AlmaU hosted a forum of social entrepreneurs!
On 30 November a forum of social entrepreneurs took place, which was organized by the laboratory of social entrepreneurship of Almaty Management University (AlmaU) together with Kazakhstan Fund for Management Development (KFMD), with the support of Almaty city akimat.
"Today we can confidently say that the Forum fulfills a crucial task: positioning social entrepreneurship as a powerful resource, as a new sector of the economy,- AlmaU President Assylbek Kozhakhmetov noted in his greeting speech, - The forum gives social entrepreneurs opportunity to come together, see each other face to face, and it is a very important moment when social entrepreneurs, experts, representatives of NGOs and authorities come together on one platform to discuss the most pressing topics and best practices in sphere of Kazakhstan social entrepreneurship. Almaty Management University is positioning itself as a socially responsible University. In this direction the University implements such social projects as "Rural teachers", "Unlimited possibilities", we have established the laboratory for social entrepreneurship and introduced "Service learning" discipline.
In the framework of the forum there were discussion platforms, performances of well-known social entrepreneurs, social project-play, video clips and an exhibition of social-entrepreneurial projects which demonstrate successful experience in solving social problems in Kazakhstan.
"There is a big problem in providing systematic support from the state of social entrepreneurship - the organizer of the forum, head of the laboratory of social entrepreneurship Nurzhan Alzhanova said - The state is trying to find how to help and how to help correctly. It is particularly gratifying that we have successful projects in the field of social entrepreneurship, which can navigate and inspire us and give hope to solve social problems. The forum is summing up the activities of the laboratory of social entrepreneurship of AlmaU. These results include the results of the project "uSPеh2016"(success) which was in the form of a series of trainings on social entrepreneurship, held in all districts of Almaty city and presentation of three videos, aimed at supporting socially important projects."
Rinad Temirbekov, Executive Director of Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia, an experienced expert in this sphere, told in his speech about development of social entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan, about measures, mechanisms and conditions necessary to support and develop this phenomenon,.
The success story of "Nuralau" social venture was told by Nurgul Saitbekova, winner of the Grand Prix of the first final of a big competition among social startups in Russia and Kazakhstan, SAP UP. Presentation of "Nuralau" project was followed by a demonstration of adapted clothing for disable people, which aroused great interest among the participants of the forum.
Everything starts with a personal story: as you know, most social enterprises are started by people who faced some personal or social problems. Every year millions of people suffer due to road and pedestrian accidents. "TUMAR" social project is also based on a personal story, the founder of which is Said Massimov. The aim of the project is to develop culture on roads and decrease mortality. The project is unique and relevant, and for today it is the first place winner in the competition among SAP UP social startups.
Social entrepreneurs create new opportunities for children. And if you have an idea which will change children's lives for the better, you can become a leader of changes and receive support from the Fund "Towards changes", that was the main keynote in the speech of Zulfiya Abdukhalikova, Program Director of the Fund "Towards changes".
The rector of AlmaU Gulmira Kurganbaeva said in her speech about leadership competencies of NGO managers,: "Nowadays, competence is considered to be the most reliable instrument for identifying and measuring business skills of entrepreneurs. Competence must meet the strategic goals of the enterprise, therefore, properly allocated to help workers understand the requirements of tomorrow and develop together with the company, in other words, a worker who has the right model of competencies in a successful enterprise, is successful at work".
During the event, the winners of competition were awarded and got the certificate of "The Best Social Enterprise". This document is a special sign which tells consumers that this particular company is really working for the good of society and is steadily growing on self-financing principals.
Such certificates in their respective categories were awarded to Aibek Yessimov, the founder of the social center of creativity MMDance, Eldos Bayalyshbaev who opened the gym "Asar" to help disabled people and Monica Vorbeugen, head of "Zheti-Agash" public fund, adaption center for women in difficult situations.
Special nominations of the laboratory of social entrepreneurship of AlmaU were awarded to the following projects:
in the nomination "Best social project of the year in the field of early childhood education and intellectual development of children and adolescents": the project "Asyl Bolashak" - Natasha Murzina;
in the nomination "Best social project of the year in the area of employment, involvement in socially active activities of people who need social management": "Meyirim" - Taubaldinova Gulvira;
in the category "Best social project" of the year in the field of development of rehabilitation methods of disabled, provision of rehabilitation services, support and protection of the rights and interests of disabled citizens ": project "Shapagat" - Koshkarov Kulazhan, Shaltan Erkinbai.
The nomination "For personal contribution to the development of social entrepreneurship" was awarded to the teacher of discipline "Service larning" Atamkulova Gulnara Bokanovna.
"A special role in the formation of a new constellation of social entrepreneurs, is given to youth entrepreneurship - said Nurzhan Alzhanova - We introduced the nomination "For a systematic approach to social entrepreneurship" - this nomination was awarded to the Director of IAB College Khismatullina Alfiya Anvarovna. Attention should be paid on the fact that the College became one of the few educational institutions where students are actively involved in social business. The activity of socially-oriented projects of the College was marked by 7 nominations and prizes. It is not accidental that within the walls of this College a social project "Inclusive youth are people with unlimited abilities" was born. A social play "I will love you for ever" with participation of IAB College students and young people with disabilities of "RUKH" center, was poignant and so necessary for spiritual and moral development of youth and adaptation of inclusive young people in the social space. And MMDance social creativity center created the atmosphere of music and dance at the forum. Foot tapping dances of Aibek Yessimov’s group, head of one of the best social projects in Kazakhstan, were more convincing than any words: the social project is necessary for children from orphanages, as well as for us all and we hope that the obsession and the identity of the head of the project will allow MMDance be a sustainable project and achieve professional heights"
The exhibition of social and entrepreneurial projects, organized in the framework of the forum, provided a unique opportunity to the participants to share their successes, plans, discuss specific topics and to recharge creative energy to realize their projects.
