Psychology training sessions were organized at the “Nur” and “Ark” Children’s Homes. The sessions focused on team management and ways to overcome crisis situations.

A conference on “Healthy Nutrition” was also organized. The children were provided with information about the benefits and potential harms of different foods.

Topics covered:

1. Causes of obesity among young people: unhealthy eating habits, including fast food, processed foods, and carbonated drinks.
2. A sedentary lifestyle: spending hours at the computer and lack of physical activity.
3. Harmful habits: alcohol consumption and smoking.

Speakers:

Ualikhan Esmakhanovich Basygarayev — Head of the Information Center of the Almaty Regional Branch of the Center for Healthy Lifestyle Promotion and educator for the “Young Agronomist and Farmer” project.

Mayra Kabdraushevna Murzakhmetova — President of the “Salauat” Medical and Biological Institute Public Association, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor.

Gaukhar Datkhabaeva — Candidate of Biological Sciences and head of the “Communication Activities for Developing Healthy Eating Habits” component of the National Center for Healthy Nutrition project, implemented במסגרת the “Salamatty Kazakhstan” program of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The event was covered by “Taldau Khabarshysy” newspaper in Taldykorgan.

Advantages of Drip Irrigation Systems:

1. Increased crop yields by 2–3 times
2. An increase in marketable produce to up to 90%
3. Savings on water and fertilizers
4. Reduced production and labor costs associated with irrigation
5. The low volume of water applied prevents groundwater contamination, meaning that conditions for secondary soil salinization are not created.

In addition, it is important to note that the spaces between crop rows remain dry even during irrigation. This not only reduces weed growth but also makes it possible to carry out cultivation and harvesting work while irrigation is in progress.

The absence of water droplets on the leaves with this irrigation method reduces the likelihood of harmful fungal spores germinating and improves the overall phytosanitary condition of the crops.

And that is not all. Through a drip irrigation system, it is possible to apply not only mineral fertilizers to the field, but also systemic insecticides such as Actara or Confidor. There is also experience in applying biological preparations and humic fertilizers through drip irrigation systems.

Our goal is to teach the children how to install and operate drip irrigation systems. In the future, they will be able to use these skills to establish their own agricultural businesses or provide consulting services and install drip irrigation systems for others.

For two years, they studied in this field and became some of the first qualified specialists in this area. They have now graduated from the “Self-Knowledge” Humanitarian College for the Harmonious Development of the Individual.

After graduating, they conducted practical classes and are now working as teachers in schools.

The National Scientific-Practical, Educational and Health Center “Bobek” was founded in 1997 on the initiative of Sara Alpysovna Nazarbayeva. It is a unique educational complex of a new type, providing all the necessary conditions for the harmonious development of the individual and quality education.

Self-knowledge begins with discovering and understanding the world around us. That is why the Center organizes educational trips and expeditions for students, during which they explore the world around them.

For them, their student years became not only an opportunity to receive an education, but also a chance to meet new people and make friends. Here are some photographs they took during their student expeditions.

Galym worked with the first group from the “Nur” Children’s Home.
Ualikhan Aga worked with the first group from the “Ark” Children’s Home.
Aida Kamilievna worked with the second group from the “Ark” Children’s Home.

For two months, two young twenty-year-old students taught English at “Exotica,” the “Nur” Children’s Home’s recreation center in Kapchagay.

The young men Tyler and Taylor, with Dauren (one of our former residents) in the center.

Psychology training sessions were launched under the guidance of Aida Kamilievna Faizullina, Senior Lecturer at the Department of General and Ethnic Psychology of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

“Fundamentals of Leadership Skills” Training

Objective: To develop leadership skills among high school students.

During adolescence, the desire for leadership as a particular type of activity becomes more pronounced, and the foundations of leadership qualities begin to develop. High school students have the opportunity to try themselves in leadership roles, taking on various social and leadership responsibilities. Many are interested in understanding the nature of leadership, developing their own leadership style, identifying with well-known leaders, and so on.

“Effective Communication” Training

Block 1

Training objective: To develop effective communication skills.

Training objectives:

1. To provide the necessary theoretical knowledge about communication;
2. To conduct techniques and exercises aimed at developing the skills and abilities needed for effective communication;
3. To provide feedback.

“Effective Communication” Training

Block 2

Objective: To create conditions for the participants to get to know one another better and more quickly, introduce them to the principles of group work, establish group rituals, develop a playful style of communication, and identify the individual characteristics of each participant that they will need to work on together with the group.

Instructor: Galym Zhukupbayev.

Trainer; consultant; instructor; specialist in project development, management, and evaluation.

Training objective: To teach the children the fundamentals of running a business in agriculture.

Main topics covered:

• Forms of doing business in agriculture
• What is an individual entrepreneur operating as a peasant (farmer) household?
• What is accounting for an individual entrepreneur?
• What is document management?
• Special tax regime for peasant (farmer) households
• Types of activities not covered by the special tax regime
• Types of obligations of peasant households and liability for them
• What business development and support programs are available in the Republic of Kazakhstan?
• Public procurement as a source of financing
• What is the Customs Union and how does it relate to agriculture?
• What is the WTO and how does it relate to agriculture?
• What is “foreign economic activity”?
• How to become a participant in foreign economic activity
• What is licensing?

Thanks to the financial support of the BOTA Foundation, we began holding training sessions on a regular basis throughout the year. The sessions were conducted by business trainer Galym Zhukupbayev, a specialist who received his education abroad and has conducted dozens of training sessions on financial and entrepreneurial literacy in Kazakhstan.

Our goal is to provide the children from the “Nur” Children’s Home and the “Kovcheg” Children’s Home with new knowledge and practical skills. A total of 150 children from both children’s homes were expected to take part in the program.

Preparation of seeds of late-ripening tomato varieties was carried out.

Objective: To teach the children how to treat seeds for subsequent seedling cultivation.

The “Malinovka” and “Novichok” varieties were used.