The pursuit of a goal can be measured by the energy expended, time taken, state of health, and also the length of the journey that must be overcome in difficult conditions, whether it is heat or cold, for six out of seven days. For children living in remote parts of Karakalpakstan, the main goal is to receive an education. Although this goal is entirely achievable, the distance from home to the educational institution varies: for some it is only 5 kilometers, while for others it is 15.
Kuvonish travels 13 kilometers daily for his studies. He is one of thousands of such children in Uzbekistan. On September 22, the director's version of the documentary film 'Quvonish yo‘li / The Path of Joy' was shown at the Cinematica cinema. The word Quanish translates from Karakalpak as 'joy'. The boy's father noted that the path of 'The Path of Joy' is not only arduous and long but also dangerous due to encounters with jackals. Nevertheless, Kuvonish overcame all difficulties daily.
His story gained significance because many children live in remote areas of the country whose journey to knowledge is long and difficult. This story served as the starting point for the Maktabga Xavfsiz Harakat project. This project united the efforts of businesses, government institutions, and public organizations, including Hayot Foundation, the CSR platform of the NGO 'National Center for Support and Development of Renaissance Initiatives', the Republican Center Kelajak, Gross company, Kapitalbank, Orient Finans Bank, Buro Not From, Cinematica, and UZGPS, to solve the problem of children from remote regions.
Thanks to the project, the journey between home and school has become safer, faster, and more comfortable for many of these children, as they now travel in special school buses, covering long distances daily. What was initially a social initiative is now integrated into the daily lives of the children and their families. In the video presented at the event, the current work of the project was demonstrated: the buses are carrying passengers, and the routes have already been established. The next step of the initiative is planned to increase the level of control and ensure the safety of transportation.
As part of the event, Hayot Foundation signed cooperation agreements with UZGPS and Cinematica. UZGPS will equip the buses with GPS trackers, which allow real-time location tracking. Parents and children will be able to monitor the bus arrival time, adherence to established routes, and driving quality, and also use an SOS button for emergency assistance. All collected information will be archived by the company for one year.
The partnership with Cinematica will provide an opportunity to continue discussing social issues through cinema and visual stories, making them accessible to the general public. The film's director and his creative team were also present at the event. Participants of the Maktabga Xavfsiz Harakat project shared information about the initial successes and future development plans of the project.
A safe route to school is the result of coordinated actions of many parties: those who help acquire transport, organize routes, interact with schools and regional authorities, create media content to attract public attention, and implement technologies to enhance safety. It is precisely the synergy of business, government structures, NGOs, technological, and cultural partners that allows social ideas to be transformed into tangible improvements in the lives of children and their families.