Dinara, a 29 year old CBT host from 'Zhoon-Kungoi' village is a pharmacist by training. Married at 20 before finishing her studies, Dinara expresses gratitude to her husband for supporting her through her achievements, among them, her degree in pharmacy. However, when she realised that opening a pharmacy in her little village was not financially viable, her husband enrolled her in another college where she obtained a second degree as a kindergarten teacher. Moved by his belief in her abilities, Dinara spoke of her husband, “he supports me in everything. He always helps me and advises me in different situations”.
Dinara’s husband also supported starting a guesthouse business after receiving an offer from the CBT team in Bishkek. While Dinara said that thissupport may seem atypical in their village because in other families “most things are decided by men”. Dinara agreed to receive guests in their home because she believed it aligned with a Kyrgyz tradition of hospitality towards travellers. CBT empowered Dinara, expanding her role beyond that of a housewife. In the seminars and lessons provided by CBT trainers, Dinara learned how to interact with guests, which dishes to cook and how to create a tourist friendly environment. She said that the training “motivated us to move forward”.
Not only did her husband support her, but so did her in-laws: “Whatever I do, they support me. They want us to grow, to move forward. My mother-in- law is a school teacher, and her appreciation for education has broadened her outlook on life.” Her mother-in-law also helps her cook for the tourists and her father-in-law helps in serving food and taking care of the guests.
Dinara also owes her empowerment to her religion, “we are Muslims, we pray 5 times a day. Our religion requires that men are respectful and not abusive of their wives. Islam emphasises that men support women in many ways.”
When asked if women in the south of Kyrgyzstan are more restricted than in Bishkek, Dinara replied,
“No, we aren’t. Women in Jalal-Abad can be entrepreneurs. There are no obstacles. In Islam, if a man doesn’t want his wife to work, then he must provide her and the children with everything. Only then a wife can sit at home. If the family has financial problems, a wife has an opportunity to work.”
CBT hosting has influenced Dinara's thoughts about her daughter’s future, who she hopes will become a tour guide and run her own business.However, she leaves that choice to her daughter: “I tell my daughter to learn many languages because it will be better for her future and she can run her own CBT. But I will support her in whatever she aspires to accomplish. I will not stand in her way. ”
Dinara Zhumabekkyzy
