The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan announced today, on April 5, 2024, the measures of state support that have helped citizens escape poverty.
According to the ministry, in 2023, 114.1 thousand families (598.4 thousand people) received targeted social assistance (TSA) totaling 59.4 billion tenge, and in the first three months of the current year, 58.8 thousand families (312 thousand people) received 7.8 billion tenge.
"58,445 families who received TSA in 2023 and in the first quarter of 2024 have overcome poverty thanks to state support measures," the statement said.
The majority of TSA recipients are children - 65.4%, or 391.2 thousand people, followed by working citizens at 15.1%, caregivers for children, elderly, and disabled persons at 12.4%, and other categories of citizens at 7.1%.
The main goal of TSA is to help families in difficult situations through financial assistance and employment support for able-bodied family members, as emphasized by the Ministry of Labor.
TSA includes quarterly social assistance to citizens whose income does not exceed 70% of the regional subsistence minimum, monthly additional payments for children from low-income families aged 1 to 6, employment assistance through job placement, training, grants for families motivated to start their own business, and more.
For example, a large family from the Aktobe region received a grant of 400 times the subsistence minimum in September 2023 and opened a mini-bakery.
"My family, with six children, and I, working at AO "Kazpost," received TSA in 2018-2019 and 2022-2023. After receiving a grant in 2023, I registered as an individual entrepreneur. Additionally, thanks to starting my own business, I provided permanent jobs for two unemployed individuals," shared Zhannargul Nagimetova from Shalkar, Aktobe region.
Similarly, Kristina Rogozhnikova from the Kostanay region started her business after receiving a grant. She and her family received TSA from 2021 to 2023.
"Aspired to the nail service sector, I saw myself heading in that direction. After consulting at the career center, I underwent training under the "Start a Business" program. I then received a grant of 1.38 million tenge and launched my nail salon," shared Kristina.
As of March 1, 2024, targeted social assistance has been provided to 312 thousand people from 58.8 thousand families, as previously reported by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan.
