Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan

The Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan (SFK), a private international non-governmental foundation, seeks to create conditions for building an open society and supporting the development of public institutions and initiatives in all spheres of public life in the Kyrgyz Republic. An open society means freedom of expression and diversity of opinions in all spheres of life, a state governed by rule of law, and the opportunity for all members of society to participate equally in development. The Foundation was set up by the Open Society Institute, headed by George Soros, a global financier and internationally renowned philanthropist. The Foundation is part of the international network of Open Society Foundations, which includes national Soros foundations in 31 countries and two regional foundations covering 27 other countries. The Foundation began operations in 1993 and was officially registered with the KR Ministry of Justice at the end of 1995. Since that time, Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan has consistently continued to support civic initiatives in various areas such as legal, educational and economic reforms, support to the media, NGOs and academia, assistance to initiatives in public policy, health and culture. To finance these initiatives, SFK has donated more than USD 79 million to the country in non-repayable grants. The Foundation's work is governed by the strategic resolutions and recommendations of the SFK Supervisory Board and the Open Society Foundations, and is implemented in close cooperation with partners from government institutions, NGOs, and international organizations.