New home and new beginning

In March 2021, the government with the support of UNICEF and other partners repatriated 79 Kyrgyzstani children from Iraq under the humanitarian mission “Meerim” meaning “Mercy”. The repartriation and reintegratio activities were implemented within EU-UN co-funded programme supporting the States in Central Asia for their citizens returned from Syria and Iraq.

Adina Mahidilova (name and surname changed) recalls the day her two nephews arrived in Jalal-Abad, in the southern region of Kyrgyzstan: “My nephews were very frightened. They didn't hug me or take my hand like my children did. And I was very worried about their condition.”

Her worries were combined with financial problems. When the children arrived, Adina didn't even have a home. She rented an apartment where she lived with her two children, and it was difficult for her to now look after her two nephews.

To smooth the reintegration of the children, UNICEF supported the family.

“UNICEF helped us. They allocated money to us to buy necessary things such as clothing, shoes and stationery for school”, - says the guardian of children Adina.

The two boys had to adapt to the school curriculum and to life in a new place.

“I made the decision to bring the two boys to the school," recalls the head teacher of the elementary school, Zulfiya Kiyalbekova (name changed). It wasn’t even a question; I just could not leave the children without education. Yes, it was concerning but UNICEF came with the help. They conducted training sessions and seminars for teachers and explained what problems we could face and how we could solve them.”

And there were many problems. Apart from the language barrier, there were also mental difficulties. An older boy had seen his father and brother killed by a bomb. After what he saw, he stopped talking and smiling. 

Aman (name changed) didn't know how to read and write but now knows five letters and five numbers. And one more thing - at first, he was quiet and didn't want to eat. UNICEF specialists arrived on time with educational lectures, gave him books and I started to work. Now he comes up and tells me what he liked about the food he ate, what he dreamed about, and what he had at home, which is a great achievement. But there is still work to do. He needs extra time to complete the learning tasks we set. "Often, I stay with him individually for lessons, we learn words and practice speaking Kyrgyz,”- said teacher Feruza Abdulayeva (name and surname changed).

The teacher of the eldest boy, who had been teaching at the school for only two years, echoed her words and was at first baffled by the fact that there was a mute boy in her class.

“At the institute we were told that there are such children, but no one explained how to help them in the classroom or how to help them to start playing with their classmates. Specialists from UNICEF taught us from scratch. They walked this path of integration with us. You see, it is difficult to introduce a child with a disability into a classroom, even more difficult when he does not understand the language, was born and raised in a different - very dangerous - place. But we managed,” - said Zukhra Yusupova (name and surname changed), the class teacher.

She noted that such experience was also useful for children because they learned tolerance, and they acquired skills to communicate with their classmates who were different from them.

“Now, if a child with a disability or from a different language background is brought to another class, I can help their teacher. I have been taught and I can now support others.,” Zukhra concluded.