Inspire the Growth of Kazakhstan's Global Citizens

The vision of Salem Social Village has always centred on developing people. The staff at Salem who carry our values and express them in their work are our 'secret asset', creating the special atmosphere that many notice when they visit Salem for the first time.

Dilya is one of them, a young English teacher who joined the team last year. The story of how she ended up working at Salem may seem a bit unusual, but it's also a good illustration of how we tend to find good people - or how they find us!

Following university, Dilya began working in her uncle's business as an administrator, recording the complex cash flows with suppliers and clients. In theory it was a good job, but as is common here, excessive demands were made of her and there was zero interest in her wellbeing. She quickly felt trapped and unvalued, just another robot in a large machine, and she began to experience depression.

Her older sister had studied English at Salem and had got to know some of the staff. Realising her sister's predicament, and having experienced the very different culture of Salem, she told Dilya to leave her job and get one with us! 

The only problem was that Dilya wasn't trained as a teacher and didn't know very much English, and the only available position at Salem was that of English teacher! However, our staff spoke to her and explained what she would need to do in order to be sufficiently qualified to work with us.

A year later, Dilya returned, having fulfilled all the requirements, including studying on our courses. She was still very eager to work at Salem, and her English was already good enough for her to begin teaching the beginner levels. Recently, she said, 'I feel like I have found my calling here, as a teacher, and everything is now so much more fulfilling now than in my last job.'

As a member of our team, she is certainly fitting right in, not only developing as a person but helping her students develop too. Another 'secret asset' has emerged, to further inspire this country's young people and gradually bring change to the culture around her. 

Links:

• Salem Social Village website

On behalf of the whole team here at Salem Social Village, we would like to wish you a very happy New Year!

For many of us, 2022 has certainly been an interesting and eventful year, and as it comes to an end, there is, as always, much to reflect on. As we enter 2023, we are focussing on a significant project that will enhance our ability to influence the community around us.

You may be aware that the Salem Social Village site is a former kindergarten dating from Soviet times. The majority of buildings on the site were renovated many years ago, but one still remains an empty two storey shell. It has stood derelict for over 30 years now, but its roof and walls are sound. A few years ago we did some work to stabilise it and confirm that it remains a solid structure that can be refurbished.

Following the end of the pandemic here, we experienced a sufficient financial recovery that released once more the funds previously allocated for the purpose of continuing that long-awaited restoration. Last month, work began on removing the old loose ceiling material and upstairs flooring, and clearing loose plaster from the walls.

Once all that was removed, the ground floor which had historically decayed to nothing was addressed, with a large concrete pour. The builders' bespoke solution to get the concrete from the trucks to the rooms on the far side of the building was, as ever, straightforward and very practical. However, they still had a lot of work remaining to give the whole building a nice new floor.

As part of all this process, while shifting large quantities of debris, we also knocked through a couple of walls to create a passageway leading from the new entrance, which will connect to the Salem Cafe, right through to the far end of the building.

Next year, we will start on the many remaining aspects (electrics, heating, plumbing, stairs, internal walls and doors, toilets, etc etc etc!), towards our vision of creating a new creative co-working space for the community. Watch this space for more information, and ways that you can help us achieve this long-term goal!

Meanwhile, we want to wish you and your family health, peace and joy during the forthcoming year. May it also be full of opportunities to help others in some way, those little things that together help make the world a better place.