News and events

The 25^th September was special for the kids from dedicated boarding school # 5 for children with hearing problem. That day the boys and the girls received a gift from LANCASTER GROUP KAZAKHSTAN and Dara Foundation, which was a real football ground. The company, from which the foundation acquired the artificial turf, prepared the football ground for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

183 deaf kids and kids having hearing problems aged from 7 to 18 study at the boarding school at the moment. Most kids come from single-parent and low-income families. Unfortunately, the boys and the girls are shy about their speaking abilities. That is why they prefer to deal with kids having similar problem. Accordingly, they are not adapted enough socially and even after graduation they communicate with each other mainly. Most parents do not understand their special language, but many kids get distracted by going for sports. And the school is particularly proud of its football team. The boys have already managed to participate as part of the team of Kazakhstan Deaf Society, composing members under 16 years old, in the special championship; they took part in mini-football competition in Seoul of South Korea, and in Slovakia. Football is very popular among the deaf, to many of them football is their life. The hobby helps them feel valuable members of the society.

An honorary guest Bektas Mukhamejanov, the CEO of the First President Foundation, delivered a speech at the football ground opening ceremony. The boys were also privileged to see Yerbol Shormanov, vice mayor of Almaty City, and officials of LANCASTER GROUP KAZAKHSTAN.

The new football gates were tested by Seilda Bayshakov, the legendary footballer and vice president of Kazakhstan Football Federation by scoring the first goal! Seilda Bayshakov said that the students of the boarding school can soon take part in Special Olympics. "We must really thank those people who made this present to our young footballers," he said.

After the formal part of the festival everybody could watch a real football match between the amateur club Arlan and the team of boarding school # 5 Zhas Kairat. The friendly match ended in 5:5, but as a result of penalty kicks (2:1) the young generation won. Berik Kaniev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of LANCASTER GROUP KAZAKHSTAN, awarded the winners a cup and promised that soon a real football coach will be coaching them.

In turn, Kairat Kulbaev, head of the Culture Department of the municipality, presented the boys a performance by a popular youth band Peppers. The improvised concert stirred up lots of positive emotions. While the majority of the audience was unable to join the artists in singing the boys did not spare the applause and danced dashingly there. Also, the young band Skillz was liked a lot by the teachers and the kids from the boarding school. The musicians did their best and that was valued by the kids. They did not want to let the band go, showing their adoration in all the ways by taking pictures and presenting the musicians apples and sweets. Daniyar Rakhimov, the 10^th year student, thanked them by saying: "It was a surprise for us. We rushed to watch it, all the guys wanted to play football. The ground is very good, now we can play in any weather, and we will not get dirty. We are now like real footballers". And Roza Serkibaeva, headmaster of the school spoke about their plans for the future: "Our kids are strong, they never get depressed, and they never give up. We are planning to take them to Italy and America, there are kids there having similar problem. They need to communicate and make friends".

ChPF Dara would like to thank Bellagio restaurant for the meal, provided to the kids: juices, fruit, pizza and cakes.