Kyrgyzstan reduces poverty with family support programs
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The National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan reports that poverty decreased from 33.3% in 2021 to an anticipated 24% in 2025.
Since 2022, the government has implemented the “Social Contract” program to help low-income families gain financial stability through entrepreneurship and self-employment. This program provides financial assistance, increasing from 100,000 to 150,000 soms, to citizens with viable business plans, and by October 2026, 59,354 contracts had been signed, creating over 61,000 jobs.
Women, particularly in rural areas, make up the vast majority, 94.2%, of participants in the “Social Contract” program, often starting businesses in agriculture, manufacturing, trade, and services. Thirty-one participants have already achieved annual incomes exceeding 1 million soms through these ventures. The government also supports employment through existing businesses, offering up to 150,000 soms to entrepreneurs who hire unemployed citizens from low-income families in pilot projects in several cities and districts.
Alongside entrepreneurship programs, Kyrgyzstan is expanding social benefits for families with children. From July 2026, a benefit of 1,200 soms per child under three years old, called “Bala Yrysy,” will be distributed to 235,500 children regardless of family income. New benefits for mothers of many children in remote areas are planned for 2027, ranging from 100,000 to 2 million soms based on the number of children.
Experts note that while these programs demonstrate effectiveness, long-term success depends on creating sustainable economic growth and opportunities for families to become self-sufficient.
