Tamyr Platform presented an accelerator for social entrepreneurs at the GoNight event, part of Go Viral in Almaty. Speakers discussed social responsibility, experiences from international NGOs, business missions, and the power of local initiatives.
The event, held on June 27 at Almaty Creative, featured Dastan Akkozha, Project Manager of EA Charity Fund and Tamyr Platform; social entrepreneur Aigerim Zhanalinova, experienced in startup creation; and director Almas Kosobayev, who shared his ideas on uniting business and art.
Dastan Akkozha spoke about rethinking charity and shifting from one-time aid to systematic support for social entrepreneurs:
I didn’t really understand – someone comes to an event, but how does their life actually change? It’s unknown. What happens after they build a school? Do children attend it? Or was it built in a town facing a demographic crisis?
The Fund team was searching for new ideas and found inspiration in the model of the Gates Family Foundation in Colorado:
We researched amazing organizations like the Gates Family Foundation. Their focus is on the state of Colorado. Their goal isn’t to change the lives of all people, all women, or all people with disabilities worldwide, but to improve the lives of people in Colorado by supporting local enterprises and initiatives.
According to Dastan, this idea, working with local communities without imposing an external agenda, became the foundation of the program:
Our mission is to support change within local communities. But it’s not about changing our friends by coming in with our own agenda and saying, ‘It would be great if we opened a library in your town’ – we’ll cover all the costs. The truth is, you don’t know if people will actually go there or if there’s even a real need for it.
Tamyr Platform has announced the launch of an accelerator for social entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. This fall, 20–25 selected participants will receive training and mentorship support, as well as the opportunity to win grants ranging from 5 to 10 million tenge to bring their ideas to life.
We decided to shift our focus to social entrepreneurs and businesses with a social mission at their core. There are many such people around us… For example, we met a woman who produces household cleaning products and employs people who are currently serving prison sentences. While working, they gain valuable experience, making it easier for them to reintegrate into society after release. These stories are rarely talked about, but they matter.
The GoViral Project has been uniting young leaders in business, technology, media, and innovation since 2017. As a regional platform, it fosters dialogue and collaboration across Central Asia.
Since 2024, the project has been coordinated by IDEA Central Asia with financial support from the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Kazakhstan, placing a renewed focus on what matters most today – bringing together people, ideas, and efforts to build a shared future for the region.
