For three days in November, people from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan all gathered around the importance topics of keeping kids in families and orphan care in Central Asia. Leaders gathered to share their experiences in the sector and to dream and plan future collaborations together.  

After coming back from the WWO Global Forum, the leadership team only had 3 weeks to prepare everything, but the insights gained at the Global Forum proved to be the keys needed for structuring the gathering. While focusing on the WWO Roadmap foundations of Collaboration, Prevention, Intervention, and Self-Care, the team was also able to bring in their local focus which included: partnership with churches, Adoption/Family ministry, Working with Crisis Families, Orphan Graduates/Mentoring, and ministry to Special Needs Kids. Each day of the conference was divided into speakers and videos (Inspire), Master Classes (Equip), and Breakout groups (Connect/Plan).   

On the final day of the gathering delegates broke up into national and regional groups to make plans for the future.  Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan both committed to trying to start a movement in their countries, and as a Bishkek group (capital of Kyrgyzstan) decided to organize a large group quarterly meeting.  

As one delegate shared, "When I came here, I saw that the number of crazy people like me was quite large!" Learn more about Kyrgyzstan Without Orphans: http://kbs.kg