Inspire the Growth of Kazakhstan's Global Citizens

Salem is a large successful English Centre in Shymkent, one of the longest serving providers of English courses in the city, and approaching its 30th anniversary next year. In that time, we have taught thousands of people, including multiple generations from many families.

These days, a significant proportion of our students tend to come from wealthy families who holiday abroad, drive big cars and send their children to many additional after-school groups and lessons. They are the ones clearly benefitting from the country's growing economy. 

As Salem has grown and developed, however, the central principle of keeping English accessible for all has remained. Every semester, we offer a range of full and partial scholarships for those whose come from particularly disadvantaged backgrounds.

In fact, without such a program, most of these kids would be essentially shut out of such an education, unable to access the significant benefits that studying English provides.

Shapagat and Adlet are a good example. They live with their grandmother, Gulzira, and their younger brother Bagim. Their father died some years ago, and their mother works in another city where she can't look after them, in part because of the huge debts her husband left her with when he died.

Gulzira is their legal guardian and works in a school as a lab assistant. They live together in a small flat on the edge of the city, just trying to survive. Both of them have been able to study on a scholarship at Salem, and Gulzira is immensely grateful. "We just do what we can," she says. "But this is giving them a chance of a future."

Akkenzhe is another student who benefits from a full scholarship at Salem. She is also from a single parent family, and has four younger siblings. Her mother, Elmira, rents a small flat in the city and somehow keeps her family going. "Akkenzhe is a good worker," she says. "She loves studying at Salem, and we're very thankful for the opportunity she has there."

Another single Mum we have helped for many years is Dilfuza, whose husband passed away very young. She has four kids who she is bringing up alone, while working in a shopping centre. Two of her sons, Dastan and Nurasil, are currently studying at Salem, and their older sister Zhanel, the only girl in the family, completed the highest level course with us not long ago, and is now studying at university while also working to help support the family.

Each of these families has their own story, their own hopes and dreams, their own challenges and difficulties. We are grateful for the support we receive that enables us to continue offering scholarships like this to those in need, ensuring that our courses remain accessible to all and bringing the hope of a better future to those who need it most.

Thank you for playing your part in their stories.