Lyazzat Salikova, a wheelchair-bound young woman, spent most of her life confined to her house. She was surrounded by a loving family, yet increasingly felt the need to move out and start an independent life, one which held true meaning for her.
On her thirtieth birthday, her new journey start. Her soft toy-making club started as a group of volunteers and has now evolved into a small but thriving local business in Kapshagai. It employs more than 10 young people with disabilities. The toys they produce are being sold across Kazakhstan. And this, according to the group, is just the beginning.
The group of youth-led by Lyazzat won a grant from the Youth Corps Program in Kazakhstan, supported by the Ministry of Education & Science and the World Bank. The program aims to support vulnerable youth in developing and implementing community projects. Lyazzat’s non-profit received US$3,000 to support the soft toy-making club. She set up the club in just one month and over 10 people volunteered to join her.
“Others call us people with disabilities, but we call ourselves people with unlimited abilities”
With resources, the non-profit received through the Youth Corp Program, Lyazzat and her team were able to organize training courses on design and knitting techniques for the young people. They also received training on business management, budgeting, and other important entrepreneurship skills. In the first five months of the project, Lyazzat and her team produced over 100 toys and children’s clothes, which were donated to maternity hospitals and oncology centers.
Building on their initial success, the team opened their first online store, started participating in city fairs, and took an active part in regional competitions. This has yielded great results: interest in their products is increasing, they are invited to every city fair by local administrations, and they receive around 80–100 orders every month. The average cost of each toy, made from eco-friendly materials, is between US$15 and US$30.
Behind this business endeavor is another big dream.
“We want to establish a disability scholarship fund,” says Lyazzat “Although there are some opportunities available for youth with disabilities, these are not enough. We would like to make it possible for more young people to enjoy the full benefits of a college education. I myself was lucky to get two degrees, and I know exactly what doors it can open. I want this to be the case for every young person with a disability in Kazakhstan.”
Specific people with unlimited abilities
Lyazzat Salikova, a wheelchair-bound young woman, spent most of her life confined to her house. She was surrounded by a loving family, yet increasingly felt the need to move out and start an independent life, one which held true meaning for her.
On her thirtieth birthday, her new journey start. Her soft toy-making club started as a group of volunteers and has now evolved into a small but thriving local business in Kapshagai. It employs more than 10 young people with disabilities. The toys they produce are being sold across Kazakhstan. And this, according to the group, is just the beginning.
The group of youth-led by Lyazzat won a grant from the Youth Corps Program in Kazakhstan, supported by the Ministry of Education & Science and the World Bank. The program aims to support vulnerable youth in developing and implementing community projects. Lyazzat’s non-profit received US$3,000 to support the soft toy-making club. She set up the club in just one month and over 10 people volunteered to join her.
“Others call us people with disabilities, but we call ourselves people with unlimited abilities”
With resources, the non-profit received through the Youth Corp Program, Lyazzat and her team were able to organize training courses on design and knitting techniques for the young people. They also received training on business management, budgeting, and other important entrepreneurship skills. In the first five months of the project, Lyazzat and her team produced over 100 toys and children’s clothes, which were donated to maternity hospitals and oncology centers.
Building on their initial success, the team opened their first online store, started participating in city fairs, and took an active part in regional competitions. This has yielded great results: interest in their products is increasing, they are invited to every city fair by local administrations, and they receive around 80–100 orders every month. The average cost of each toy, made from eco-friendly materials, is between US$15 and US$30.
Behind this business endeavor is another big dream.
“We want to establish a disability scholarship fund,” says Lyazzat “Although there are some opportunities available for youth with disabilities, these are not enough. We would like to make it possible for more young people to enjoy the full benefits of a college education. I myself was lucky to get two degrees, and I know exactly what doors it can open. I want this to be the case for every young person with a disability in Kazakhstan.”
–from Medium by WorldBank