Ceremony of Zharkyra semifinalists honoring

On the 11^th April 2018 year a ceremony of honoring social entrepreneurs, which won the first tour of the “Zharkyra” contest, took place. The representatives of the LLP «Tengizchevroil», EFCA, mass-media, akimat, The National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Atameken", fund “Damu”. Contest was held in the focus of the program of development of social entrepreneurs in Atyrau region, carried out by EFCA with the financial support from LLP «Tengizchevroil» by the branch of social investment projects.

A program started out in February with the three-day seminar plan on social entrepreneurship, 160 people participated in those seminars. On that day “Zharkyra” contest was announced, which is being conducted third year in a row on the territory of the region and supports businesses with social missions that help community solve vital for the area problems.  On the first tour 61 people applied with their business-ideas. They were assessed by 6 experts in the sphere of business development, social entrepreneurship, NGO from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. In the end 25 winners were chosen, list is published on the EFCA web-site. From the chosen projects- 19 are from Atyrau city and 6 from region districts (Zhylyoi-4, Inder-1, Mahambet-1).

The sphere of project occupations is divided into the given way: support and rehabilitation of people with limited abilities-6; children’s’ education and leisure-4; arts, music and creativity-5; women support-3; sport and healthcare-2; tourism and ethnic tourism- 2; help to elders- 1; rehabilitation of condemned-1; help to animals-1.

On the ceremony semi-finalists received certificates for free participation of the business-skills acceleration program. Acceleration program has trainings on marketing and sales, finances, strategic planning and skills in public speech, and also a series of consultation. All in all, the cost of trainings, not counting expenses on organization, comes out to be 3 750 000 tenge. Trainings will be conducted by leading trainers from Almaty and Atyrau.

It is expected, that by the end of trainings participants of program will be able to modify their applications to business-plans and will partake on the final of the contest, the winners of which will have rights get loans without the interest percentage on the realization of their business projects, they will complete professional internship and exchange of experience in other regions of Kazakhstan or in Russia. In 2016-2017 year 13 social aimed businesses were supported, which are successfully growing, greatly increasing their business performance and serving more than 10000 citizens of Atyrau and Zhylyoi region.

“I got on the introduction seminar of the “Zharkyra” contest by accident, but after hearing stories of success from former winners and participants of the contest, I thought, why not! Even if I try and fail- it will be an experience for me, if I succeed – even better, it means its already too late to give up and retreat. Before the seminar I didn’t know what, social entrepreneurship is and what’s the advantages and differences from normal entrepreneurship, but after listening to trainers from EFCA and gaining experience from real social entrepreneurs, I understood, what a noble thing it is.

I am a social person; I love children, I love helping people, and that’s why if I ever going to do my own business- it is totally going to be a social entrepreneurship. The thing that gives benefit not only to the owner, but to the people too.” Said the winner of the first tour Dinara Yergalieva.

Program “Zharkyra” foresees the whole cycle of support to social entrepreneurs: asses of applications, teaching, a contest on gaining financial support for projects, exchange of experience and mentorship. Social entrepreneurship is a business with a social mission, that helps community solve vital problems in an innovative way. It is practiced successfully and for a long time in many countries for an effective solving of crucial community problems by citizens themselves. Support of social entrepreneurship is a help to government in dealing with social problems, it is a smart charity, it is a realization of ideas for active and generous citizens.