Kyeongeun Lee is from South Korea. She has been living in Kyrgyzstan since the end of March and has visited different regions of the country.
— Please tell about yourself: what do you do, when did you come to Kyrgyzstan and why.
— I work for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representation in the Kyrgyz Republic as a conflict prevention and peacebuilding assistant. I came to Kyrgyzstan at the end of March 2023. I applied for this position, because I am interested in food security issues and would like to try to work in different geographical contexts compared to my previous work experience.
So far, I mainly have supported «Shared prosperity through cooperation in border regions of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan» project. Funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, the project is implemented jointly by FAO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and is aimed at enhancing cross-border environmental and socio-economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan; it also works to build confidence and trust between local governments, communities and civil society organizations. The project uses climate-smart agricultural practices to preserve and sustain common natural resources.
— Whenever I open the window, I can appreciate the majestic view of Ala-Archa and I am always amazed by its natural beauty.
Also, I was surprised that there have been several big sports events including marathons. I have participated in the Issyk-Kul full marathon, KFC Night Run and Snow Leopard run. I am quite happy that Bishkek offers a friendly environment for people those who are into sports.
— What in Bishkek reminds you of your hometown?
— The hospitality of the people reminds me of my hometown. I am supporting a peacebuilding project in the cross-border region. The project aims to strengthen mutual trust and interest-based cooperation between border communities of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. I had a chance to visit Jalal-Abad region and was welcomed by our project beneficiaries in Kashka-Suu village. I really liked the simplicity and hard work of these people. FAO is doing a real big job of improving people’s lives in Kyrgyzstan. We all see climate change, so many FAO projects are linked to optimize the use of water, agricultural inputs, and labour.
For example, as part of the project that I have already talked about, FAO proposed creating an artificial glacier in Aksy district. This is a very effective method to solve problems with shortage of irrigation water.
Kyeongeun Lee
The villagers themselves took on the task of building the glacier with technical and financial support from FAO. In just one week, 55 people dug a trench by hand and laid a pipeline from a mountain stream to the grazing area.
The end of the pipeline was then raised 20 meters above ground level. During the winter, a glacier formed there when the water from the pipeline began to freeze and slowly form into a huge tower of ice. In the summer, the ice mountain slowly melted, providing local residents with constant access to fresh water for irrigation and other needs.
— What do you miss in Bishkek/Kyrgyzstan?
— Due to the language barrier, I wish I could understand people more. I have had several chances to meet our project beneficiaries.
Every time they spoke about the impact of the project, I strongly wished that I could get what they were saying. I am learning Kyrgyz, and Russian, so hopefully, it will be better.
Kyeongeun Lee
— What is your favorite place in Bishkek?
— I like Erkindik Boulevard, but my favorite goes to Ataturk Park. It has not only green space, but also many squirrels.
— I like kompot due to its deeper sweetness.
— What are you afraid even to taste?
— At this stage, there is nothing I am afraid of tasting. I have already tried besh barmak and I really liked it. Kumys was sourer than I thought. It was also okay.
— What has fascinated you in close acquaintance with the local population?
— I was fascinated by the fact that Korean culture is quite welcome in Kyrgyzstan. There are several Korean product shops and restaurants. What surprised me again is that many people can understand the Korean language too.
— And what disappointed?
Considering its beautiful nature, I expected the clean air in Bishkek.
Kyeongeun Lee
However, I realized that the air quality in Bishkek gets worse as the weather becomes colder. I hope the situation gets better.
