In Kyrgyzstan, "Mother Houses" will be developed instead of orphanages

In Kyrgyzstan, "Mother Houses" will be expanded instead of orphanages

In Kyrgyzstan, it is necessary to gradually review the system of orphanages and develop a network of small shelters where mothers in difficult situations can live together with their children. This was stated by Dastan Bekeshev, a deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), after his visit to the "Mother House" in Bishkek, "24.kg" reported.

According to the deputy, two such institutions are operating in the Oktyabr district of the capital. Yesterday, he visited one of them. Currently, eight mothers in difficult living conditions are residing there with their young children.

In the deputy's opinion, such shelters help keep the child in the family and provide them with the necessary care. According to him, educators in large boarding schools cannot replace parents for children.

“A child should not be separated from the family. Someone needs to take care of them. Educators still cannot fulfill this role, they cannot be a mother,” he said.

The "Ene uyu" ("Mother House") resource center is aimed at supporting pregnant women and mothers with children who find themselves in difficult life situations. The shelters provide psychological, medical, social, and legal assistance to prevent the abandonment of infants and to keep children in the family. The first such center in Bishkek was opened in May 2025, and the second in February 2026.

Dastan Bekeshev intends to propose developing this practice on a national scale. However, he also acknowledged that it is difficult for the state to assume all expenses at once. For this reason, he stated that business representatives should also be involved in establishing such institutions.

The deputy specifically emphasized that simply increasing benefits is not enough to support families. Systemic changes are necessary so that mothers and children can receive assistance and feel safe.

He plans to raise these issues at meetings of the Jogorku Kenesh. He also called on the Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration to be more active in reforming the child care system. According to the ministry, nearly 10,000 children live in 137 boarding institutions in the country. 95 percent of them have parents or legal representatives.