Kenges Rakishev and Aselle Tasmagambetova Pledge 1.2 billion tenge for Kazakhstan Flood Relief

Aselle Tasmagambetova and I have committed 1.2 billion Kazakhstani tenge to assist victims of widespread flooding in Western Kazakhstan and to rebuild damaged social infrastructure.

This commitment, which will be fulfilled via the Saby Foundation, observes the national request by the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, as citizens in our nation cope with the floods and their consequences. We are, more than ever, ready to support our fellow citizens.

We understand the severity of this crisis, and our hearts go out to those affected. It is our responsibility to help rebuild not just infrastructure and the lives of our fellow citizens. This is our commitment to Kazakhstan — standing together in times of need to restore and strengthen our communities.

As Aselle has said "We sincerely support all Kazakhstani people who faced this natural disaster. There is no such thing as someone else's misfortune when we live in one country."

Additional funds included a nine million tenge contribution raised by students from our very own Shoqan Walikhanov School at a charity fair to address the disaster's impacts. We are very proud of them.

According to Kazhydromet, Kazakhstan's national meteorological service: "the region is experiencing the first wave of floods associated with snowmelt on the flat territory, the formation of slope runoff and the opening of rivers in the region, which will last until mid-April."

It is estimated that, in the past few weeks, water levels in the Ural River (Zhaiyk) have risen by 8 cm to 858 cm in West Kazakhstan; over 8,000 people, including almost 4,000 children, from flood-affected areas, are staying at temporary shelters.

Together, we can, and we must, help.