A House Where Personalities Grow: A Unique Project for Young People Launched in Astana
A group-integrated adolescent home for young people under the care of SOS Children’s Villages has opened in Astana. It offers a warm and safe environment where youth can learn independence, receive support, and begin planning for their future as they transition to independent living.
The project was made possible with support from the Halyk Charitable Fund, founded by Timur Kulibayev, which donated two spacious apartments totaling 370 square meters for this purpose.
The new home marks an important step toward independent adult life. Here, teens will live with parent-teachers, learn independence and responsibility, and adapt to the urban environment. The atmosphere is designed to feel as close to a family setting as possible, with cozy rooms and spaces for studying, relaxing, and daily living.
Director of the Halyk Charitable Fund, Saginbek Shunkeev, noted:
“Together with SOS Children’s Villages, we have already implemented several similar initiatives in Almaty and Karaganda. These projects have proven how important it is for children and families to have the opportunity to develop in an urban environment in an atmosphere of home comfort and warmth.”
The integrated adolescent home model is designed to ensure a smooth and safe transition for children into adulthood within an urban setting—offering enhanced opportunities for integration, social adaptation, and ongoing support from educators and specialists at the Children’s Village.
According to Gulzhan Asanova, National Director of the Corporate Foundation “SOS Children’s Villages of Kazakhstan”:
“The comfortable, modern environment designed to support effective learning, leisure, and daily living helps shape a healthy sense of normalcy in teenagers—something they will aspire to as they become independent. This, in turn, motivates them to pursue a competitive and in-demand profession and to discover their own path in life.”
Over the course of several years, teenagers will have the opportunity to adapt to urban life. They will learn to navigate public services—such as visiting clinics, accessing resources at Public Service Centers (CSCs), managing their finances, and planning for the future. By the time they are ready to leave the care of SOS Children’s Villages, they will feel confident in their ability to independently manage the everyday challenges faced by adults in Kazakhstan.
17-year-old Kristina shared her impressions:
“When we came to see the apartment, we were absolutely thrilled. The neighbors probably wondered why we were so excited. The girls and I instantly agreed: every morning, we’ll have coffee in the living room—just like in the movies!”
SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan is a corporate foundation and non-profit organization established in 1994. It supports children and young people who have lost parental care or are at risk of losing it. Over the past 30 years, more than 900 children and youth have received—and continue to receive—care and residential services through SOS Children’s Villages Kazakhstan. Additionally, over 2,500 children have benefited from comprehensive support through the organization’s social projects. SOS Children’s Villages operates in Almaty, Astana, Karaganda, and Temirtau. Through the Coordinating Council of Family-Type Children’s Villages project—also supported by the Halyk Charitable Fund of Timur Kulibayev—the organization provides methodological support to children’s boarding institutions across Kazakhstan.
Founded by Timur Kulibayev and Dinara Kulibayeva in 2016, the Halyk Charitable Fund has successfully implemented over 120 social projects totalling more than 85 billion tenge. The foundation’s activities cover key areas: education, sports, social protection, support for children left without parental care, as well as assistance to single mothers from vulnerable segments of the population.
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