Kazakhs
pride themselves on their great hospitality. If a newcomer needs
shelter, the old tradition of ‘Asar’ – “mutual
assistance” – swings into action to ensure that
one is built. Relatives, neighbours and new friends come together
to lend a hand.
With many Kazakh migrants returning home over the past decade,
the Kazakh Red Crescent has capitalised on ‘Asar’,
mobilising communities to help the new settlers feel welcome.
Karasha Shabaeva is one of those who has benefited from that
help. Kazakh by origin, she returned to Kazakhstan from neighbouring
Uzbekistan with her husband and three children ten years ago.
The difficult decision came after the school in her Uzbek stopped
teaching in Kazakh, depriving their children of the chance to
study in their native language and maintain their cultural traditions.
Invitation
The Shabaevs sold their modest belongings and moved to southern
Kazakhstan, where they joined a community of other ethnic Kazakhs
who had migrated from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Iran
and Turkmenistan following an invitation from the Kazakh president
to return to their homeland. Since 1992, around 250,000 returnees
have taken up the offer, and many more are still coming.
They have been officially welcomed by the authorities and settled
next to local communities in rural areas. Around 70 per cent
of newcomers have now received citizenship and enjoy all benefits
of this legal status. For the rest, however, the issue is unresolved,
and life is full of legal barriers that lead to unemployment,
poor living conditions and marginalisation.
Although the migrants’ problems are similar to those faced
by Kazakh people living in poorer regions, the hardship of the
returnees remains a big concern for the Government and humanitarian
organisations, such as the Kazakh Red Crescent.
Karasha used to be a Kazakh language teacher, but was unable
to find a job in her new home, the small town of Enbek, in Almaty
province. Her retired husband’s pension, equivalent to
US$ 20 a month, was the family’s only income.
Small businesses
The Kazakh Red Crescent stepped in, providing the Shabaevs with
food, clothing and other basic necessities. Starting with relief
distributions in migrant communities, the Red Crescent received
significant support from the International Federation and the
International Organization for Migration (IOM), which enabled
it to extend assistance further. But more support is needed.
Two years ago, Karasha’s was one of 40 returnee families
in southern Kazakhstan to be given a grant by the IOM and Red
Crescent to start a small business. That represented a turning
point for Karasha. The grant helped her family and her neighbours
with whom she shared milk from the donated cow, helping them
to overcome cold and hunger.
“Now that my family’s life has become more stable,
I would like to help other people in our community to improve
their lot,” says Karasha, who as well as becoming a Red
Crescent volunteer, is also the leader of a women’s group
in Karatay.
Women are central to the Red Crescent activities in the returnees’
communities. Often facing a language barrier and lacking professional
skills, women feel abandoned and isolated. Those who head their
families alone are in an even worse situation. Helping them
to better adapt and integrate, the Red Crescent and IOM have
opened nine training centres where women can learn hairdressing
and baking, as well as study Kazakh and Russian.
Legal advice
Last year, the Red Crescent conducted a series of seminars through
the centres to provide migrant community leaders with legal
advice, which is essential for the many still awaiting their
citizenship.
“I attended the meeting organised by the Red Crescent
and had a chance to talk about many of the issues that worry
us,” Karasha explains. “I am happy that I can now
explain to my female friends and neighbours how they can apply
for a citizenship and where they can enrol for vocational training.”
She adds that she will be among those taking Russian classes.
“My friends and I would like local people to better understand
us, despite our differences.”
Now a real driving force in her community, Karasha Shabaeva,
together with other members of her women’s association,
wants to “repay the kindness” shown to her when
she was struggling. That is why the local Red Crescent branch
recently received eight bull calves, the offspring of the cows
that were granted to Karasha and other returnees in Karatay.
The Red Crescent “Asar” is in full swing.
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Karasha
Shabaeva's life was transformed by assistance from the
Kazakh Red Crescent (p11053)
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Ethnic
Kazakh returnees from Mongolia, Iran and Uzbekistan gather
for a national holiday to share a meal and compete in
games (p11054)
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The
Red Crescent's grant of cattle to 40 returnee families
helped them to survive cold and hunger and start small
businesses. In turn, they have donated calves to the Red
Crescent to be given to other needy migrants (p11055)
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