The coffee shop "Bon Espresso" has opened in Batken, initiated by a participant of the "Mekenim 1+1" program, which has become a vivid example of support for labor migrants and their families. These individuals invest funds earned abroad into creating businesses in Kyrgyzstan.
The head of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kanat Sagynbaev, recently visited the coffee shop and learned about the successful implementation of the program.
The "1+1" program offers grants on the condition of equal contribution from migrants, allowing for business development in various sectors such as light industry, tourism, education, IT, manufacturing, and logistics.
So far, 59 migrants have utilized grants for the development of small and medium-sized businesses. In particular, the owner of "Bon Espresso," Azatbek Zairbekov, invested 500,000 soms and received 206,000 soms as a grant, while his coffee shop generates about 9,000 soms in profit daily.
Kanat Sagynbaev emphasized the importance of the program for creating new jobs and supporting economic growth. Currently, 38 people in the Batken region are participating in this initiative.
This pilot program is being implemented under the decree of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 4 dated January 29, 2021, "On measures aimed at improving the migration situation," as well as in accordance with the Migration Policy Concept approved by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic's resolution No. 191 dated May 4, 2021. The coordination is carried out by the Ministry of Labor, while the implementation is handled by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, with financial support from the International Organization for Migration.
