Timur Kulibayev’s Contribution to Solving Kazakhstan’s Housing Issue — 1,400 Homes and Apartments in One Year.

A situation in which a private individual provides assistance on such a scale has not yet been seen in the history of modern Kazakhstan. For millions of Kazakh citizens, the issue of housing remains one of the most pressing. According to a 2023 study by Freedom Finance Global, only 9.3% of the population own freehold property suitable for renting out. Of these owners, nearly half (45.6%) use their property to generate income. Meanwhile, 47.8% of Kazakh citizens, lacking their own apartment, rent housing, representing 8.1% of the total population. These figures highlight that the need for affordable housing is especially acute.

State programs: results and scale

The state is actively working to address this issue through various programs. For example, over three years (2022–2024), 5,500 families in Almaty received housing. In 2024 alone, 2,000 apartments were allocated in the city under state programs. Recipients included large families, young people, and members of socially vulnerable groups. These are important steps, but the scale of the problem requires additional efforts.

Contribution of business: the example of Timur Kulibayev

Here, large businesses step onto the stage. For example, in 2024, Timur Kulibayev, through the private Halyk Charitable Foundation, launched a large-scale project that can be called unprecedented. In just one year, 1,400 homes were built free of charge, which, by approximate estimates, provided housing for 10,000 Kazakh citizens. This project is not only a solution to the housing issue but also a symbol of the revival of the tradition of mutual assistance.

Floods as a challenge that united the country

In the spring of 2024, Kazakhstan faced a natural disaster that affected 10 of the country’s 17 regions. Floods destroyed or damaged homes in 60 settlements, forcing over 119,000 people to leave their residences. The tragedy hit the Atyrau Region particularly hard. In the city of Kulsary, for example, one-third of the territory was submerged. Of the 60,000 residents, half had to be evacuated — women, children, and the elderly — while the remaining men, including schoolchildren and students, selflessly defended the city.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on businessmen to assist those affected, and Timur Kulibayev was among the first to respond. His Halyk Foundation allocated 1.445 billion tenge to help people who lost their homes. Additionally, Kulibayev personally directed 30 billion tenge toward the restoration of the Atyrau Region. In total, the Halyk Foundation, together with Halyk Bank, provided over 31.4 billion tenge for flood relief efforts.

Charity on a new level

The mobilization of society, and in particular the support provided by Kulibayev and other Kazakh businessmen, demonstrated the tremendous potential of united efforts. In the spring of 2024 alone, 250.5 billion tenge was raised from the business sector. These funds were used to restore housing, infrastructure, and support affected people. At the same time, the Halyk Charitable Foundation remains a leader in systematic aid. In addition to helping flood victims, Kulibayev’s foundation commissioned 400 apartments in a residential complex in Astana in 2024, providing housing for families in urgent need of support.

2024 marked a new stage in the sphere of Kazakhstani charity, reflecting effective support and cooperation. Thanks to the activities of the Halyk Foundation, thousands of new houses have become a real contribution to improving people’s living conditions.

Source: UlysMedia