An official presentation of the updated crisis center "Asar" for women with children facing difficult life situations took place in Almaty.
This unique project, implemented with the support of the private charity fund Halyk, founded by Timur and Dinara Kulibayev, marks an important step in creating conditions to assist families on the brink of separation.
The "Asar" center was established in 2017 based on the SOS Children's Village in Almaty and has since been helping women with children who are in need of support and protection.
In 2024, thanks to the Halyk fund, a major renovation was carried out here, significantly improving living conditions. The center can accommodate up to six families, providing them with separate rooms, as well as medical, legal, and psychological assistance, along with support for employment and education.
"Asar": support and care for every family
The uniqueness of the "Asar" center lies in its use of advanced international methodologies that allow for an individual approach to each case in working with women. Thanks to this approach, a personalized family development plan with a step-by-step strategy for overcoming the crisis is developed for each woman at the center.
"An important achievement is fostering parents' confidence in their abilities and their capacity to cope with difficulties independently," emphasized Gulzhan Asanova, the national director of the Corporate Fund SOS Children's Villages Kazakhstan. Gulzhan Asanova also noted, "Even after the program ends, we stay in touch with families and continue to monitor their well-being."
Since the center's inception, over 150 children have been able to stay with their mothers, and more than 80 women have received temporary housing and support to find their way to independence. An analysis conducted showed that over 90 percent of the women who went through the center found employment, secured housing, and achieved stability.
The story of one family: a path to a new life
Ainur (name changed), a mother of three, turned to "Asar" in a desperate situation.
"We literally didn't know where we would sleep the next day. Information about the center became our salvation," she shares. Thanks to the support of the center, Ainur underwent training and was able to move to a new professional level. "The staff at 'Asar' and the Halyk fund helped me gain confidence in tomorrow and opportunities for further development," she recounts her story.
SOS Children's Villages Kazakhstan: preventing orphanhood
SOS Children's Villages, operating in Kazakhstan since 1994, provide children without parental care with family-like conditions and actively implement projects to prevent orphanhood. Thanks to family support centers at SOS Children's Villages, hundreds of children avoid separation from their parents, and prospective foster parents receive training, making the fund's projects particularly significant for society.
Halyk Fund: the power to change destinies
The Halyk charity fund has implemented over 120 social projects amounting to more than 85 billion tenge throughout its history, actively supporting initiatives in education, social infrastructure, and protecting vulnerable populations. This contribution made by Timur and Dinara Kulibayev enables projects like the "Asar" center to provide support and protection for families in need.