By Aidar Zhakypov ’21 (Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, placed by YFU-USA in Strasburg, VA)
I’m Aidar, a FLEX alumnus passionate about creating positive change in my community. As my exchange year was online due to the pandemic, one of my favorite experiences was my weekly Saturday conversations with my host dad.
I applied for the Global Village on the Move program to experience in-person exchanges and advance my career goals. I also wanted to address a problem I faced in school: understanding the importance of online education and effectively using educational platforms. When the pandemic hit, schools weren’t ready to transition online, and many students in my region, Naryn, still face those challenges. My goal was to teach them the skills necessary to continue their education online and introduce them to opportunities that could broaden their horizons.
The Sanarip Okuuchu project was a two-day workshop at the American Corner in Naryn, where we taught 25 high school students digital literacy and how to use platforms like Zoom and Google Apps. Through interactive sessions, students learned to create Zoom meetings, use Google Forms, manage Google Sheets, and utilize Google Drive. These skills equipped them to continue their education with confidence.
Our target group was high school students from Naryn who lacked digital literacy training and resources. By providing these essential skills, we empowered them to continue their education despite potential disruptions. One participant, inspired by the skills and knowledge they learned during the workshop, even applied for the New Generation Academy Program (NGA) and earned a fully funded scholarship to the American University of Central Asia’s Preparatory Program. NGA is a preparatory program offered by the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, designed to equip students with the academic and leadership skills necessary to succeed in higher education. Additionally, 80% of the students reported increased confidence using online platforms, significantly boosting their academic performance.
Looking ahead, I plan to maintain contact with the participants through a social media group, providing ongoing support and resources. I hope to organize more workshops to expand the reach of the project to other regions and build on the skills taught.
This project also taught me valuable lessons in team coordination and financial management. Working with a dedicated team and overcoming logistical challenges was rewarding and reaffirmed my belief in the power of education and mentorship to create lasting change.
I’m incredibly grateful to my team of volunteers, the American Councils staff in Kyrgyzstan, and the American Corner in Naryn for their support. I also want to thank the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, for making this project possible.
