Be Educated Make a Difference

Asel Matieva ’13 (Kyzyl-Adyr, Kyrgyzstan)

Event Location: Talas region, Kyrgzystan

$378 FLEX Alumni GYSD Grant Funding

$413 cost share from: American Corner in Talas, local schools, Language School 'Moving Forward', Peace Corps Volunteers, FLEX and ACCESS alumni volunteers.

A group of four alumnae: Asel Matieva ’13, Nargiza Kanybek kyzy ‘13, Meryem Karakhasanova ‘13 and Ayday Amankulova ’14 held trainings and discussions at the schools in Talas region: Ak Dobo, Sasyk Bulak, Ak Korgon and Talas city. 170 secondary school students from 9-11 grades took part in the project. ACCESS Program Alumni (Micro-scholarship Program for students) in Talas helped alumnae to run the discussions and interactive part of the project. On the first day each alumna delivered presentations on following topics: challenges of education in villages, ways of empowering oneself through education and educational opportunities for students. The topics of the sessions also covered the important information about research skills, self-development, and community service.

During the project Peace Corp volunteers spoke about the role of education in American society and how education personally effected on their lives, which gave project participants a chance to compare the role of education in two different countries. During the project participants watched a video made for them by Aizada Marat kyzy ‘08 FLEX alumna currently attending Harvard Law School in USA. She talked about her educational experience and gave very important advice to project participants.

On the second day participants put the theory into practice. They worked in teams of six people to make research about different learning opportunities and programs in Kyrgyzstan. Participants created poster that had information about their research topics.

Global Youth Service Day Matching Grant 2015 Application Is Available!

Eurasia FLEX Alumni Global Youth Service Day Matching Grants Program 2015

Annually American Councils for International Education holds the Global Youth Service Day FLEX Alumni Matching Grants Initiative, which is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the United States Department of State. 

Groups of alumni of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program are invited to apply for matching funds in the amount of up to $500 to implement local community service projects as part of the Global Youth Service Day Initiative weekend: April 17-19, 2015. 

Matching Grant - By offering a matching grant, ECA will leverage additional funds for GYSD.  In order to receive this grant, alumni must conduct local fundraising efforts to secure contributions from other donors.  Those funds must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis. For example if you have 298$ worth of cost share/in-kind contribution from other donor you can request maximum 298$ for your project from us, but if you get more than 500$ in cost share from other donors, you cannot request more than 500$ from us.

Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is an annual international event that:

·         Mobilizes youth and adults to identify and address the needs of their communities through service;

·         Recruits the next generation of volunteers;

·         Educates the public about the role of young people as community leaders by highlighting the contributions they make to their communities year-round.

To learn more about Global Youth Service Day, go to http://www.gysd.org.  or http://flexgysd.blogspot.com/

Eligibility: in order to participate in this program, alumni must

·         Be successful participants of the FLEX program;

·         Be in compliance with the two-year home residency requirement following the program;

·         Update their information in the alumni database, which may be done at any American Councils office or electronically;

GYSD Timeline:

·         Applications Available – November 1, 2014

·         Applications Due – February 15, 2015

·         Notification – March 15, 2015

·         Funds Transferred – Early April 2015

·         Reports Submitted May 31, 2015. 

The application deadline is Sunday February 15, 2015 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
For more information contact the FLEX Alumni Coordinator in your country/ region or email flexalumni@americancouncils.org. Proposals may be funded in part.  American Councils may request that applicants modify their budgets in order to accommodate partial funding.

Please note that these grants are not intended to fund purchases of computer equipment, Internet access, any salaries, and political activities working for or against any specific candidates.

Global Youth Service Day Matching Grant Application is available at: ais.americancouncils.org/flexalumni

Health is My Wealth

Nurgul Irisova ’13 (Kadamjai, Kyrgyzstan)

Event Location: Kadamjai, Kyrgyzstan

$ 159 in FLEX Alumni GYSD Grant Funding

$ 160 cost share from partners

Summary: Nurgul Irisova ‘13 celebrated GYSD event in her hometown with the project My Health is My Wealth. The goal of the project was to raise awareness about health, education, and volunteering. On April 10-12, the alumna involved 70 participants from local secondary school #17 in presentation about the importance of health, hygiene, and a healthy lifestyle.  Additionally, participants took part in discussions on volunteering and community participation.  

The participants of the project volunteered to create a Facebook group, which they called “Active Youth of Kadamjai,” and proposed organizing regular volunteer activities.  Following the spring rains, the newly motivated volunteers plan to hold a town clean-up event.  

Think of Your Health When You Are Young

Zhamilia Klycheva ’13 (Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan)

Event Location: Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan

$160 in FLEX Alumni GYSD Grant Funding

$ 260 cost share from partners

With the goal of spreading awareness about nutritious and healthy lifestyle, recently returned FLEX alumna, Zamilia Klycheva ‘13 organized the project “Think of Your Health When You Are Young” in Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan. With the help of two other FLEX alumnae, Zhamilia organized the project from April 11-12, involving over 2000 local community members.

The first part of the event took place on April 11 with presentations about healthy nutrition, genetically modified organism, and the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle. Eight and ninth grade students from six public schools attended the presentations and cooking classes to learn how to follow a healthy lifestyle.  

The second part of the event involved volunteers from ten local public schools and three colleges to clean-up three lake territories in the town. After the clean-up participants  gathered on the main square, where each school was given certificate of appreciation and encyclopedia for their library.  Representatives from the local city hall  and local media attended and covered the event. On the same day, Zhamilia organized interesting sport activities for 5-6th grade students from local public schools to promote outdoor activities and exercise among youth.  

The official partner organization for the project, the Kumtor Gold Company, distributed sport equipment for all the public schools.  Project organizers would like to thank the project partners for their efforts and contributions.

Start Locally - Change Globally

“Start Locally - Change Globally”

Sanira-Begim Mamatova ’13 (Osh, Kyrgyzstan)

Event Location: Osh, Kyrgyzstan

$ 184 in FLEX Alumni GYSD Grant Funding

$ 249 cost share from partners

The GYSD project “Start Locally - Change Globally” was initiated by FLEX alumna Sanira-Begim Mamatova ‘13. The goal of the project was to spread the volunteering spirit among youth of Osh, Kyrgyzstan.

Sanira-Begin with the help of three other FLEX alumni  held a training for 15 students on “Start Locally – Change Globally” among school students from 9, 10, 11 grades. On April 12th, the alumna organized a training covering the topics of volunteering, becoming a global citizen, education, leadership, and  Global Youth Service Day. The following day, volunteers put theory into practice, by taking part in a volunteer event to teach kids how to make quilling postcards at a local orphanage and teaming up with community members to clean up a local park.

We would like to thank project partners: Osh American Corner, American University of Central Asia, Youth of Osh, and “Apteka 5+”.

Ties of Generations

Ignatiy Kim ’10 (Osh, Kyrgyzstan)

Event Location: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

$446 in FLEX Alumni GYSD Grant Funding

$530 cost share from partners

FLEX alumnus Ignatiy Kim ‘10 brought together orphans and elderly people with his project “Ties of Generations”. Four FLEX alumni worked with young children to increase their awareness of how they can make a difference in the lives of elderly people in the community and organize events to support them. The first step of the project was to organize training events for the children at the Svetliy Put and Uchkun Orphanages. on April 6, alumni and Unity Fund members held interactive presentations for the children to help them to think outside of box in regard to the older generation, understand their stories, and show respect to them.  

Next the volunteers held a craft training with the 30 children involved in the project to make postcards and crafts.  The 350 cards and crafts that were made, were then sold for over $250.   
On April 27, the children and volunteers went to the Serofimovskiy Nursing Home to meet the elderly people that they helped!  Participants brought food and personal hygiene items, which were bought with the money fundraised by the craft items.  The volunteers and children spent part of the day with the elderly people, socializing and making their day brighter!  
Program organizer would like to thank the partner organizations for such a meaningful event.

5 Minutes May Save Your Life

GYSD Logo formed by volunteers in Talas, Kyrgyzstan

Meerim Baktybekova ’08 (Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan)

Event Location: 7 regions and 10 locations in Kyrgyzstan (Kant, Tokmok, Karakol, Balykchy, Talas, Sasyk-Bulak, Djalalabad, Osh, Naryn, and Bishkek)

FLEX GYSD Grant Funding: 500$

Cost Share: 1750$

Naryn, Kyrgyzstan

FLEX alumna Meerim Baktybekova ’08 organized the week-long GYSD project “5 Minutes May Save Your Life” to raise awareness among youth to road and traffic safety.  Organizers held educational and interactive workshops for school and college students in every region of the country. The project addressed one of the biggest issues in Kyrgyzstan - road accidents.  Last year alone 1217 people died and 10738 were injured in car accidents across the country, including 1540 children. The project embraced two main aspects of the GYSD – public health and education. During the project, participants attended training about road safety followed by interactive games and quizzes. Participants were given DVD disks with information, brochures, reflectors, and specially illustrated books for young children.

Sasyk-Bulak, Kyrgyzstan

This was one of the largest GYSD projects in Eurasia, involving over 1500  students between the ages of 14-18.  The seven FLEX alumni and 15 other volunteers organized the project between the dates of April 9-15.  Project organizers would like to thank the project partners for their support and cooperation:  PA Road Safety, the country office of the World Health Organization, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, local city halls, partner schools and university administrations.   

Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

Another Step to Communication and Knowledge

Another Step to Communication and Knowledge

Aizhan Orozbakieva ’12 (Karakol, Kyrgyzstan)

Event Location: Karakol, Kyrgyzstan

FLEX GYSD Grant Funding: 160$

Cost Share: 90$

Karakol, Kyrgyzstan - Aizhan Orozbakieva '12 presenting

FLEX Alumna Aizhan Orozbakieva ’12 organized an event to raise computer and social media literacy among orphans from Karakol. Aizhan spoke about modern technologies, internet innovations, useful websites and search engines such as Google, Bing and Yandex. The alumna also presented the FLEX program and the Global Youth Service Day to an audience of eight students from a local orphanage. During the presentation, invited speakers Sergei Trifemecey and Anastasiya Stycenko showed the audience how to create an email account and sign up for Facebook. The speakers also covered Google products, such as Gmail, Google Drive and Google Maps. Students were then asked to employ their newly-acquired internet searching skills to collect and present information about the dangers of smoking, alcohol, drugs and general infomration about Global Youth Service Day. 

Karakol, Kyrgyzstan  - team working on their research

After the event, participants were given books about different topics for their orphanage library. The event took place on April 12, at the American Corner in Karakol.

We are thankful to youth volunteer organization Leadership and the American Corner in Karakol for making this event possible.