Locations“My Home” for those in need
July 17, 2024
The "My Home" center in Temirtau is one of Kazakhstan’s first public associations dedicated to helping the most vulnerable groups. Among those it has supported are people with drug addiction, former prisoners, those living with HIV, survivors of violence, and victims of labor exploitation. Each story of the “My Home” center's beneficiaries is unique yet shares common — challenging life circumstances, lack of support, and deep regret for wasted years.
Elena’s Story
Elena, 51, was released from prison a year and a half ago after spending about 11 years in various colonies.
Elena first tried drugs over 30 years ago during a difficult period in her life: a complicated pregnancy and childbirth, and her newborn daughter was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. Doctors gave no hope for the child’s survival, and at home, two young children awaited her.
“I was traveling and crying. I looked at my husband on the bus, and he was crying too. I said, 'Why are you crying? You should have cried when I was trying to pull you out of drugs to keep you alive.' That was the last straw...” Elena recalls through tears.
Elena’s husband was a drug addict. Seeing her depression, he offered her drugs. When she refused, he forcibly injected her.
Besides using drugs, her husband was involved in criminal activities. As a result, he was convicted and sent to prison.
“I thought prison would change him. He was an athlete; we had a loving family with children. I would come home, see his shoes and his suit, but he was gone. It was very hard to accept,” Elena says sadly.
In those difficult times, friends and relatives turned away, leaving her surrounded by the wrong people. Despite caring for her disabled mother and three young children, she began using drugs. When she realized she was addicted, she couldn't find a rehabilitation center and had nowhere to turn for help. The only option she saw was to keep using and live a criminal life, which led to her first prison term.
“The first time, I got a year and a half. I served a year and was released on amnesty. My father was killed. My mother was broken and ill. Emotional stress, children. Depression. And everything started again. This continued until 2008,” Elena says.
In 1997, Elena was diagnosed with HIV. There was little information available. She didn’t know that having an individual syringe wasn’t enough, and she got infected through shared equipment used to dissolve drugs. Now, she regularly takes antiretroviral therapy.
Elena recalls that when her HIV status was revealed, she faced stigma from both the police and medical personnel.
“They treated me like I was different like I was bad. It got so bad that when I needed medical help, the infectious disease specialists, who knew HIV isn't airborne, would say, 'Stay in your room. If you come out, they'll follow you with disinfectants.' Other inmates avoided me because I had HIV,”Elena recalls.
Her children faced prejudice as well, from peers, their parents, and teachers.
“My youngest daughter wrote me a letter: ‘Mom, please don’t be offended that I don’t write to you. I just don’t want to. It hurts too much. Everyone else goes out, but I stay home. Wherever I go, people say, ‘Your mom is like that.’ And at school, parents tell their kids, ‘Don’t be friends with those children,’” Elena shares.
After many years, Elena managed to rebuild her relationships with her children. Her ex-husband still uses drugs, and she deeply regrets her own struggle with addiction.
“I would love to go back in time, and have all the important information at hand. I would never have chosen that path. I would have achieved something in life and been able to help my children and parents,”Elena says.
Elena’s story is just one of many at the “My Home” center in Temirtau. This is one of the first public associations in Kazakhstan to provide help and support to people with drug addiction and those released from prison.on a year and a half ago after spending about 11 years in various colonies.
Valentina’s Story
Valentina is HIV-positive. This year, she turns 60. She looks great and feels well. However, it is still unknown how she contracted HIV.
Valentina never smoked, drank, or used drugs. She was a respected medical worker. Eight years ago, during a routine medical check-up, she was diagnosed with HIV. The news hit her like a bolt from the blue.
“It was a shock. Words can’t describe what I felt. I couldn’t tell my family or children. I just decided no one would know. It’s enough that the AIDS center knows. I’m on therapy. I feel good. I go to a sanatorium for health. I see people who have been on therapy for 20-30 years, living, looking beautiful,” Valentina shares.
Valentina knew many specialists from the AIDS center in Temirtau personally through work. The medical workers there treated her with understanding. She still thanks them for their compassionate attitude despite her diagnosis.
After learning about her HIV status, Valentina quit her job at the hospital. Being active and unable to sit still, she wondered what to do next. She didn’t want to return to the medical field. Valentina decided to ask the AIDS center if there was a way to help others.
“In the fall of 2016, I came to the ‘My Home’. They listened to my story. I started helping them with various events, supporting people living there, and participating in training. Later, an opportunity for employment in the center arose. Since June 2022, I have been working here as a social worker,” Valentina says.
She says that during her time at “My Home,” she learned to connect with other people living with HIV like herself and realized that there, people aren’t divided into healthy and HIV-positive.
“I used to think everyone looked at me and saw my HIV status. Here, I learned to be like everyone else. Now, I don’t have such thoughts. I can speak freely, but only here. I don’t want to upset my children because there are still prejudices that people with HIV don’t live long,”Valentina shares.
In the eight years Valentina has been with “My Home,” she has met many different people, listened to their life stories, and empathized with their struggles. She emphasizes that people with HIV still face stigma due to a lack of understanding about how the virus is transmitted.
Marina’s Story
Marina, 45, has faced prejudice many times. She calls herself a “child of the ‘90s.” In her youth, she practiced kickboxing and was a candidate for master of sports.
She recalls that during those “wild” times, money was scarce, and they lived in poverty. She fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in a juvenile detention center for robbery, where she spent four years. While in prison, Marina contracted tuberculosis and had to continue treatment even after her release.
After overcoming the disease, she could no longer continue kickboxing. Her social circle changed, and she began using drugs.
“I was feeling down. I started hanging out with people I had been in prison with. They had all used drugs before, and once they were out, they started again. We had shared memories. I managed to resist for a week or two, but then one day, I said I wanted to try it too. I liked it immediately. That’s how it all began... I used drugs for about 15 years. I ended up back in prison periodically, got released, and started using again. My parents tried to get me into rehab, but nothing worked...” Marina recalls.
Overall, Marina spent about 12 years in prison. She was released for the final time in 2015 and hasn’t returned to drugs or a life of crime since. During her last sentence, she lost both her mother and grandmother, leaving only her sisters. Now, she prefers not to talk about her four prison terms.
Marina admits that she still has a stigma against herself. This is one of the common problems among those who have served time in prison. They consider themselves worse than others, undeserving of good treatment or decent work.
“This is an acquired complex. I don’t consider myself stupid, but I still undervalue myself. Even when I go for a job, I think, ‘God forbid they find out about my convictions,’”Marina shares.
Marina ended up at the “My Home” public association by chance. Acquaintances she met in prison were there and invited her to come.
“I volunteer at the center on my initiative. Centers like these are crucial for women who have nowhere to go and no registration. Here, they welcome you like family, provide shelter, and inform you about your rights. Now, I’ve found an apartment, and they helped me get settled,” Marina says.
Today, Marina looks back with a smile, recalling how, after her last eight-year prison term, it felt like she had landed on another planet. Everything had changed—touchscreen phones and messaging apps had appeared.
“When I was in prison, people would tell stories, and I’d think, ‘They’re lying! That can’t be true!’ But when I got out and saw it all for myself, I was shocked. Now, I’ve learned to use everything, but I still get surprised sometimes,” Marina says.
She explains that she’s a completely different person now. She has pets—two dogs and two cats. She stays in touch with her relatives and supports her younger sister. Looking back, Marina can’t understand how she ever got involved in drugs and crime.
“Now, I’m afraid to even look at someone else’s things, let alone touch them. My past life feels like it wasn’t me. I don’t know what happened to me back then. Now, everything is completely different,”Marina shares.
Irina’s Story
Irina Zhdanova is the head of the “Center for Support and Social Assistance to the Population ‘My Home’” in Temirtau.
Back in the ‘90s, many young people, including Irina’s children, fell under the destructive influence of drugs. Her son died from a drug overdose, and her daughter, who is living with HIV, used drugs and eventually opened her crisis center for women in difficult situations, called “Revansh”.
At first, parents of young drug users formed an initiative group to provide help and support.
“Not only did the young addicts suffer, but their families and children did too. We visited homes and saw how they lived. We couldn’t accept it. Then, as these young people started getting released from prison, they needed help and support too. Rehabilitation centers began to appear in Kazakhstan. There was a strong desire to help these families, children, and drug users, to prevent both drug addiction and HIV,”Irina explains.
The initiative grew into a public association. It was then decided to officially register “My Home.” For 20 years, Irina has been helping people in difficult life situations.
“We reached out to the Japanese embassy, and they gave us the opportunity to renovate a building I owned. They provided the funds, and we built this crisis center. People coming out of prison come here. They have many problems: they can’t find a job, have no documents, have broken family ties, and can’t access medical care. They get all the help they need here,” Irina says.
Irina adds that the creation of the public association was driven by the great enthusiasm of those who wanted to lend a helping hand. Today, with donor support, more than 40 social projects have been implemented to support those in need. The center assists vulnerable populations.
Unfortunately, not all stories from “My Home” end in success. Some return to drug use and criminal life, but this is a small fraction. Most people who receive help at “My Home” start living normal lives, find jobs, reunite with their families, and don’t lose hope for a bright future.
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) implements the SCALE initiative to promote progress towards Global 10-10-10 HIV Targets by expanding proven and evidence-based key approaches and strategies.
A key component of SCALE is the "Law and Access" grant program. These grants are investments in enhancing the capacity of local organizations that are well aware of their communities' needs. Over the past two years, eight organizations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine have received grants with SCALE support. Two of these grants are implemented in Kazakhstan. One of them is the "Revansh" public fund in consortium with the "My Home" public fund and the "Nursenim" public fund.
Under this initiative, "Revansh" supports women from the "My Home" crisis center in Temirtau, trains primary healthcare and other service providers, and works to reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, former prisoners, and people who use injectable drugs.
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