NUR-SULTAN – The Menin Atamekenim (My Homeland) public association and Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs launched the Virus Dobra (Virus of Goodwill) charity action July 21 to organize systematic help to medical organizations combating COVID-19 and to citizens in need.
Atameken Chamber of Entrepreneurs packing boxes with food for families in need July 21 at the launch of Virus Dobra charitable action. Photo credit: atameken.kz.
The action organisers welcome help in any form. Both businesses and individuals can make money donations or contribute food, essential goods, medicines, or provide free services, discounts to services, and engage in volunteering.
Many Kazakhs self-mobilized to organize such help locally. The Virus Dobra charity should help unite their efforts and distribute contributions evenly to ensure that no one is left behind.
“We see on social networks now how Kazakhs actively help each other in this difficult time. Nobody stands aside. But we would like to systematize help. There were cases when, for example, [volunteers] brought ventilators, but they were not suitable for the clinic because of its technical characteristics, etc.,” Menin Atamekenim Executive Director Lyazzat Chinkisbayeva explained to the Atameken Business Channel, which also supported the charity.
“We turned to Healthcare Minister Alexey Tsoy. He supported us and gave us information about the system’s current needs,” she added.
The actions around this fund also show the scale of the help “because help is provided not only by philanthropists but also by those who have only a pension as their primary income. Even 500 (US$1.2), 200 tenge (US$0.5) is already a help. The state now understands that it is impossible to cope with the problem of the pandemic without the participation of citizens,” she said.
Taldykorgan entrepreneurs provided Baktybai hospital with two oxygen concentrators as part of Virus Dobra and Biz Birgemiz actions. Photo credit: Narodnyi Taldyk Instagram page.
Atameken entrepreneurs were the first to volunteer in collecting and packing products and providing basic needs to vulnerable families on July 21. Public figures, singers and bloggers such as Aigul Mukey, Kydyrali Bolmanov, Marzhan Arapbaeva, and Moldir Manova also joined the businesses raising awareness about the action.
The action will continue in all regions of Kazakhstan. The Samruk Kazyna Trust, the fund for the development of social projects and Deputy Director Lima Dias will lead a public control group to monitor the process.
Menin Atamekenim has helped more than 1,000 families in two years of its existence. In monetary terms, the public association provided help worth more than 3 billion tenge (US$7.26 million), according to the Atameken business channel.
The organizers also guarantee the transparency of work. They list the names of everyone who transferred any amount of financial support on their site at atamekenim.kz. As further proof, the public association posts photos and videos of people who received their help.
