UGRAD Alumna Organizes Camp for Children with Disabilities in Kazakhstan

UGRAD alumna Zhanar Zhaxylykova (2007-2008) believes that kids with disabilities have the right to perform in concerts, play sports, socialize, and do all the other things their peers without disabilities often take for granted. To make sure all young people have a chance to enjoy childhood, in June Zhanar organized Gold Heart 2, a volunteer-run camp in Aktobe, creating an environment where kids with disabilities could enjoy themselves, while parents received specialized training in how to care for and support their children. The project had the added benefit of raising awareness of children with developmental challenges in the local community.

As part of her ECA Alumni Small Grant project, Zhanar worked with physiotherapists from Operation Mercy to train 19 volunteers on techniques for working with children with disabilities. Guest physiotherapists from Holland and England also provided valuable insight to volunteers and parents by relating basic skills in caring for children that are rarely taught locally due to the absence of trained specialists.

Zhanar enjoyed developing her own project management skills as well as making children and families happy. “I became more trained learning something new in working with disabled children,” she said. “I did projects before, but this project was a challenge for me that I could overcome. I think people need to help those people who really need it. I am totally satisfied how the project was done, because I was eager to help children and their families, and I saw a lot of smiles on their faces. Their ‘thank you’ was one of the most honorable awards.”

Zhanar is already planning to make the camp an annual event and to do more specific work on issues of children’s inclusion in society. “We need to help them feel confident and necessary…to feel they have their own niche,” she said. “These kids, their parents and the volunteers really do have 'golden hearts,' and we want everyone to come together once a year and make these events annual. We just need to get together to let our hearts beat together.”

To read local Russian-language press coverage of Gold Heart 2, click here.