In many parts of the world, persistent patriarchal norms, economic hardships, and prejudiced attitudes result in women's voices and needs often being overlooked, especially those of young women. In Kyrgyzstan, the interplay of historical and cultural factors has further restricted women's participation in civic and political life.
Aitolgon Boronbaeva, a young Kyrgyz researcher in Poland, encountered these challenges both in her home country and abroad. Determined to drive change and support other Kyrgyz migrant women, she founded a diaspora organisation called Danaker in June 2023. This organisation aims to promote Kyrgyz culture, foster integration, and empower migrant women.
One of Danaker’s flagship projects is 'MentorAiym', a digital mentorship program that won first prize at the Future Forum Diaspora Youth Pitch Competition in October 2023, an initiative of the European Union-funded EU Global Diaspora Facility (EUDiF). This pioneering program was designed to support young migrant women from Kyrgyzstan living in Poland with their educational and professional endeavors.
Winning the pitch competition brought Danaker recognition as an innovative youth-led diaspora platform advocating for gender equality. It strengthened Danaker's relationship with the Migration and Human Trafficking Council of Kyrgyzstan and facilitated new connections and participation in European-level programs. Since the win, Aitolgon has been nominated by the Migration Youth Children Platform as a delegate for the Youth Forum and the 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development in Geneva in January 2024. She has also been invited to the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic, where she shared her visionary approach on the importance of engaging the youth diaspora. Danaker is the first and only organisation of its kind in Europe. These engagements inspired Aitolgon to initiate a European Forum for Women from Kyrgyzstan, which gathered over 100 participants from 17 countries for International Women’s Day. This event launched discussions to create a “European Alliance of Women from the Kyrgyz Republic” to foster collaboration, empowerment, and advocacy among Kyrgyz women migrants residing in Europe and to promote their rights and well-being.
Since Danaker's inception, EUDiF has been a guiding light. The collaboration since the Future Forum stands as a testament to how international organisations can effectively nurture and elevate youth-led diaspora initiatives, particularly those championing women's empowerment.
In Poland, Danaker has expanded its membership, created new partnerships, and diversified its activities. Fifty women have participated in career advice seminars and another thirty in the pilot mentorship program, while more than 1,000 women joined the workshops on social life and integration, benefiting from counseling, webinars, training sessions, book club meetings, and cultural events.
Building on these successes, Danaker has been awarded an Erasmus+ grant of 60,000 EUR to support the implementation of "DigiMentor," which aims to develop the mentorship competencies of guidance staff who work with migrant women. Partners from Estonia, Belgium, and Norway will collaborate on this project.
In just one year since its foundation, Danaker has grown exponentially thanks to the pioneering spirit of its founder, Aitolgon. By seizing opportunities to participate in EU-funded dialogues, competitions, and projects, Aitolgon and Danaker have created numerous opportunities for Kyrgyz women in Poland and beyond. This success story has even inspired other diaspora groups from Central Asia, leading to new associations for diaspora groups from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. If one young woman can have such an impact on her community, we can only imagine the transformative contributions that more associations led by young women will bring to society.
About the EU Global Diaspora Facility
The EU Global Diaspora Facility supports diaspora organisations and partner countries to collaborate for sustainable development. It conducts research, organises dialogues and provides capacity development support.