Gulnara Dzhurabaeva, a former opposition activist and ex-member of the Central Election Commission, is now known as the organizer of a closed dating club called "Time for Meetings." Participants in the project describe it as "therapy" and an opportunity to safely develop communication skills.
In an interview with 24.kg, Dzhurabaeva spoke about her new venture as a matchmaker.
Photo from the internet. Gulnara Dzhurabaeva
After stepping away from active political life, Gulnara sought a way to apply her knowledge and experience in practice. It soon became clear to her that many people lacked live communication.
“There are very few places now where people can meet and communicate face to face. I noticed that on social media, men and women express their desire to find relationships but don’t know where to start,” she shares.
Initially, Dzhurabaeva simply connected people by sending them links to each other. However, she soon realized that it was necessary to create a safe environment for dating, as well as an organizer whom people could trust: “I understood that it would be better if a third party created such a platform. I have enough life experience, and I inspire trust in people.”
Thus, the "Time for Meetings" club was born, focusing on live interaction, group tasks, and breaking down psychological barriers between participants.
She developed questionnaires and began to categorize participants by age groups, as well as renting small halls. The club's database already has about 600 people, some of whom have deleted their profiles after finding partners.
The format of the meetings is intimate, with the number of participants ranging from 20 to 30. There will be no shows or public dates here.
“I strive to create a comfortable atmosphere, so I try to maintain a balance between the number of men and women. We have a closed format, and participants can be assured of confidentiality,” Dzhurabaeva explains.
Participants complete tasks, work in pairs and small groups. At the end of the meeting, they fill out "like cards," and contacts are shared the next day only if there is mutual interest.
According to Dzhurabaeva, the reasons for people's loneliness today have social and cultural roots: “People have become more complex; they have their own values, traumas, and experiences. The age of marriage has increased, women have become more independent, and men do not always keep up with new expectations. Moreover, modern individuals find it easier to live alone, which also affects the situation.”
There is also an imbalance in education: there are more women with higher education than men, which influences expectations in marriage. Women do not want to be "nannies or housekeepers," especially at the age of 50+. They are already established individuals with their own interests and adult children who are looking for a partner.
“Honesty is the foundation of any marriage. Without trust, it cannot be built. Each person should have their own circles of communication—work, friends, hobbies. A partner cannot replace the whole world,” emphasizes Dzhurabaeva.
According to her, love is based on the ability to share emotions, impressions, and discuss books and movies.
Most participants in the club are residents of Bishkek, although there are occasional inquiries from the regions. However, the organizer prefers to be cautious: “It’s hard to understand who is behind the screen online. At the meetings, the responsibility lies with the participants themselves.”
The cost of participation is 1,500 soms, and the duration of the meetings is about four hours.
Gulnara Dzhurabaeva dreams of creating platforms for people with disabilities and for the elderly, as well as launching a YouTube project with stories of couples: “I want to provide people with a space where they can better understand themselves and possibly meet someone important, even if they don’t know exactly what they are looking for.”
