R. Zhusupova