About
The Kyrgyz Space Program is an educational and social initiative that seeks to make a significant impact on science and challenge gender stereotypes in Kyrgyzstan's traditional society.
In Kyrgyzstan, women face stereotypical gender roles and often become victims of bride kidnapping, with their societal value primarily associated with childbearing. They also struggle to access high-quality education and are underrepresented in STEM fields, resulting in a lack of interest in technical careers. This disparity in STEM education further exacerbates the challenges faced by women in pursuing rewarding opportunities in these fields. According to the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic for the years 2021/2022, the distribution of students in STEM fields in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2021 was as follows: girls accounted for 20% and boys accounted for 80% of the total number of students in educational institutions of higher professional education and vocational secondary education.
To address these challenges, the Kyrgyz Space Program is creating successful female role models in technology and serving as an inspiring showcase to encourage young women to pursue STEM studies and careers, challenging the male-dominated perception. Additionally, the program pioneers space exploration in sovereign Kyrgyzstan, where expertise and infrastructure in the space industry are scarce. We aim to establish a foundation for aerospace research and practice in Kyrgyzstan’s universities.
How the program started
The program was officially established in 2018, but its roots trace back to 2016 when Kloop Media Foundation introduced programming and robotics courses. Unfortunately, these courses had a predominantly male attendance. Recognizing the need for a STEM course tailored specifically for girls, the idea to launch the Kyrgyz Space Program took shape.
In the same year, Bektour Iskender, one of Kloop’s founders, crossed paths with Alex MacDonald from NASA at TED Summit. Alex, who travels the world inspiring local space programs, learned about the programming and robotics courses and saw the potential for launching the Kyrgyz Space Program. He emphasized that satellite launches have become more accessible than ever before. Combining the concepts of STEM education for girls and satellite building, Kloop Media Foundation established a satellite-building school exclusively for girls in March 2018. This marked the beginning of an exciting journey toward empowering girls in the field of space exploration.
Once the core team came together in early 2019, they took on the responsibility of managing the entire program, with the support of Kloop Media Foundation as the fiscal sponsor (registered organization). In 2022, the Kyrgyz Space Program reached a significant milestone as it became an independent entity, separate from its founding organization, Kloop Media Foundation. We want to express our deep gratitude to Kloop Media Foundation for their visionary initiative and unwavering support throughout our journey. Their foundation has been instrumental in our growth and success. As we enter this new chapter, we cherish the invaluable lessons and experiences we gained from our partnership with Kloop Media Foundation.