The Council of Businesswomen of NCE RK "Atameken" reported on the results of the executed work and shared its plans for the future
The briefing, which was held at the office of the Service of Central Communications, was attended by Chairman of the Council of Businesswomen, the Head of the Secretariat of the Presidium of NCE RK Lyazzat Ramazanova, the chairman of the Regional Council of the Businesswomen of South Kazakhstan Region, the director of LLP “Asyl Arman” Alma Arkhabaeva, chairman of the Regional Council of Businesswomen of the Mangistau region, director of the studio "Design Territory deSali”, director of LLP “Coffee & People” Saule Salikhova, Chairman of the Regional Council of Businesswomen of the Karaganda region, the chief editor of “DELUXE” Aliya Sadyrbaeva.

"Kazakhstani women have active position in life! In particular, if we talk about business, the employment of women in business has grown significantly, this is evidenced by official statistics. Speaking in the language of numbers, the proportion of women in business today is about 50%, the contribution to GDP of the country - about 40%. This positive trend takes place thanks to the support of the state and the policy pursued by our President", - said the chairman of the Council of Businesswomen of NCE RK Lyazzat Ramazanova.

According to her, in 2016 the National Chamber of entrepreneurs for the first time in a pilot format launched a business microcredit program in 6 pilot regions of Kazakhstan - Aktobe, Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, Kostanai and Mangystau regions. The Regional Councils of Businesswomen are actively engaged in this project.

As part of the support service for business in the past year women were provided 18,000 services, more than 45 thousand women entrepreneurs received information support in single-industry towns, small towns and regions, 8000 women were trained within the program "Business School".

NCE RK “Atameken" provided service support to 17 666 business women, information support to 45 501.

"One of the clearest examples of the non-traditional business is Svetlana Kosheleva, the only female blacksmith in EKR and, most likely, in Kazakhstan. And I would like to praise active work and support of Kokpekty district branch of the Council of Businesswomen. The businesswoman opened a mini production shop, where she makes 10 kinds of forged products. She obtained two million tenge loan within "Roadmap of Employment". Such skills are not left unrewarded - master received a certificate and gifts in the category "New Products"", - said Lyazzat Ramazanova.

We are stronger together!

Chairman of the Regional Council of Businesswomen of Mangistau region Saule Salikhova praised the consolidating role of the Council. According to her, the regional CBW works hard on the establishment of associations - industry professional platforms in those areas of the economy, where women predominate.

"2 Associations have already been registered in February this year - "Union of designers of clothes Mangistau region" and "Interior designers and decorators of Mangistau region". The next one is the "Guild of confectioners of MR", "Union of artisans of MR", "Association of Educational and preschool development centers of MR". The main task - to create a truly professional site and to withdraw from the shadow those, who are engaged in small craft at home", - said Saule Salikhova.

She said that the Association "Union of designers of clothes of Mangistau region" brings together designers of the textile industry, including designers of clothing, since the region is famous for its dedication to tradition, outfits of the seamstresses of Mangistau are especially in demand among the inhabitants of other cities of Kazakhstan.
"I am convinced that we need to develop these areas and to assist in the protection of copyrights and the interests of our designers. Many of them work as individual entrepreneurs, but we are able to help them in the registration of their own brand", - said Saule Salikhova.

She also noted active of the regional Council in involvement of rural women in entrepreneurship. According to her, the population of the region is 648 thousand people, of whom 328,000 are women (52%). The percentage of self-employed women in rural areas is very low - about 3%. "Our task - with the help of educational and advisory activities to give women confidence in starting a business", - said Salikhova.

71 million on projects of businesswomen

Chairman of the Regional Council of Businesswomen of South Kazakhstan Region Alma Arkhabaeva noted that today there are 175 thousand businesses in the region, 30% of them are headed by women, which is more than 6000 enterprises of all sizes. However, there are still certain difficulties impeding the mass involvement of women in business, including those related to the mentality of the region. This lack of awareness of the measures of state support and development of business opportunities, the problem of access to financial resources, a lack of specialized knowledge and skills of women entrepreneurs, the lack of infrastructure for the maintenance and development of women's entrepreneurship and various administrative barriers.

"There are about 18 programs today, and most of them with a financial component, aimed at business support. Micro-credits for women began to appear, because before there were none", - said Alma Arkhabaeva.
She noted that now the region is working to solve the problem of seasonal shortages of milk through the cooperation project "Dairy business", and sewing will ensure import substitution.

Overall, 11 projects of businesswomen were financed in the region in the amount of 71 million tenge.
Alma Arkhabaeva emphasized the need to teach women to the basics of financial literacy and entrepreneurship, leadership skills in order to give new impetus to the development of women's entrepreneurship, as well as to study the issue of financial support through grants and subsidies to single mothers.

Kazakhstani businesswoman go to the international level

Chairman of the Regional Council of Business Women of the Karaganda region Aliya Sadyrbaev shared experience of cooperation of CBW with South Korean medics. In February of this year in Karaganda was held the opening of a single information and the medical center "Medi-City Daegu".

"The opening of the center is an investment project, the result of long preparatory work of the Council of Businesswomen of the region and the Korean side, and is unique in its kind. Memorandum on the opening of the information center “MEDI-CITY DAEGU” in the amount of 500 thousand dollars was signed on 10^th of November 2017 in the framework of the Kazakh-South Korean Forum in Seoul between LLP "Leader-Consult" and the Municipality of the town of Daegu, South Korea.

During the work of the medical center it is planned to implement programs on the exchange of specialists with the Republic of Korea, the event to provide unique medical services (diagnosis of diseases, medical rehabilitation, services for dermatology and Oriental Medicine), the development of the sector of innovative medicine in Kazakhstan, as well as to promote the development of medical tourism.

Under the same auspices the CBW of Karaganda region were also opened three kindergardens "Daryndy bala" in 2016. The uniqueness of the project lies in the special program "Talent Management", aimed at identifying and developing talent in children. "Schools of happy parents" are opened at kindergardens "Daryndy Bala".

"We are preparing documents for opening a franchise. Two more were opened under different brands, but with the active support of CBW of Karaganda region ", - said Aliya Sadyrbaeva.
Summing up the meeting, Lyazzat Ramazanova expressed confidence that the government will continue its policy to support the development of women’s entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan. Chairman of the Council of Businesswomen of NCE urged other ladies to join actively the CBW.