Forty women and girls successfully completed a new round of the U.S. Embassy’s Self-Defense Camp in Tashkent and received their well-deserved award certificates, along with trophies from Krystin Borgognone, Deputy Director of Programs at the U.S Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues.  

The U.S. Embassy launched the first Self-Defense Camp for Women and Girls in Uzbekistan in February 2021.  The project is designed to help vulnerable and at-risk women and girls build skills and confidence, maintain strength and well-being, and is complemented by mental health coaching led by a professional psychologist.  To date, the project has helped 240 women and girls in Tashkent learn essential self-defense skills, overcome their fears, boost their confidence, and improve their mental health.

“Even though these women are mastering self-defense skills, I very much hope that they will not confront a real-life situation where they will have to put those skills into action.  However, we know that they will have the skills and confidence to confront any situation and the U.S. government is very proud to support them!” Krystin Borgognone noted in her opening remarks.

Building on the success of the project, in July 2022 the U.S. Embassy sent 13 female self-defense instructors from six regions of Uzbekistan to a two-week Sports Visitor program to study sports camps in the United States.  Now, these participants will help hundreds of women and girls by opening similar self-defense camps in their home regions.

U.S. Exchange Program alumni are helping the Embassy to successfully run the Camp.  Ekaterina Bliznetsova, Head Coach of the Women’s Sambo National Team of Uzbekistan and Sports Visitor program alumna, jointly with Gelaniy Ozdaev, professional Jiu-jitsu and Judo instructor, are leading the physical training exercises.  Dr. Gulnora Bogdalova, professional psychologist, Hubert Humphrey program alumna and member of the American Psychological Association (APA), leads the mental health component of the Camp.  

The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce a new round of the Camp starting September 5, 2022.  Classes will take place at BeFit Box, a state-of-the-art gym facility, and will run until December 2, 2022.