Nestan, a 12-year-old girl from Kyrgyzstan who lives in France with her parents, was recently elected as a deputy of the Youth Municipal Council in one of the districts. Her father, Samat, shared her achievements.
Samat was born in the village of Baytik, located in the Chui region. After graduating from Akmatbek Suyunbaev Secondary School, he earned a degree in ecology from the Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn. He began his career at the Bishkek Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, where he worked for five years as an inspector. Since 2012, he has continued his work at the Environmental and Technical Safety Service under the government.
Aynura Sabyrbek, Samat's wife, is from the village of Ton in the Issyk-Kul region. She is a professional journalist and also graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at the Kyrgyz National University.
The couple has four children: the eldest, Altai (14 years old), Nestan (12 years old), Aaly (10 years old), and the youngest, Ernakh (6 years old). At the end of 2018, the family moved to France with three children, and Ernakh was born there. "Moving to France has been our dream since childhood. We aspired to gain education and experience in a developing country to later use this to strengthen our family and raise our children," Samat shared.
Samat also spoke about his father, Kushbek, who, despite difficulties, left his native village in the Talas region for the education and future of his children. "We also wanted to give our children the opportunity to see the world," he added.
Adapting to a new country has been a challenge for the family. "It was a real reboot: a new culture, a different way of life. But thank God, we managed to adapt. The French educational system actively supports children in the adaptation process," the parent noted.
Currently, Nestan is studying in the 5th grade of a college, which corresponds to the 6th grade by Kyrgyz standards. She has become a deputy of the Youth Municipal Council of the city of Sommières.
The Youth Municipal Council includes students aged 8 to 18 who address issues related to the development of their territories, initiate beautification projects, and participate in organizing events. Their activities are regulated by the mayor and municipal deputies, and also include visits to Paris to learn about the workings of parliament. "The French motto 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity' contributes to the absence of divisions based on nationality or race," Samat noted.
Nestan actively participates in college life, engages in athletics, and was elected to the organizational committee of the educational institution. Later, she nominated herself for the Youth Municipal Council and was elected as a deputy.
"We are proud of our daughter. She has a strong character and good discipline; she knows how to plan her time. She participates in sports events, runs distances, and is also interested in sculpting and painting. Besides French, Nestan speaks English, German, and Latin," her father shared.
The Samat family pays special attention to communication in their native language. "Although we support multilingualism, we speak Kyrgyz at home. We observe traditions, cook national dishes, and discuss events in Kyrgyzstan. Often, acquaintances are surprised that our children speak Kyrgyz," he added.
Samat emphasized that the whole family retains the citizenship of the Kyrgyz Republic and hopes that in the future their children will contribute to the development of the country. "We are in the process of accumulating knowledge and experience, and we believe that Kyrgyzstan will become one of the developed countries," he concluded.
Gallery: A family from Kyrgyzstan in France. Nestan.
