KYRGYZSTAN'S PROJECT FOR AMBASSADOR'S FUND FOR

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000798 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM/ECA DEPT ALSO FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN'S PROJECT FOR AMBASSADOR'S FUND FOR REFUGEES REF: A. STATE 27884 ¶B. AL-MUSSAWI - IRIS E-MAIL 06/14/07 ¶1. Embassy Bishkek requests from PRM $3,000 under the Ambassador's Fund for Refugees FY 2007 to purchase winter clothing for refugee children and educational materials for the schools they attend. While Post was not an addressee of Ref A announcement of the FY 2007 program, Post participated in the program in FY 2006 and, per Ref B, would like to submit the following proposal for FY 2007. BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. Many of the schools attended by refugee children throughout Kyrgyzstan have inadequate heating facilities and lack a sufficient number of educational materials for their students. As a result, parents have been reticent to send their children to school during the winter months due to their inability to provide warm clothing. Those who do brave the cold usually find a lack of books and other materials to remain engaged and challenged, giving their parents more of a reason to keep their children at home. ¶3. Currently, the UNHCR office in Bishkek oversees approximately 1,200 refugee and asylum cases, and its ability to address the needs of each person of concern remains limited. In November 2006, $1,000 (remaining from the FY 2006 Ambassador's Fund allocation to support World Refugee Day events in Kyrgyzstan) was used to assist in the purchase of winter clothing for refugee schoolchildren. Although a huge success from a humanitarian and public diplomacy standpoint, more could have been accomplished if additional funds were available. $3,000, therefore, would go a long way to ensure that more children are provided adequate clothing for winter and their schools are stocked with appropriate learning materials. PROJECT DESCRIPTION -------------- ¶4. Post proposes the purchasing of winter clothes -- mainly coats and boots -- to be provided to approximately twenty Afghan, Chechen, and Uzbek refugees and asylum seekers. We estimate that roughly $1,000 will be used to accomplish this task. The remaining $2000 will be used to purchase educational materials in schools attended by refugee children. This project could be completed in as little as three months. IMPLEMENTING PARTNER -------------- ¶5. The implementing partner for this project is Adilet Legal Clinic. Adilet is already an implementing partner of UNHCR, and Post has worked in the past with Adilet on other projects (including the FY 2006 Ambassador's Fund project). Post and UNHCR remain are confident in Adilet's ability to see such projects through effectively. CERTIFICATION -------------- ¶6. Post has the authority and capacity to award a grant of this size to Adilet Legal Clinic to provide winter clothing for refugee children and educational materials for schools by September 30. Post will take advantage of public diplomacy opportunities to draw attention to this project and PRM's involvement. YOVANOVITCH