The akim of Almaty supports people with disabilities!

A disability is not a sentence. Some people with disabilities need to work, because making ends meet on disability benefits can be very difficult. But getting to work can be a challenge -  both physically and financially.

The cancellation of transportation fees in Almaty for people with first- and second-degree disabilities allows them to keep as much as fourth of their disability benefits.

Resident of Almaty Vera Koroleva, who has a ‘first-degree’ disability:  “The introduction of the unified transportation card ‘ONAI’ created a financial burden for people with disabilities. Public transportation costs averaged six thousand a month – that’s 72,000 tenge a year. If we add the cost of food, utilities, medicine, and clothes, you can see that living on disability benefits is a big challenge,” says Vera Koroleva.

“The interests of people with disabilities on public transportation issues in Almaty were represented by Kairat Imangaliyev, head of the Community Association of Disabled Persons “NAMYS”, and advisor to the akim of the city of Almaty and consultant to the Ministry of Education on Science on protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.

Today, the issue of free public transportation in the city of Almaty has been resolved. As of March 1, 2016, people in Almaty with first- and second-degree disabilities, 4,500 children with special needs and visual impairments, 12,000 people with other special needs, and veterans can use public transportation within the city free of charge. Related costs are reimbursed to transportation companies from the city budget. We are very pleased!”

According to the latest statistics, there are 16,230 people with first- and second-degree disabilities in the city of Almaty. Public benefits for first-degree disabilities total 43,850 tenge; second-degree disabilities – 36,319 disabilities.

Within the framework of USAID’s GGIF in Kazakhstan, “NAMYS” has implemented the project, “Development of an Advisory System of People with Disabilities as an Effective Governance Mechanism.” The goal of the project is to create conditions for the development of an advisory system at all levels of the akimat structure and in Ministries. Successful results to date include training 36 advisors to akimats and Ministries – all of whom are people with disabilities, the development of a “Provision on Advisors with Disabilities to Akimats and Ministries”, which was supported by the Coordination Council on the  Social Protection of People with Disabilities under the Government of Kazakhstan on June 30, 2016. This document regulates the work of advisors with disabilities at all levels of the governance structure, in order to resolve issues and improve opportunities for people with disabilities.