ASTANA – For Zhanna Soltanbekova, social entrepreneur and director of the BLUE FOX adaptive physical education center in Ust-Kamenogorsk, physical activity is crucial for children’s development. In an interview with The Astana Times, Soltanbekova spoke about being a mother of a child with special needs, the journey of founding the center, and the challenges she has faced.
Discovering the power of sports
Zhanna Soltanbekova, social entrepreneur and director of the BLUE FOX adaptive physical education center. Photo credit: Soltanbekova’s personal archieve
“The year 2011 was a turning point for our family when our middle son, Alikhan, was officially diagnosed with autism. He is now 15,” said Soltanbekova. “At first, I felt lost, afraid, and unsure of what to do. But I quickly pulled myself together and began reading extensively on the subject.”
She emphasized that family support was essential in navigating this new reality.
“I was lucky to come across an article explaining why flight attendants always instruct passengers to put on their oxygen masks first before assisting others. It made me realize that if I did not take care of myself if I hesitated to seek help or accept my child’s condition, things would only get harder—for everyone,” she said.
In 2014, Soltanbekova and her son joined the Autism Will Win project by Aruzhan Sain, where she saw firsthand how physical activity could positively impact children with special needs.
“Alikhan became more aware, focused, and engaged. His expression changed from indifferent to interested. It felt as if he had woken up and truly noticed the world around him for the first time,” she recalled.
Inspired by this transformation, she spent years organizing similar activities and sharing her knowledge with other parents. She had always wanted to enroll her son in professional sports training, but most coaches declined, finding it too challenging to work with a special needs child. This led her to establish her adaptive physical education center for children with developmental disorders.
Building skills and independence
“The idea of BLUE FOX had been in my mind ever since I saw how sports could change children’s lives. In 2023, I shared my vision with Ainur Zhanuazakova, a fellow mother of a special needs child. Within two weeks, we rented a gym for two hours at a sports club,” said Soltanbekova.
Soltanbekova with her son, Alikhan. Photo credit: Soltanbekova’s personal archieve
At the time, no one in the area offered such programs, and proper equipment was unavailable. They improvised, purchasing broom handles as gymnastic sticks, road cones for relay markers, balls, ropes, and buckets, trash bins for throwing exercises. Seven children aged five to ten attended the first session.
Today, the center serves approximately 79 children, ages 2 to 17, its primary goal is to teach children to participate in small-group activities without parental involvement. Groups consist of five to six children, matched by age and skill level.
“Group training helps special needs children develop social skills, confidence, teamwork abilities, and patience. They learn to follow rules, wait their turn, and participate in team games,” explained Soltanbekova.
She added that adaptive physical education (APE) improves communication skills and emotional well-being and helps children overcome psychological and physical barriers caused by their conditions. APE can also prevent health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and obesity by strengthening the immune system, improving circulation, and reducing stress.
“After just two or three weeks, parents notice significant improvements. Children behave better in public places—one of the biggest challenges for those with autism. They can sit calmly in a café, watch a movie in a theater, or ride public transportation without distress. They become more independent, engage more with peers, and follow instructions better at school and daycare. Since all activities are play-based, children genuinely enjoy coming to the center,” said Soltanbekova.
The center also offers parent-child classes for children as young as 18 months, helping parents better understand their child’s challenges and apply the techniques at home.
“Early habilitation leads to better outcomes because children spend most of their time at home. We also hold meetings with parents, as their mental well-being directly affects their child’s development,” she said.
Challenges and growth
One of the biggest obstacles to the growth of APE in Kazakhstan is securing affordable space and trained specialists.
Adaptive physical education improves communication skills and emotional well-being and helps children overcome psychological and physical barriers. Photo credit: Blue Fox center’s Instagram page
“A diploma or certification is not enough. Our children are highly sensitive to people’s energy. A coach needs not only professional training but also a genuine passion and positive attitude. Kazakhstan only introduced an APE program at universities last year. Before that, specialists had to train in Russia or other countries,” she said.
Soltanbekova holds multiple APE certifications, including in-game therapy, sensory integration, and neuropsychology, but much of her knowledge comes from hands-on experience with her son. She plans to pursue a second degree in APE coaching.
Despite financial hurdles, the center has received support from kind-hearted individuals and organizations. At the end of March, the center will move to its new location, featuring a social and domestic adaptation room where children will learn essential life skills such as cooking, ironing, cleaning, and grocery shopping. BLUE FOX is also introducing roller-skating and biking lessons.
“Learning to navigate obstacles while skating or biking greatly enhances a child’s physical and cognitive development. We have also built a climbing wall in our new facility. Overcoming obstacles and engaging in focused activities create new neural connections in the brain, fostering overall development,” she said.
For Soltanbekova, her biggest source of motivation remains her son and the success stories of other parents.
“When parents share, sometimes through tears of joy, that their child looked them in the eye for the first time, spoke their first word at age five, approached other children on the playground, dressed independently, or sat through an entire movie in a theater—it’s overwhelming. For parents of neurotypical children, these moments are taken for granted. But for us, they are monumental victories. And knowing that BLUE FOX played a role in these achievements gives me wings and inspires me to keep going,” said Soltanbekova.
