Eldani Souvenir Workshop

Almaty

There are about 563,000 disabled people (including more than 200,000 women and 50,000 children) in Kazakhstan. Integration into society is one of the major challenges they face.

Eldani Foundation was established in 1996, and later accommodated a souvenir workshop. The founder is the mother of a disabled boy, who realised that her son would need more than just medical treatment when he grew up. The Foundation’s objective is to help disabled children live an active life and fully integrate into society.

Over 17 years of its operation, Eldani has become one of the largest foundations in Almaty fostering the socialisation and employment of disabled people. Employment is ensured in two ways: by creating jobs within the Foundation and by arranging professional training for disabled people in preparation for employment.

Eldani Foundation started employing disabled people in 2006. Since its establishment, it has assisted in the employment of 27 people and is currently supporting eight young people studying at colleges and universities. Eldani has developed its own employment model: beneficiaries undergo special training and pass several psychological and individual tests to identify which job is suitable for them.

Today the workshop offers the following services:

ceramics studio
seamstress shop
hand-made accessories
rooms for family celebrations
mobile creative trainings
counselling
guidance for creating social enterprises
advice to NGOs on how to change from non-profit activities to profit activities.

Eldani provides its goods and services to the public and to corporate customers at its own store, on social networks, trading platforms, fairs and festivals. All of the Foundation’s programmes are focused on the creation of a safe creative environment where people can gain new skills and expand their social circle.