Local Development in Kazakhstan  Enhancing human security in Semey  Business incubator in Atyrau  Employment services – SYSLAB, Almaty, Shymkent  Localizing MDGs in South Kazakhstan

Semipalatinsk – 1 phase , $1.1 million (Government of Japan) Area: former Semipalatinsk poligon Scope: Income generation (micro-crediting for women), job creation (business advisory services), NGO development (small grants) Achievements: At the request of the Government of Kazakhstan, UNDP has established an open Trust Fund for the Semipalatinsk Relief and Rehabilitation Programme (38 projects worth US$43 million). Micro-credit organisation Bereke self-sustainable Lessons learnt: not enough donor cooperation to maintain all results Challenges: funding not sufficient to extend results to all territory

Semipalatinsk – 2 phase, UN Joint Programme , $2m (Government of Japan) Partner – Semey City Akimat, East-Kazakhstan Oblast Akimat UN agencies: UNDP, UNV, UNICEF, UNFPA Scope: Develop entrepreneurship, health and social services, community mobilization Achievements: Survey on opportunities for SMEs; microfinance programme starting, seminars on CSR and business management Grant mechanism under development (+parallel funding from local authorities ( USD) Lessons learnt: Delayed start asked for update of activities Challenges: good cooperation among UN agencies

Business Incubator in Atyrau , $ (Chevron) Partners: Atyrau Oblast Akimat, Chevron, Citibank Foundation Scope: Opening of a business incubator facility and provision of business services to entrepreneurs. The incubator offers a package of services: physical work space for micro-small production/service, initially below market rates; focused advisory; administration Achievements: Business Incubators functioning after the end of financing from the project Lessons learnt: Initiative successful if well rooted in the local reality Challenges: for the Business incubator to maintain the building (owned by local administration)

SYSLAB Employment Services, Almaty, Shymkent , $300,000 (Government of Norway, UNDP) Partners: Almaty City Department of Labour, SYSTEM LABORATORY (SYSLAB Int) Scope: Establish sustainable centers for services to unemployed with higher education using SYSLAB methodology Achievements: Centre in Almaty opened in 2007; intake – 20 students, to be expanded to 40 students. Centre in Shymkent to open by end Third centre planned for 2009 (Kyzylorda). Graduates’ employment rate – 90%. Parallel financing from partner. Lessons learnt: Ownership of local partners built from the very beginning Challenges: Sustainable functioning of existing centres and opening of the third one.

Localizing MDGs in South Kazakhstan (2007) , $57,000 (UNDP) Partner: South-Kazakhstani Oblast Akimat Scope: Advice to local authorities on integration of localized MDGs in regional development programmes Achievements: Local Development Strategy of the South Kazakhstan Oblast developed and approved Lessons learned: The change in staff in local bodies affect the continuity of results. Challenges: Availability of resources

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