Recap: My Time in Kazakhstan
Мое время в Казахстане & Дружба Центральной Азии// My time in Kazakhstan and Great Central Asia
The concept of “Great Central Asia” for the public is about political-economic regional integration; For me, it’s about our friendship, brotherhood and sisterhood! It is God’s blessing that within two years of my working experience in Kazakhstan, I’ve acquired a big network of wonderful people in my professional and personal life. With some my friends, we hold our friendship even longer... With each one of them, we have our own special friendship story that I truly value!
Back in 2015 through Global Shapers, I got to know young ambitious people. These are people who are eager to help build their cities more inclusive. Through them, I see the new image of Kazakhstan with the rising potentials!! Sayasat Nurbek, Asset Abdualiyev, Aiman Yedige, Dana Shayakhmet, Shynar Aldazhumanova, Gaukhar Nursha, Adilzhan Siddiq,Amirkhan S Omarov and so many Shapers. We together initiated various community works in Almaty, Astana, Bishkek and organized regional forums “Shape Eurasia 2014” (Astana), “Shape Eurasia 2015” (Bishkek). Those people have been gradually growing to make significant changes in their Kazakh community.
Officially I started to work by the Invitation of my brilliant boss at KAZAKH INVEST back in 2017, in the role of Investment Expert. This national company aims to improve the investment climate and works hard on FDI projects. Here, I worked in English language (which surprised me since most their staff and leaders are fluent in English, majority are with the western education background) with international standards. KAZAKH INVEST provided me a big platform to engage and develop much bigger scale invest-projects. I personally negotiated with multi-million foreign invest groups; we travelled with governmental and business delegations to promote Investment & Export; we helped foreign investments to solve their various problems in Kazakhstan; we negotiated to bring B2B cooperation, etc. Most memorable experience was the ACEAN-China EXPO that we presented Kazakhstan as the first Central Asian country, and I personally accompanied Mr. Askar Mamin (current Prime Minister) with the ex-Chairman of KazInvest. It’s not easy to have foreign staff working in a national company with vast opportunities. But I was given with their Full Trust! Kazakhstan value all professionals, regardless their origins and culture differences.
Meanwhile, I had a very short period consulting the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of ATAMEKEN - the biggest group representing business interests in Kazakhstan. I had the chance to work with real business people on the ground, to consult and help them with export opportunities. Especially pleasant working experience with their young leader Nuraly Bukeikhanov, who is a real Do-er and a professional! Recently Nuraly led their delegation to Bishkek on promoting KZ-KG export.
Gradually, I decided to transform from the Traditional investment sector to the sector closer to my heart - #EDUCATION! In 2018, I moved to Almaty as the Head of Corporate Planning and Development for the private educational group “USTUDY”. I wanted to challenge myself from the consultancy work to executive management role. I have full gratitude to Zhanat Rakhmani - the person passionate about the education in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia. He dreams about building the team of all CA educators to realize bigger mission! We spent days and nights with our partners discussing and drafting the bigger plan to transform education. This company now operates in various sectors in Education: from Testing, Training, e-learning to Schools Management.
Certainly by works I got to know even more Educators from Universities, Schools, Government and Businesses. We all have various ideas on improving education in Central Asia, but we share ONE Passion!
Last but not the least, my experience in Kazakhstan is not only limited to works, but also the nature exploration, thanks to Маргулан Сейсембай! He initiated the touristic project “Nomad Explorer”. I traveled to Mangystau, southern Kazakhstan twice. I recommend all to join this great initiative! This has opened me up another beauty of Kazakhstan with their nature!
Certainly, I have many more friends to tag and remark...simply I cannot list all, but you are all in my heart ??
One senior manager asked me before, “Jenny, do you have some Kazakh blood?” I said, “No! I am a pure Kyrgyz!!” Being a Kyrgyz, I am realizing my more potentials in Kazakhstan, and making own contributions to Greater Central Asia.
Blood is not the bond of our friendship, but PEOPLE are. Borders are not the limitation, but mindset is.
What’s now? I’ve been developing the corporate partnership on Education between Kazakh-Kyrgyz companies (SECOM Educational Center), exchange programs among Kazakh-Kyrgyz Universities. I co-organized the “International Kids Film Festival” in Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan (www.ikff.kz). I great all Kazakh friends coming to Kyrgyzstan. Likewise, I’m always hosted in Kazakhstan in each visit. Thus, I’ve been doing much more than two years ago for Kyrgyzstan.
This week I made a special trip to Almaty & Astana to visit my friends and colleagues to cheer for our friendship!
The KEY MESSAGE I’d like to convey in this post: we should not limit ourselves. Limitation is only in our minds. Explore more countries outside, at least our neighbor countries such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Central Asia countries cannot grow by itself at the global arena. We can grow bigger and faster when WE ARE TOGETHER! I encourage more study and work exchanges among CA countries. In the end of our journey, we can gain not only learning and working experience, but our most valuable friendship - people2people- bond! Let’s make Central Asia Great Again!! ????????????????????
Source: Facebook Jenny Jenish kyzy