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So, this is democracy then
You could make an incredible road movie based on the drive from Jalalabat (or Jalalabad, the English spelling seems a little indiscriminate) to Osh. Vim Venders would have an great time lingering over the scenery. In the late Autumn sun, it has the air of an Oriental paradise. Children sit in the fields after school…
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The flying minibus
Just about the only thing I remember reading in a guidebook before coming here was that you shouldn’t, under any circumstances, use the local airlines. They can’t fly to the EU because they don’t have stringent enough safety regulations. Naturally I double checked that the connecting flight from Istanbul was with Turkish Airlines, but completely…
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The ripple effect: Suyorkan’s library
It’s really not often you meet a Red Crescent Secretary General, two senior members of government, the leader of a prominent local NGO and visit two impoverished settlements in one, so it’s going to take a while to process everything we’ve taken in today. The big thing, though, has been the ripple effect of training.…
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Sex, drugs and Kyrgyzstan
Just doing the final bits of research before I head off today, and a few things struck me about this article, Women Are a Hidden Population of Drug Users. First of all, I was under the impression that drugs were rare in Kyrgyzstan thanks to its strict laws on the subject – which I’d understood…
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This year we’re all going to sunny… Kyrgyzstan
Today I found out where the Guardian will be sending me for the final part of the International Development Competition, and which NGO I’ll be visiting. It’s been quite an interesting day, just to see inside the Guardian’s offices, which the paper has occupied for a year, was intriguing enough. If you’re curious, they’re open…
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Guardian International Development Competition
You can’t teach a thirsty child | International development journalism competition | guardian.co.uk. There you have it – confirmation that I’m through to the final 16 in the Guardian International Development Competition with an article based on May’s trip to Zambia with LearnAsOne. The competition is run in association with a load of NGOs and…
