Zhukunay is a CBT host and entrepreneur from Song-Kul. She started
her yurt camp business in 2005 after her shepherd husband passed away,
leaving her with seven children. At that time, there were very few women
entrepreneurs who could advise and support her, and she was too shy to ask
for help from men.
Initially, her family was against the idea of foreign tourists since it is not
customary in Kyrgyz culture for women to directly interact with strangers. They
would tell her, “We should harvest potatoes, why do we need tourism?”.
Despite people’s negative attitude towards her business, her brother and sister-in-law helped her signifcantly. Zhukunay recalls, “I wouldn’t listen to the negative comments and kept receiving tourists. In the beginning there were 4 yurts, and later I added 4 more”. When the business started making money, her family started taking her seriously, “A fnancially independent woman plays a big role."
CBT hosting has improved Zhukunay and her family’s quality of life.
Financial stability has allowed Zhukunay to educate her children and given her
the opportunity to travel to Uzbekistan and Turkey. She gave four of her eight
yurts to her eldest son and has trained him how to cook for and serve tourists.
While all critical decisions are made collectively, she relies on her son’s opinion n contentious issues as she believes that “the man's voice has a higher value in Kyrgyz culture. I value his opinion. "
Zhukunay is proud to be a tax-paying citizen. While she is grateful for
the government support she receives, she would also appreciate the local
government’s help in their yearly migration, “This year our move was very
challenging. Wind, cold and snow... we had no choice but to leave the yurts.
We are lucky nothing happened to them. It would be good if we are provided
with containers to store our yurts for the winter.”
Zhukunay refects her values and philosophy of life: “I’m almost 70. I
have neither oppressed anyone, nor has anyone oppressed me. If somebody
tries to offend me I put them in their place. I have been brave since I was young, and I still am. I don’t quarrel, I just speak softly and fnd the right words. And they keep quiet by themselves.”
Zhukunay is grateful for the encouragement she receives from the circle
of sisterhood in Song-Kul, “We are very supportive of each other. You cannot live without friendship in such a collective. We don’t get jealous or quarrel because of tourists. We take turns receiving CBT tourists.” Zhukunay has a strong desire to help other women to become successful, “I wish our women entrepreneurs to be hardworking. If anybody struggles, I always help them. If I have extra money left from my children, I use it to support other women. If we all support and uplift each other, the world can become a better place for everyone”.