WFP will use the funds to meet the immediate food needs and support the livelihoods of 3,100 residents of the country’s current social inpatient institutions and boarding schools for three months in the peak of COVID-19 outbreak. Residents of the social institutions – orphans, elderly and people with disabilities are the most severely affected by the current crisis. Emergency food assistance will be provided through WFP’s long-term partnership framework with Ministry of Labour and Social Development and Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic.

WFP supports the Kyrgyz Government’s efforts to achieve the overall priority of Food Security for all, with specific focus on the vulnerable population. This contribution from the Government of Switzerland is critical to make sure that amidst the severe impact of the crisis no one is left behind, including the most disadvantaged people who lives in closed institutions.

Thanks to the Swiss contribution, WFP will provide each social inpatient institution and boarding school with a 3-month food ration of 75 kg of fortified wheat flour and 8 litres of vitamin-rich oil per person. Such assistance will ensure their access to balanced and nutritious meals, while giving them the possibility of prioritizing some of the available economic resources and use them for addressing other pressing needs such as health, sanitary and hygiene, protection.

As safety, protection, and dignity of the residents in the social institutions are of pivotal importance, WFP will ensure all precautionary measures during food delivery and handling.

“We would like to thank WFP, our long-standing partner for improving the livelihoods of the country’s poorest populations, and the Government of Switzerland for their commitment to support the people of Kyrgyzstan. At this time of crisis, every effort counts to ensure tailored social support to the most vulnerable people,” said Minister of Labour and Social Development, Ulugbek Kochkorov.

WFP, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, is the United Nations (UN) agency leading the critical sectors of food security and logistics. In this role, WFP is also supporting emergency food distributions to the most vulnerable people across the country to cover their immediate food needs during the crisis.

Living in a deprived settlement presents many difficulties. Among them, access to basic health services, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, can become a real obstacle course. Thanks to Swiss support, more than 600 people have been able to register at a Family Medicine Center and obtain health care services.

The project has been implemented by the local NGOs PA “Kyrgyz Family Planning Alliance” in partnership with PA “Arysh”, PA “Child Protection Center” and NGO “Advocacy Center for Human Rights”. It helped to set up a system to receive medical services in primary health care organizations through a referral document. Once registered, a person gets an access to basic health services and can get the compulsory health insurance. During two months, in September and October 2020, more than 600 internal migrants in Osh and Bishkek have been registered.

In addition, at the peak of the first wave, 6,000 low-income families with children living in 12 deprived settlements in Bishkek and 11 in Osh received food packages and personal protective and hygienic equipment for COVID-19 prevention.

The NGOs also worked with them to prevent domestic violence and child suicides through psychosocial support. Talks and consultations with parents on methods of non-violent parenting took place. A participant of the training explains that thanks to this training, she listen more to her children and discuss with them about their future. Another participant said: “I have learned what psychological violence is. Before I thought that only physical violence exists”. Detection system was put in place with the neighborhood heads and community leaders. They were informed about what to do and where to turn in cases of domestic violence for women and children.