Sokuluk Raion, Chui Oblast, Kyrgyz Republic – April 18, 2012 – The Kyrgyz Republic’s only boarding school for speech-impaired children has been rehabilitated through a U.S. assistance project implemented by Counterpart International.
Kyrgyz officials joined representatives of the U.S. Embassy to the Kyrgyz Republic and Counterpart on April 18 at Sokuluk Boarding School for Speech-Impaired Children to dedicate the reconstruction of the heating system, classrooms and school yard. The work was funded by the U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE), under its Small Reconstruction Project initiative.
“The completion of this project drastically improve[d] the condition of the educational block. Now it is fully rehabilitated and able to better serve 281 children and the school’s personnel,” said Svetlana Sudakova, the school’s director. “I would like to thank U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic and Counterpart International for implementing this valuable project.”
Participants at the event included Kenneth Sturrock, Economic Section, U.S. Embassy to the Kyrgyz Republic; Artyom Zozulinskiy, Commercial Assistant, U.S. Embassy to the Kyrgyz Republic; Saltanat Mambetova, Chief Specialist of the Department of Pre-school, School, Post-school Education, Ministry of Education and Science of Kyrgyz Republic; and Nazira Chalova, Chief Specialist of Department of Education of Sokuluk Raion.
Sokuluk Specialized Boarding School for Speech-Impaired Children – located at 124 Lenin St., Sokuluk Raion, Chui Oblast, about 25 miles west of the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek – focuses on speech therapy and other treatment methods related to the children’s mental development and socialization skills. The school, established in 1973, is the only boarding school in the Kyrgyz Republic for children with speech impairments. Of the 281 students, 160 reside at the school full time and 121 are day students.
Counterpart has been working in the Kyrgyz Republic for more than 14 years, providing assistance to vulnerable populations through the implementation of U.S. humanitarian aid projects valued at more than $85 million.
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