100 мостов за 20 лет

100 Bridges in 20 Years

In the Ayil district of Barskoon (Jeti-Oguz district, Issyk-Kul region), a bridge over the Karakol River has been put into operation. This event marked a significant milestone for the Foundation "СAMР Alatoo" and the association "Pamir's Bridges" (Switzerland): the project completed a hundred bridges, built collaboratively by the two organizations and local communities since 2002 throughout the country.

The opening ceremony of the bridge was attended by the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kyrgyz Republic, Olivier Bangerter, the president of the "Pamir's Bridges" association, Bernard Repond, and its representatives, as well as representatives from the Foundation "СAMР Alatoo," local authorities, and residents.

The distinguished guests emphasized that the bridge symbolizes the friendship between the people of Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland. "The government of my country has no involvement in the construction of this bridge. It has appeared in this high-mountainous region thanks to the friendly and warm relations between people from our countries, as well as with significant support from the 'Pamir's Bridges' association. From my perspective, the words and feelings with which I would like to describe today's event are “friendship” and 'together,” said Ambassador Olivier Bangerter.

Funding for bridge construction comes from the support of organizations and personal contributions from ordinary citizens. The bridge in Barskoon was built with the support of Swiss resident Laurence Half, whose name it bears. Bernard Repond informs the Swiss public about the need for sturdy and safe crossings for herders to move livestock high into the mountains in distant Kyrgyzstan. He founded the "Pamir's Bridges" association after learning about the problem directly from local shepherds during a tourist trip to the country.

"To build bridges here, we need shepherds, villages, and intermediaries in the form of various organizations that help us inspire and motivate communities for this work. For us, the driving force has been the "CAMP Alatoo" Foundation and its staff, without whose efforts and diligence our activities would be impossible. I really appreciate that they are always ready to collaborate, never disappoint, and we open all bridges exactly on schedule," noted Bernard Repond.

In turn, for the "CAMP Alatoo" Foundation, the main partners have become the communities – rural residents, representatives of pasture committees, and forestry. Expressing their interest in improving mountain infrastructure, local institutions invest labor and technical resources into the construction and repair of bridges.

"For highland residents, bridges are 'connectors' that help them reach neighboring villages, graze livestock, and open up new tourist routes. Thanks to the bridges, herders and domestic animals gain access to better and environmentally friendly pastures. Grazing not only in valleys but also in the mountains ensures an even load on resources, reduces their degradation process, and improves the condition of the livestock," said Salamat Jumabaeva, project coordinator at the "CAMP Alatoo" Foundation.

From Barskoon, representatives of the "Pamir's Bridges" association will head to the next project to check the quality of work and assess readiness for operation. Bernard Repond and experts on mountain bridges conduct annual monitoring of construction projects, covering thousands of kilometers to reach remote mountainous areas. A meeting between the association's representatives and the "CAMP Alatoo" team is planned for early October to discuss the results of their collaboration.