International media attention was focussed on Kyrgyzstan in June 2010 when deadly riots broke out in the southern part of the country.  At least 200 people were killed and over 40,000 displaced by inter-ethnic violence.  

Local Uzbek and Kyrgyz journalists, whilst reporting the violence, were also among its casualties. Threatened, and forced out of their homes, many fled the south to seek refuge in the capital Bishtek or in Uzbekistan. 

We supported 3 freelance journalists in Kyrgyzstan during this period.  Jildiz Bekbaeva was one of them.

Jildiz, a freelance journalist and photographer, lives in the city of Osh in Southern Kyrgyzstan - the setting for some of the worst violence during last Summer's conflict.

During the clashes, Jildiz – a single mother – worked for local and foreign media filing stories and reports, but the violence was taking its toll on her and her family.

“In the first 4-5 days of the clashes I worked around the clock. My two children, aged 8 and 1, were terrified the whole time. They couldn’t sleep, they stopped eating and were terrified by the gunshots and screams on the streets”.

Jildiz was desperate to move her children outside the city so that they could receive proper medical attention and rehabilitation, but she had not yet been paid for the work she had done and was surviving on very little money. The Trust offered to help the family find some respite and treatment away from the city. However when the family was involved in a car crash in August, our grant was diverted to pay for hospital bills and other emergency needs. Thankfully Jildiz and the children are now fully recovered, and we are in regular contact with them in case they need additional help over the coming months.