“What can you teach my son about football? You are a woman.” These were the words spoken by a concerned parent to Aidana Otorbaeva, a Kyrgyz woman, aged 29, who founded the Maestro football club for children in Bishkek, the bustling capital of Kyrgyzstan.

It is a question that reveals the many challenges that women here, and around the world, often face. But the women of urban Kyrgyzstan are no longer as weighed down by social norms and stigmas although they still face perpetual violence and patriarchal attitudes. They are no longer just ‘fitting in’, but are dramatically changing the landscape of the city.

As these new role models tackle the world of business, more and more young girls dream of following in their footsteps.

In Kyrgyzstan as in most Central Asian countries, the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) is a rapidly developing sector that provides new employment opportunities and it is a key source of income for many women.

According to the National Statistics Committee, in 2020, 28% of the heads of operating businesses were women with just over 50% of those women work within sales, and nearly 30% are in clothing and manufacturing. These women have become essential to the economy.

For Aidana, it was clear from the age of five what sport would occupy her for the rest of her life. Her love for football was rooted in her family.

Her dad, older sisters and uncles had a vivid interest in that particular sport, but none of them pursued it professionally. Aidana was different: she turned the dreams of her family into reality. Today, at the age of 29, she has played football professionally, founded a football club for children, and has risen to the vice presidency of the Women’s Football Association of Kyrgyzstan.

Now, more than 190 students are being taught at Maestro football club in Bishkek. Aidana’s determination, humanity, and business experience has resulted in years of successfully empowering kids on the field.

For women like Aidana, education involves setting an example: showing young girls that they can turn their entrepreneurial and athletic dreams into reality, through dedication and patience. Aidana shares with many women in Bishkek a deep interest in this kind of education and development.

In an interview with Harbingers’ Magazine she noted that the “the fundamental qualities in a person are their moral values”.

“You need to be kind and open to give back to this world – this is the most important thing for me,” she said, adding that profit was not the priority when she opened the school. “I just like to watch children develop, play football and dream that one day they will become professional football players”.

Education is a life-changing tool for many, opening doors for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and overlooked places. Nargiza Zhakypova experienced this reality first hand.

She recalls, nostalgically, how she grew up in a village until the 7th grade, before moving to Bishkek with her mom to pursue a better education. In Bishkek, she learned about the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) – the best university in the country. It soon became her dream to study there, even though her family could not afford it.

Today, Nargiza is the founder of multiple businesses, several IT programming schools and the prestigious American-European School (AES) in Bishkek. Before founding the high school, Nargiza ran several other enterprises on her own. Despite being highly educated – carrying a B.S. in Economics and an M.A. in Economic Governance and Development – Nargiza never lost her love of education. In the founding years of AES, she had faced many financial challenges, straining to overcome shortfalls leftover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

She embarked on a finance course, achieved profitability, and is now preparing to launch her first collection of dresses while researching the manufacturing and clothing industry. Nargiza’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education and the rewards of relentless effort. Her successes are part of a broader story: the rise of dynamic women of Kyrgyzstan.

Each of these women, despite facing various difficulties and challenges on their way, have succeeded and are now running their business while employing and helping many families and also contributing to women’s development in the country.

“I think the community of women is getting stronger. There are more and more initiatives from women to women, mentorship programs and developing programs especially for young girls,’’ said Nargiza Zhakypova, the founder of AES.

Entrepreneurial dreams and obstacles

Interviewing ten young women in the Bishkek Park Mall, working mostly as sales consultants in the beauty and clothing industry, there was something remarkable: each one was interested in starting their own business, seeing it as the path towards independence and success.

The girls spoke about their dream businesses with excitement. One young woman shared her passion for perfumes and dream of opening a perfume store, another shared her interest in photography, hoping to open a photo studio.

Many girls working in the beauty and clothing industry also had a keen interest in that area, and shared with me their own clothing brands, shops, and selfcare service ideas. These specific ideas and their enthusiasm are a sign of the future. These young women have strong entrepreneurial desires, inspired by the powerful success stories of female innovators in Kyrgyzstan.

Nonetheless, the aspirational young girls of Bishkek face challenges as well as opportunities. “I was thinking about opening a private clinic or a medical centre,” said Suyuta, a future paediatrician studying in her third year. “For me, financing would be a problem. Without knowledge in the field of business, finding premises to rent, plus a lack of experience, would be problematic and difficult at first.”

The rise of female entrepreneurs in Kyrgyzstan marks an important change in the country’s development. As these women continue to break barriers and redefine societal roles, they create a legacy of empowerment and growth.

The journey of Kyrgyzstan’s female entrepreneurs is a powerful reminder that with determination and support women can achieve extraordinary things, shaping not only their destinies but the future of their communities and country.