Nestan, a 12-year-old girl living in France, has been elected to the Youth Municipal Council of her district. A Turmush correspondent met with her father, Samat, to learn more about their life.
Samat, originally from the village of Baytik in the Chuy region, graduated from the Akmatbek Suyunbaev School and earned a degree in ecology from the Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn. He began his career in the Bishkek fire service, where he worked for five years, and then joined the Environmental and Technical Safety Service under the government in 2012.
His wife, Ainura Sabyrbek, grew up in the village of Ton in the Issyk-Kul region and is a professional journalist, having graduated from the journalism faculty of the same university.
The couple has four children: the eldest, Altai (14 years old), Nestan (12 years old), Aaly (10 years old), and the youngest, Ernak (6 years old), who was born in France after the family moved there at the end of 2018. “We dreamed of living in France to gain education and experience in a developed society and to use this knowledge to raise our children,” Samat shared.
He also recalled his father, Kushbek, who, despite resistance from relatives, left to study in the capital to provide a better future for his children. “We aimed to give our children the opportunity to see the big world,” noted Samat. However, adapting to a new life proved to be challenging, and they had to start everything from scratch. But, according to him, they have now become accustomed to the local culture and lifestyle, and the education system in France helps children adapt quickly.
Nestan is in the 5th grade of college (which corresponds to the 6th grade by Kyrgyz standards) and successfully won elections to the Youth Municipal Council of the city of Sommières.
This council includes students aged 8 to 18 and deals with issues related to the development of the city, beautification projects, and event organization. Council members, including the mayor and municipal deputies, hold meetings and organize trips to Paris to introduce children to the workings of parliament. “The French motto ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ contributes to the absence of division based on nationality and race,” added Samat.
Nestan is active in her studies and sports; she was elected to the college's organizing committee and then nominated herself for the municipal council.
“We are proud of our daughter. She possesses perseverance and discipline, and she knows how to manage her time. Besides her studies, Nestan participates in athletics and runs distances of up to 2.5 km. Her hobbies also include clay modeling and painting. She speaks French fluently and is also proficient in English, German, and Latin,” her father said.
Samat emphasized that the main goal in their family is to maintain communication in their native language. “Although we speak French in society, once we step outside our home, we return to Kyrgyz culture: we observe traditions, cook national dishes, and discuss events from Kyrgyzstan. People are often surprised that our children speak Kyrgyz,” he shared.
The entire family retains citizenship of the Kyrgyz Republic. “We hope that our children, when they grow up, will return and serve their homeland. At the moment, we are accumulating knowledge and experience, and I believe that Kyrgyzstan will become one of the developed countries,” concluded Samat.
Gallery: A family from Kyrgyzstan lives in France. Nestan.
