UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Growing up can be hard no matter what a family's circumstances, but it is often more so for children living in the Kyrgyz Republic in Central Asia, one of the poorest countries in the world, known for its dry environment, high mountains, nomadic culture and animal-husbandry heritage.
Isolation, poverty and food insecurity are among the hardships children live with, but perhaps most distressing is separation from their parents, many of whom live away from home for months and even years to work in countries like Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey.
Understanding the economic, health, behavioral and educational effects of labor migration on children is one aspect of a three-year, interdisciplinary research project that is being carried out by researchers in Penn State's Colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Earth and Mineral Sciences, Health and Human Development, and Education.
Between 650,000 and 750,000 of Kyrgyzstan's 5 million citizens work outside of the country, making it one of the most remittance-dependent countries in the world, according to lead investigator Guangqing Chi, associate professor of rural sociology and demography and public health sciences in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education.
"Those most affected by this unfortunate circumstance are the many thousands of children left behind with extended family or in residential institutions, both of which often struggle to meet the youngsters' needs," said Chi, who also serves as director of the Computational and Spatial Analysis Core of the Population Research Institute and Social Science Research Institute.
"A full understanding of the impact will enable us to advise the country's government on social supports and policies that can help improve the quality of life for these children."
Christian Kelly Scott, a doctoral student pursuing a dual-title graduate program in rural sociology and in international agriculture and development in the College of Agricultural Sciences, noted that the findings will not just be useful for Kyrgyzstan — the second poorest country in Central Asia — but also will help other countries struggling with the effects of labor migration.
For this study, Chi conducted two work trips: the first in July 2016 to the region of At-Bashy Rayon, Naryn Oblast; and the second with Scott in 2017, to Alay Rayon, Osh Oblast, regions that are undergoing socio-environmental and economic change.
Aided by social workers, teachers and government officials, the team canvassed 26 communities — with populations ranging from 200 to more than 10,000 — and interviewed families with parents living in the household and working domestically, and families in which the parents migrated for work. Researchers also collected self-completed family surveys.