Kenes Rskishev, Aselle Tasmagambetova and Saby Foundation: the totals of 2020

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The oldest private charity in Kazakhstan, the Saby Foundation, is a multilateral organization which is involved in large-scale social initiatives and transformation. The fund, which is now 18 year old, is developing healthcare, educational, entrepreneurial, environmental and other socially important projects. It was founded in 2002 by Aselle Tasmagambetova and Kenes Rakishev. Aselle Tasmagambetova is the president of Saby charity fund.

The healthcare project

In January of the outgoing year, the paediatric emergency surgery was opened at the Semey University Hospital. It is one of the projects implemented by Saby. The surgery is equipped with the most modern and technological equipment.

It is equipped with a system of distribution and removal of medical gases, a laminar flow that ensures sterile cleanliness of the premises, laparoscopic equipment for minimally invasive operations, anaesthetics and respiratory artificial lung ventilation apparatus, electrocoagulation devices, defibrillators, resuscitation monitors, ultrasound, cardio and echo devices and other resuscitation, surgical and therapeutic equipment. In addition, the emergency room was renovated. Works were done from June to December 2019. The total amount of expenses amounted to more than 247.5 million tenge. It was a major event for the region. Aselle Tasmagambetova, Kenes Rakishev, patrons and supporters, healthcare and regional leaders were present at the event.

In February, a special IR vein finder device was purchased for the children's hospice of Almaty region, at a cost of 1,750,000 tenge.

In March 2020, the Saby Foundation under the leadership of Aselle Tasmagambetova organized and funded a series of training master classes from recognized paediatric surgeons of Russia and Kazakhstan for the medical staff of children's surgical departments in Almaty and Semey.

Currently, a fundraising is underway for the construction of a children's emergency surgery in Aktau city. The necessary equipment was purchased in the amount of 42 million tenge.

The "Build your business" contest

Kenes Rakishev and Aselle Tasmagambetova pay much attention to raising the entrepreneurial spirit in society. The popular "Build Your Business" contest has very simple rules and low demands to enter the competition. It makes it hugely popular in Kazakhstan.

On March 5, the winners of the "Build Your Business" contest were announced in Almaty. The jury watched 900 promotional videos, which is a third more than the number of applications last year. In just 7 years, more than 3,000 projects took part in the competition.

The number of grantees was also a record, as well as the largest prize fund in the history of the competition – $300,000, which was distributed among 11 finalists. Thus, the total amount of grants granted to entrepreneurs over 7 years exceeded $1.5 million.

The partner of the competition, the British audit and consulting company Ernst&Young, held a series of lectures for finalists and graduates, and also provided five certificates for training in HR and business academies of Ernst&Young.

This year, the competition also has a new partner: the multinational Microsoft company. Microsoft Corporation is a world leader in the production of software. The company acted as a mentor for the contest and provided support tools for the contestant and winners.

Fighting the coronavirus pandemic

2020 will be remembered as a year when COVID pandemic started. The fund was prepared to fight the incoming pandemic before it reached the borders of Kazakhstan. Aselle Tasmagambetova mobilized every effort to counteract the virus. Kenes Rakishev has used his influence to stock protective equipment, tests and medication for those who will fight the SARSv2 in the first line.

2020 was a very difficult year for everyone – the world was gripped by the coronavirus pandemic. The Saby Foundation took an active part in the fight against the spread of the virus. From the very first days of the announcement of the emergency regime, the Foundation organized a charity event to raise funds for the purchase of quick tests. Thanks to Kenes Rakishev, Aselle Tasmagambetova and active supporters of the fund, Kazakhstani companies and individuals who joined the campaign, 402 million tenge was collected in the shortest possible time. This money was used to buy 100,000 express and 40,000 advanced tests for free testing of the population.

Kenes Rakishev, the co-founder of the Saby Foundation, donated 445,000,000 tenge to the Birgemiz public Fund to provide social support to Kazakhstanis during the pandemic.

The Saby Foundation for medical institutions of Almaty purchased a lung ventilator for the amount of 10,5 million tenge, as well as seven oxygen concentrators for 3 million tenge.

Masks, protective glasses, coveralls, gloves, protective screens worth more than 49 million tenge were handed over to doctors and nurses of Atyrau region.

Hospitals of Atyrau region received ten lung ventilators in the amount of 91,780,000 and 43 oxygen concentrators in the amount of 13,350,000 tenge.

Atyrau, Aktobe and West Kazakhstan regions have received 115,242 packages of essential pharmaceuticals in the amount of 58 780 000 tenge. The total number of patients treated was almost 6,000.

Healthcare workers of Semey Medical University received assistance in the form of clothing, accessories and contact lenses in the amount exceeding 11 million tenge.

The Saby Foundation transferred 510,000 medical masks and 50 cans of disinfectants to medical institutions of Almaty and the region for a total amount of more than 27 million tenge.

As a support and gratitude to women doctors in hospitals of Almaty, the foundation gave 53 sets of branded cosmetics.

Saby financed the opening of a mobile laboratory for testing for coronavirus in Almaty in the amount of 9,500,000 tenge.

The Saby Foundation provided financial support in the amount of 5,100,000 tenge to two Kazakhstani charitable foundations, Shugyla and Rasima Foodbank to cover administrative expenses and the payroll fund for 3 months. This respite allowed the organizations to survive in times of pandemic and continue their important social work.

65 Samsung tablets worth 5,135,000 tenge were presented to children from needy families of the Nauryzbay district of Almaty to provide students with an online learning opportunity.

At the moment, the amount of funds spent by the Saby Foundation to provide assistance during the pandemic amounted to 1,137,393,000 tenge.

Saby's involvement in educational program

Kenes Rakishev and Aselle Tasmagambetova pay much attention to education. It is seen as a key to modernizing society.

Eight graduates of the boarding school named after I. Nusipbayev completed 9-month courses of the Saby Foundation in preparation for the state exams. All sponsored disciples entered the budget departments of higher educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The tenth poetry contest in the Kazakh language has been announced. The winner was awarded the main prize – a laptop. Almost 15.5 million tenge was spent.

Social construction project

Within six months, three more cottages were renovated in SOS Children's Village of Almaty. The estimated cost of construction was 75,394,287 tenge. In just two years, seven homes for orphans and children left without parental care have been completely renovated and furnished.

Saby's environmental project

As part of the environmental program of the Saby Foundation, the team of the Central Asian Institute for Environmental Research conducted another research expedition to the Caspian Sea. More than five million tenge was spent on the maintenance of the Center for the Study and Rehabilitation of the Caspian seal.

Thanks to the efforts of the Institute and its head, Aselle Tasmagambetova, environmentalists and activists, on November 9, the Caspian seal was included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan – the list of endangered animal species.

The targeted social assistance

In 2020, the total amount of private donations received by the Saby Foundation and aimed at providing targeted assistance to those in need amounted to 3,572,770 tenge. 89 beneficiaries from different cities and regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan received assistance from the Fund.

The total budget of the Saby Foundation for 2020 amounted to almost 1,400,000,000 tenge. The Saby foundation is only one of the many initiatives Kenes Rakishev and Aselle Tasmagambetova support the social development of Kazakhstan.