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Kyrgyz Congress of Women visits Manas

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Olufemi Owolabi
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- --  Twenty female Kyrgyz civic leaders, known as the Congress of Women, visited Airmen at the Transit Center at Manas Oct. 16.
The visit to Manas was to familiarize the Congress of Women with the Transit Center's mission and for Airmen to learn about the contributions of some of these women to Kyrgyzstan. 

"I heard a lot about the Center from other people. It is one thing to hear and another to be here personally and see everything through my own eyes," said Cholpon Sultanbekova, a local cotton exporter. "I like it here, and I am impressed with everything I saw."
The visit to the center, according to Mrs. Sultanbekova changed the way some of the women viewed the Transit Center, and it also gave them an understanding of what the working environment at Manas is like. 

At the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing headquarters building where they met some of the Airmen and leadership, the women were able to showcase their locally manufactured products, such as fur hats, carpets and other traditional clothing fabrics. 

One of the women, Dilshat Kangeldieva, even got more Airmen's attention when she sang and played a melodious folk song entitled "You are always on my mind," using a traditional string instrument -- Komuz. 

During their visit, after receiving the mission brief from the director of the Transit Center, Col. Blaine Holt, the Congress of Women had the opportunity to talk to Manas members while dining with female Airmen and Kyrgyz women working at the Transit Center. 

While having lunch, the Airmen also asked questions and got to know how these women's efforts impact their community and their accomplishments in the country overall. 

The tour of the Transit Center, which consisted of a windshield tour of the dormitories, a visit to the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group and the fitness center, culminated at the flightline with a tour of a KC-135 Stratotanker. 

"I have very positive feelings about this place; I feel very comfortable here," Mrs. Sultanbekova said after the tour. "I will share my impression with my folks and let them know that the Transit Center is carrying out a peacemaking mission."