How to Combine Banking Career and Volunteering, Which Can Change Life
The second Social Project Competition among employees ended at Eurasian Bank, an initiative that became a warm tradition and an important part of the corporate culture in two years.
“When the competition was launched for the first time, in 2024, it was like an experiment. We wanted to support those who find time and mental strength in their daily work routine to help others, combining their career with volunteering. And the main thing is to inspire everyone who feels the potential to change their lives for the better, revealing their own capabilities,” said Larisa Kokovinets, Managing Director of Strategic Communications.
Then 23 employees took part in the competition. As a result, 4 projects received grants and were successfully implemented. We talked about this here.
Later, external recognition came: the Initiatives with a Soul Program was shortlisted for the Ak Mergen Award and won in the Internal Communications Nomination.
The experience proved to be so inspiring that it became the starting point for the development of a large program of social initiatives for employees in 2025.
The PR team led by Ainura Ilchibayeva became the mainstay that provided the competition with constant support and communication.
A special training program was held at the Bank together with experts from the Eurasia Central Asia Foundation. In the summer, 30 employees studied the basics of social design, received coaching and mentoring support, which helped turn ideas into formalized initiatives.
“When the Eurasian Bank team came to us with the idea of a training program and showed us the results of last year, we immediately felt that they had a serious attitude and a great desire to do social projects consciously. Therefore, when creating the program, we first carefully studied their past experience in order to build on their strengths and add tools that will help projects live longer and bring more benefits.
The training was conducted by experienced EFCA staff who work daily with NGOs and social projects. We collected the most important topics: corporate volunteerism, community needs analysis, work with stakeholders, a logical project model, social impact assessment, budgeting, communications, project management and an overview of the Kazakhstani NGO sector.
It was important for us not just to “provide the program”, but to go all the way with the participants. Therefore, in addition to classes, there were coaching sessions and mentoring, which helped the Bank employees to take a fresh look at their ideas, clarify their goals and see possible risks in advance.
I was very pleased with the variety of projects created: environmental, inclusive, creative, partnership initiatives with NGOs. The staff delved deeply into people’s requests, analyzed the needs of communities, consulted with experts and, together with NGOs, searched for real, practical solutions.
And the most valuable thing is that they personally participated in the implementation of projects: they took leadership, connected colleagues and brought ideas to concrete actions. This clearly shows how seriously and sincerely the team treats the social mission,” said Tomas Akynov, Manager of the Development and Research Department at the Eurasia Foundation for Central Asia.
After the training, the staff submitted 11 project applications in the following categories: financial literacy, ecology, inclusion, digital skills, sports and a healthy lifestyle, support for vulnerable groups.
The works were evaluated by the independent jury of the Bank executives, invited experts and finalists from last year.
“An important selection criterion was the interaction with Kazakhstani non-profit organizations and how the initiators involved other colleagues in their projects. The Bank employees became a link between Eurasian Bank and local communities, helping to convey their interests and real needs, as well as involving their colleagues, the people they spend most of their time with, in the process,” said Tomiris Zholdasova, Internal Communications Manager of the Bank.
The grant fund amounted to 10 million tenge – all funds were used to implement the initiatives of the finalists.
This year’s finalists and their projects
Brigitte Groz,
Head Specialist of the Analysis and Design Division, Almaty
Project: The SOS of the Earth – You and I Need the Earth Performance
The SOS of the Earth inclusive ecological performance, in which children and adults with disabilities, theater volunteers and the Eurasian Bank employees performed on the same stage.
The actors of the Triumph Inclusive Theater came from Pavlodar Region and brought the performance to Almaty, actually organizing a small tour.
The screenings took place at the Transforma Theater, the Arman Cinema and School No. 73. The audience included children and youth of orphanages, pupils of a specialized boarding school, guests and residents of Almaty.
The performance was organized under the direction of the Director Zhanna Bazhenova of the Domovyata Theater Workshop. The works of the young artist Nikita Parkhomenko were also exhibited.
The project gave the audience not just a theatrical production, but a space where everyone felt like a part of a fragile ecosystem.
Anar Bakanova and Ayakoz Smatulla,
Employees of the Information Technology Unit, Almaty
Project: Inclusion Through Technology: Developing Communication among Children with Disabilities using Avaz
The Avaz AAC alternative communication system, tablets that helps children with special needs communicate with the world, was introduced in the Territory of Success Rehabilitation Center.
For many guys, this is the first tool to formulate a request, emotion, or thought.
The project also brought the teams together: the center’s students attended a performance by Brigitte, and it became a symbolic point of contact between ideas and people.
Madina Usenova, initiator of the project
Balnur Tastanbek, participant of the CX Management Project, Almaty
Project: Touch the Planet: Creating Unique Tactile Map of Almaty and Providing Specialized Schools with Tactile Globes
The idea of the project did not arise by chance. While working on the new concept of the Bank Outlets, Madina met Iliyas Fatkulin, an expert and head of the Asian Society for the Rights of Blind People. He advised the team on accessibility issues for people with visual impairment.
In one of the conversations, Iliyas shared his long-standing idea to create the first tactile map of Almaty that blind people could “see” with their fingers. Tactile perception gives a person with visual impairment what audio descriptions do not give: an understanding of the shape, scale, distances and structure of space.
A tactile map differs from a regular one in that each street, river, neighborhood, or object has its own texture and height. This allows a person to imagine by touch how the city works. The map of Almaty, created within the framework of the project, became the first such work in Kazakhstan.
In addition to the map, the development of large tactile globes began. There are small analogues of 30-32 centimeters in size in the world, but, as Iliyas notes, “when you touch it, nothing is clear.” Therefore, the globes are designed from scratch, about one meter long, with a relief that helps to feel the shape of continents, mountain ranges and outlines of continents.
The map is already ready for use, and the globes are currently in production.
The main goal of the project is for every blind person to come and touch the map of their city at any moment, understand its structure and feel connected to the place where they live.
Timur Sarsenbayev,
Head Specialist of the Information Technology Unit, Aktobe
Project: Dala Market – Laboratory of Confidence and the Future
Support for an inclusive art studio where children with disabilities learn to create and believe in themselves.
The project provided the studio with equipment, organized classes and mentoring from teachers and the Bank employees.
In December, the children present their works at the New Year’s charity fair. For some, this is the first experience of communicating with customers, the first earnings and a step towards independence.
Aizhan Berdalina
Deputy Director for Corporate Business, Astana
Project: The Magical World of Music
Music therapy for 60 children and adults with mental disabilities.
Thanks to the project, the Balam-Ai Charitable Foundation for the Support of Children with Disabilities in the capital city has an equipped music room for pupils.
Conclusion
The Social Project Competition is more than an internal program.
This is a space where the Eurasian Bank employees become the authors of change, find like-minded people and make volunteering a part of corporate life.
Each participant of the contest showed that initiative, human participation and sincere desire can at least slightly, but positively and significantly change someone’s daily routine.
Eurasian Bank is proud of its employees.