A Project Supported by “Samruk-Kazyna Trust” Helps Children with Special Needs to Socialize. We would like to introduce you to 9-year-old Nadezhda Ugai. Nadya has Down syndrome, and today her achievements inspire other children and parents.

Nadezhda attends the “Kunshuak” center, which helps children with Down syndrome to socialize. Moreover, she is a star of the events held at the center. She actively participates in dance performances and sports activities. Thanks to this, Nadezhda has many friends and eagerly looks forward to meeting them at the center every day.

According to her mother, Tatyana Yegai, thanks to the dedicated work of the center’s specialists, Nadezhda is now able to distinguish all colors, letters, and numbers, and pronounce them clearly. She has a great desire to learn.

The center applies Italian experience and methodology in working with children. The project is supported by the “Samruk-Kazyna Trust” foundation and implemented in partnership with the “Caritas Kazakhstan” foundation.

The “Kunshuak” center helps more than 30 children with Down syndrome every month. It employs a speech therapist-defectologist, psychologist, child development and school readiness teachers, as well as massage and therapeutic physical training specialists. The project also provides online consultations across Kazakhstan. In addition to Almaty, there is a branch in Atyrau, and new centers are being established in Astana and Kokshetau. As part of career guidance activities, two young people have been successfully employed.