As a 12 year old boy, Vova grew up with a mother who suffered from severe anxiety and a father in prison. As the eldest child in his family, he lashed out in anger at his younger siblings and was mean and abusive towards his teachers at school. It was clear to those around him that Vova was on a destructive path. Despite this rough start, Vova is now mentor for other youth thanks to the social services he received through the Zhenskii Luch (Women’s Ray) Center. The Center, with support from the BOTA Social Service Program [6], provides an after school program for children aged 7-18 with behavioral issues, and/or absent parents.
The Center allows students to choose courses of their own interests such as knitting, woodshop, painting, and computer classes, and combines these courses with psychological sessions for each of the students. Students and staff work closely together on the children's issues, and psychologists work together with the activity leaders to enhance the experiences and what is gained from the classes.
Students like Vova who come to the Center often have a difficult living situation at home, and arrive at the center closed off and dismissive to contact with others, let alone adults. Oksana Volkova-Mikhalskay, the director of the center shares "When the students are at the center they are always asked 'How was your day' which they are not used to being asked. Most of these children have never been asked this before in their everyday lives."
As a result of a BOTA SSP grant, the Center increased in size and is able to provide more classes, and offer a wider variety of courses to the students. They also added an additional psychologist that works solely with the parents of the students to be sure they are involved in their children's growth and continued progress as well.
Through the center, children like Vova have seen growth and change. After spending time at the Center, Vova became noticeably more settled and easy to get along with. He no longer has issues with his teachers, and has drastically improved his relationship with his siblings. Vova still attends the classes, but has improved significantly and is now serving as a mentor to younger students entering the Center. The center is also working closely with Vova's mother to help her anxiety issues and aggression.
The BOTA Foundation’s Social Service Program gives local non-government organizations grants to improve social services throughout Kazakhstan. Grant projects through the Social Service Program focus on assisting children and youth from impoverished families.
Non-government organizations can apply for grants in categories such as community planning, early childhood development, education, increasing opportunities for disabled youth and youth livelihood development.
IREX is building the BOTA Foundation by providing senior technical expertise to ensure that over $100 million effectively reaches the poorest of poor in Kazakhstan. BOTA is an independent not-for-profit NGO that improves the lives of children and youth in Kazakhstan through university scholarships, small cash transfers to impoverished mothers, and grants to local NGOs.