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You're watching UNICEF Television.

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On a recent visit to Kyrgyzstan, members of the UNICEF Executive Board got a chance to

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visit UNICEF-supported programs, like this daycare center for children with special needs.

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UNICEF has been working with NGOs and the government to fortify the country's child

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protection system, which had become fragmented, leaving many children institutionalized.

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This center is part of a local pilot program aimed at providing alternatives to large state

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residential institutions.

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All the teachers, all the persons that I saw this morning and I saw this afternoon, it's

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some sort of energy that comes from them in order to provide this positive way of thinking.

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Another measure to prevent children from being institutionalized is foster care, a new service

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in Kyrgyzstan. Alina was brought to a child center last year when it was discovered that

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she was living alone.

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We used to have a big beautiful house. Then we moved to a block of flats and we lived

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there. It was bad there, not beautiful. Nothing to eat.

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Mommy and dad drank alcohol.

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Alina now lives with Lyubov Karacheva, who went through special training before adopting.

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The board also visited this family-type home. The children here range in age from one and

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a half to seven years old. They live in a house that they decorated themselves, creating

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a warm and friendly home.

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A new National Child Code in Kyrgyzstan ensures that all districts will provide services like

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these that protect children and their rights.

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This is Rachel Warden reporting for UNICEF Television. Unite for Children.