the Chief Physician of the Almaty Oblast TB clinic (left) partnered with USAID to provide training to health care NGOs, like the one that provided a temporary home to this little girl while her parents were in the TB hospital.

Academy for Educational Development

USAID began its partnership with the government of Kazakhstan in 1992, soon after its independence from the Soviet Union. At that time, small business employed less than 3 percent of the total workforce, and no credible financial data was available for companies to make key business decisions. Right away, USAID contributed to the development of a private real estate and housing market. USAID’s assistance helped Kazakhstan develop and implement the laws, regulations, and infrastructure necessary to establish capital markets. USAID supported the formation of an independent Securities and Exchange Commission, assisted in opening the country’s first private stock exchange, and promoted oversight of the nascent securities market.

Today, Kazakhstan is a middle-income country that is transitioning into a role as a regional leader. Since 2006, USAID’s economic reform programs have been co-funded by the Government of Kazakhstan. Activities focus on small and medium enterprises, economic reforms, and regional trade. Our programs also address the limited media activity and low civic participation in the country’s governance, as well as the costly and ineffective medical system left over from Soviet times. USAID is partnering with the government to advance democratic political reforms and improve tuberculosis and HIV health care services.