The picture features Johanna (on the left) and Susanna next to her
on top of the sacred mountain Sulaiman Too in Osh
We are Johanna and Susanna, and we are doing a two-month residency at Centralasiengrupperna’s partner organisation Novi Ritm. We have now been in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, for three weeks.
From the beginning, we have been impressed by the impactful and important work of Novi Ritm. It is inspiring that the organisation is almost entirely run by youth (and for youth), working with a holistic set of strategies to make an impact. These include lectures, outreach and providing a safe space and platform for youth from diverse backgrounds to meet. It is a pleasure to have been welcomed into a community so passionate about making a positive change.
So far, we have had the opportunity to work with grant writing and crafting session plans for our English Talking Clubs. We have also started on our main task, donor mapping. Our different backgrounds in the residency team complement each other well, allowing us to draw from our own specialisations and interests. Johanna has a background in peace and conflict studies and human rights, and Susanna in Eurasian studies and human geography.
Our plans for the next few days include visiting the mountains outside the city of Osh and hosting our first English Talking Club. We look forward to continuing this journey and sharing more about our experiences in the coming weeks.
Johanna and Susanna