Empowering Women with Skills for Life in the Kyrgyz Republic: Nurgul Opens a Sewing School

Nurgul Abdykerim was determined to lead a productive life after she got married and moved in 2018 to her husband’s village of Barpy in the Kyrgyz Republic’s Jalal-Abad Region. She turned to her passion for clothing design and started sewing to order, mainly school uniforms. While browsing social media in 2021, an announcement caught Nurgul’s eye—an opportunity for ambitious young individuals seeking to hone their entrepreneurial skills. Meeting all the criteria, Nurgul promptly applied and was selected to participate in the Advanced Entrepreneurship Training program, organised through the Livelihoods for Youth (L4Y) Community Support Project. The Livelihoods for Youth (L4Y) Community Support Project received financing from the Japan Social Development Fund and was implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF). L4Y sought to develop skills and boost the employability of young women and men in communities located along the Central Asia–South Asia-1000 (CASA-1000) electricity transmission line in order to improve socioeconomic opportunities and inclusion. More than 100 women have completed courses, and the school offers practical vocational training and even job opportunities.