RIVERS AND BRIDGES ARIZONA (RBA)

Building Bridges Between the People and Organizations and the United States

RBA, established in 2014, has dedicated over a decade to fostering collaboration in Kyrgyzstan. Partnering in Kyrgyzstan with CRU and the J-Hope Foundation, RBA has focused on community development and support initiatives across the region. Our efforts have included teaching English, visiting public schools, helping families with special needs children, and helping distribute gifts and food. In collaboration with these local organizations we aim to empower local organizations, enhance education, and promote sustainable growth, making a lasting impact on the lives of many.

We want to do activities like these with people in other areas and countries. People in their communities know what is needed and what help they will accept. Organizations in the USA are eager to help, but it can be difficult to make the needed connections. Our experience is that time, visits, and collaboration are essential to establishing these connections and relationships. RBA has traveled to Kyrgyzstan and sponsored Kyrgyz people coming to the USA several times.

RBA Goals

Build bridges between the people and organizations with organizations in the USA using mentorship, cooperation and personal involvement.

Help empower local people to achieve their dreams in their country.
Promote democracy, religious tolerance and respect for human rights.

How did RBA get connected with people in Kyrgyzstan?

About 11 years ago RBA was formed when Casas Church in Arizona asked that we form an LLC to work with people in Kyrgyzstan. Casas was already working with people in Central Asia including Kyrgyzstan and their contacts were invaluable. We formed the Rivers and Bridges Arizona, LLC as an Arizona corporation and established IRS 501(c)(3) status. After these steps, we worked more and more with people in Kyrgyzstan, and that included RBA people going there on goal-oriented trips. And, it also included inviting Kyrgyz people to come to Arizona in a program that we called Camp Arizona. During Camp Arizona we were able to connect young professionals from Kyrgyzstan with professionals doing the same work in the Tucson area.

RBA and Kyrgyzstan

KyRgyzstan after the USSR

Different approach to politics than their authoritarian neighbors; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
A more pluralistic political system after the collapse of the Soviet Union
Have swung between authoritarian and democratic forms of government
RBA cooperates with Kyrgyz people to build a cultural bridge between people in the United States and people in Central Asia.