Kyrgyz Editor Finalist in Developing Asia Awards

She will attend the awards ceremony in Tokyo organised by the Asian Development Bank Institute on November 14, as the only finalist from Central Asia, running against journalists from South and East Asia.

The Developing Asia awards honour “excellence in journalistic reporting by those covering development trends and issues in the region”.

Aida’s entry is an article entitled Central Asia Looking Pretty – People Left Homeless

She has been a finalist in two different categories on earlier occasions, both times with articles she wrote for IWPR. In 2006, she submitted a piece about rising alcoholism called Depressed Kyrgyz Seek Solace in the Bottle, and a story about water problems in southern Kyrgyzstan entitled A Trip to The South in 2005.

"It's a great honour to be a finalist in this contest," said Aida. "I'm really hoping I might win first place this time round. If I did, I would be overjoyed since this is like a Pulitzer prize for Asia."

A frequent freelance contributor to IWPR’s output, Aida joined our main regional office in Bishkek full-time in September as editor for Kyrgyzstan and Kazakstan. She brings an impressive track-record as correspondent, editor/producer and programme moderator for Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz Service and its Azattyk-Plus TV show.

Here is a small selection of past IWPR stories written by Aida:

Kyrgyzstan: Rising Teen Pregnancy Blamed on Ignorance

Kyrgyzstan: Uzbek Refugees Forcibly Returned

Toxic Spill Dispute Revived in Kyrgyzstan