JSC 'Nurbank' is currently accepting applications for educational grants under the annual 'Ticket to Life' program. The program aims to help orphans and children deprived of parental care to obtain higher education and self-actualize through professional work activities.
Under this program, students receive free higher education. Nurbank covers expenses for accommodation, scholarships, meals, and supports them throughout the education process. Students are provided with internships and guaranteed employment.
According to the program's founder, shareholder of JSC 'Nurbank', Eldar Sarsenov: 'The educational program 'Ticket to Life' serves two social functions: the first is addressing the issue of obtaining higher education for children raised in orphanages and foster families, and the second is the socialization of Kazakhstani youth and the formation of a high level of professional, moral, and civic culture among students. The value of this form of charity lies in personal involvement, not just in the formal provision of funds.'
The state takes on the responsibility of solving the main issues of a child: education, upbringing, and providing essentials for children deprived of parental care. But independent adult life presents them with challenges they are not truly prepared for. This includes spending leisure time, maintaining health, organizing household life, and choosing a profession according to interests and inclinations.
The Commissioner for Children's Rights in Kazakhstan, Aruzhan Sain, emphasized the exceptional role of the 'Ticket to Life' project for children and highlighted the importance of the social and psychological adaptation of orphanage graduates:
'After leaving the orphanage, children often lack the skills to establish social relationships, facing the task of integrating into society. Children need not only funds for education but also the involvement of an adult throughout the educational journey. Thanks to the implementation of the 'Ticket to Life' program, a child leaves one family to enter another. Children are greeted from the orphanage, placed in dormitories, and all expenses are covered. But most importantly, children feel supported and can seek help from their mentors at any time, while their hobbies and interests are encouraged and funded, and employment is provided.'
The project has been implemented for eight years. Over these years, the program has covered more than 130 young men and women across Kazakhstan. Each year, the number of applicants for the program steadily increases. In 2021-2022, 24 students will receive higher education under the 'Ticket to Life' project. This year marks the fifth graduation of students who will receive diplomas and a ticket to their adult life.
'It should be understood that children often enter the orphanage with gaps in their school education. Their parents did not create conditions for the children’s development. Therefore, the main task is to show children another life. Generally, orphanage children go into trade professions after 9th grade, but those who study well (about 35%) aim for higher education. They mainly choose law, medicine, and pedagogy fields. We were pleasantly surprised by the conditions offered by Nurbank's educational program, and for us, the deciding factor was the personal support of each child. Currently, four of our children are studying under the 'Ticket to Life' program, and their stories about student life at one of the country's leading universities are now inspiring other children in our orphanage,' noted Pavel Koval, director of the Rudny orphanage.
Creating conditions for the social adaptation of orphanage graduates and facilitating their successful integration into society is an exceedingly relevant issue today. Nurbank takes on the responsibility of protecting and supporting children from orphanages.
Source: nur.kz