Sustainable energy solutions and empowering women in Yagnob Valley in Tajikistan
The Yagnob Valley, nestled in the picturesque but remote mountains of Tajikistan, remains largely cut off from the modern world. Isolated for almost five months each year due to harsh winters a nd an unsafe mountain road, the region faces significant challenges. Limited access to electricity, schools, and healthcare, coupled with energy poverty, make daily life difficult for the approximately 70 families scattered across 17 villages. Despite these hardships, the valley is a protected national natural and ethnographic park, designated to preserve its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage. Since 2019, Central Asia Solidarity Groups together with the environmental organization...
Girls’ Day Conference: Celebrating Sisterhood and Dreams for the Future
We are sharing updates from our residents, Johanna and Susanna, who recently completed their residencies at Novi Ritm, our long-standing partner in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. In this post, they reflect on their experience at Novi Ritm’s Girls’ Day Conference, a powerful celebration of sisterhood and young women’s dreams for the future. Every year on October 11, the world comes together to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child. This special day, declared by the United Nations in 2011, is a call for action to address challenges girls face globally. It is a day to empower girls, advocate for their rights...
Greetings from Osh!
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...
Permaculture in practice – visit to Kyrgyzstan
In June 2024, Jona Elfdahl and Etta Säfve, permaculturalists and artists at Gylleboverket, traveled to Kyrgyzstan to meet CAG’s local partner, El Too, and visit permaculture projects in the northern region of the country. Read their story below. The snow-capped mountain peaks surround us as we lie in the waters of the turquoise lake. Soon the sun will set, and we will settle into the yurt that will be our home for a few days during our two-week stay in Kyrgyzstan. We are here to visit and exchange experiences and knowledge with seven different sites that have started transitioning...
Kyrgyzstan’s Parliament passes repressive ‘foreign agent’ bill
Central Asia Solidarity Groups is very concerned about the recent developments around the legislation affecting civil society in Kyrgyzstan as they challenge the efforts to promote a democratic Central Asia with a strong, active, and inclusive civil society. This is a harsh and unjust bill that aims to tightly control the work of civil society, with special scrutiny on those that receive foreign funding. The bill closely resembles the so-called “foreign agents” law of Russia; it is a continued alarming practice that aims to control civic freedoms and independent activism in Kyrgyzstan. The new bill, approved in the third...
Interview with Meerim Omurzakova – one participant in the initiative with Novi Ritm
Featured image: Meerim Omurzakova, second from the right, with Novi Ritm volunteers. Since 2013, Central Asia Solidarity Groups and Novi Ritm have been working together to empower youth, particularly girls and women, in southern Kyrgyzstan. Our shared aim is that the local youth is well-informed about their rights and actively engage in the protection of human rights. This participations is seen as a vital component for cultivating a democratic and inclusive civil society at all levels. Novi Ritm has a mentorship program designed to forge connections between experienced individuals with prior engagement in the organization’s activities and volunteers newly...
Annual meeting and documents
We invite members and friends of Central Asia Solidarity Groups to our online annual meeting on March 23, 2024, at 10:00 AM. The annual meeting will feature a presentation of CAG’s work in 2023, including financial overviews, as well as the action plan for 2024, and the election of a new board and a chairperson (see agenda for more information). A link to the online meeting will be shared via email with registered participants closer to the meeting date. Annual meeting agenda Annual report 2023 Årsredovisning 2023 Annual Plan 2024...
Central Asia Solidarity Groups is looking for new board members
Do you want to contribute to encouraging a democratic Central Asia with a strong, active, and inclusive civil society that contributes to human rights being respected and social justice achieved? The election committee is currently working in order to provide a diverse and competent board for the organization during 2024/2025. We are looking for persons who: – Can dedicate at least 5 hours a month to meetings, with additional time for operational tasks; – Have an interest in the affairs of Central Asia; – Possess experience in any of the following areas: communication and social media, project management and...
Stories of Jamilya Mambetkerimova and Burul Mayrambek kyzy – participants in one initiative
Featured image: Burul Mayrambek kyzy is making a presentation during a study tour in Bokonbaev village CAG’s partnership with ISDS focuses on local communities and decision-makers in Son-Kul to build their capacity with respect to effective use, management, and preservation of natural resources. Burul Mayrambek kyzy and Jamilya Mambetkerimova, participants in the project, shared their experiences with us, providing insights into how this initiative has sparked positive changes within their communities and illustrating the importance of collective action in tackling environmental challenges. Jamilya Mambetkerimova is 47 years old, has six children, and is a deputy of the local council...
Residency opportunity in Kyrgyzstan
Central Asia Solidarity Groups (CAG) is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization located in Malmö, Sweden. Our focus is on thematic areas of climate and environment, democratic youth organizing, gender equality and women’s rights, security and resilience, mainly in Central Asia. We are currently seeking two candidates for a 2- months placement from September to October 2024 with Noviy Ritm, a youth-led organization in Osh, Kyrgyzstan (for more information about the organization click here) The placements has a two-fold focus. First, donor mapping, which involves identifying, researching, and analyzing potential donors that align with the mission of Noviy Ritm. Second, development of strategic organizational...