As part of a strategy to effectively reach and support busy urban communities, the SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic project has launched a Facebook page, with plans to reach people in-country through other platforms. This page will be used as a platform to learn more about the SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic program and activities as well as a space to encourage better nutrition practices among the Kyrgyz people. Social media is likely the most effective way to reach urban audiences: The 2012 Demographic and Health survey for the Kyrgyz Republic recorded a growing internet user base with a 12 percent increase in computer ownership between 2006 and 2012 and urban households being more likely to have computers than rural households.
SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic works in 11 rayons and townships in Jalalabad oblast and 6 rayons and townships in Naryn oblast, within the Feed the Future Zone of Influence. Access to quality nutrition services and increased demand are key to achieving uptake of the project’s priority practices and services. To ensure uptake of practices related to consumption of a diverse diet, we work to enhance year-round access to a variety of foods by promoting household-level food storage and preservation practices. By establishing a presence on social media, SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic hopes to improve health services, messaging through traditional as well as social media, and local campaign events to raise public awareness of nutrition issues.
Visit https://www.facebook.com/springkgz/ to find out more and to "like" the work SPRING is doing in Kyrgyz Republic. The posts are available in Russian and/or Kyrgyz.