While recently visiting sub-grantees of the BOTA Foundation [14] in Almaty, Kazakhstan, I met a group of young adults who are developing their professional talents, despite never having had attended school and rarely having had the opportunities to leave their homes. It is not that Almaty lacks schools; there are many schools of high quality that are developing a skilled workforce that is supporting their country’s economic growth. Nor are they excluded from the education system based on their ethnic or linguistic affiliation, disruptive behavior or poor academic performance. Rather, schools in Kazakhstan are simply not equipped to accommodate students who are unique amongst their peers. This is also true of other public and private institutions throughout the country. Therefore, children and youth with disabilities in Kazakhstan spend their lives at home, under-educated, and with few opportunities to interact with others in their communities.
One of the sub-grantees I visited, the Eldany Foundation, has been working for more than a decade in Almaty to provide meaningful opportunities to youth with disabilities while also training them to be productive adults. The majority of the youth who attend programs at Eldany have cerebral palsy and are therefore not allowed in Kazakhstani schools. At Eldany, they receive an education, professional skills training, join excursions around the city, and most importantly, create a network of peers that they would otherwise not have. As part of this network, they are trained to be mentors and role models for new participants who will join the program. This system of training and mentorship is represented in the foundation’s motto: “We help ourselves by helping others.”
One activity that participants at Eldany are perpetually busy with is creating high-quality, award-winning art that is sold to raise money to support the Foundation. The art is of such quality that politicians have occasionally purchased these pieces to be presented as awards for public service. In fact, a large part of Eldany’s operating revenue is attracted by the sale of these items. While there, I was able to watch participants create a variety of ceramic pieces that are as unique as they are. During this visit, I tried my hand at creating a small ceramic piece, but my very modest effort paled in comparison to their yurts and camels. The participants were very kind not to point this out. We are proud of them and proud to support the Eldany Foundation’s work.