Olzhas Turkarayev is a Kazakhstani National from the country’s largest city - Shymkent City. Since joining the country office in February 2022, Olzhas has commenced his role as the Operations Analyst, working as part of the finance team.

His daily role includes processing and reviewing payments for UNDP as well as other agencies, allocating any deposits received into their respective accounts, performing foreign exchange transactions and any other support - such as the running of reports and financial analysis, including cost-benefit analysis and calculating budgets for the upcoming year for any particular activity or project.

In a single day Olzhas is tasked with numerous and simultaneous duties. These are helping him learn new skills.

“I am driven by any opportunity that may come across my way to learn new things. We learn and change on a daily basis, so, the fact that I am alive and in good health by the grace of God gives me the chance to learn something new every day, and keeps me motivated."

Olzhas says he does not have any concrete role models in life, and explains that in an odd way, he looks up to himself.

‘’In an unusual way, my role model would be, my future self, meaning that I would envision myself becoming a particular individual, twenty years from now, hopefully married with a family and happy - and strive to achieve that vision.’’

Prior to joining UNDP, Olzhas studied in Malaysia and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management at Sunway University, as part of an affiliated programme with Lancaster University. Following his graduation, he returned home to commence his post-graduate studies.

“After graduating, I was accepted for a master’s degree programme, affiliated with the Lee Kuan Yew University, majoring in Public Policy at Nazarbayev University in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan.’’

When asked about the Sustainable Development Goals and its Progress in Papua New Guinea, Olzhas believes UNDP has made immense advancements in working towards the SDGs, emphasizing how they have successfully maintained and strengthen partnerships and collaborations towards the development of the country.

"I believe UNDP Papua New Guinea is doing a great work on addressing the SDGs. For example, the EU funded STREIT project, where I had a small chance to contribute from the finance perspective. Under this project, they are cultivating a solid culture of sustainable agriculture for local communities in rural areas in Papua New Guinea.”

He highlights SDG 5 - gender equality, stating that UNDP is very devoted to creating positive awareness on gender related subjects amongst its various stakeholders that it engages with.

‘’I believe the UNDP is doing its best to address gender issues at all levels possible and provide equal chances to everyone who is willing to take the opportunity to make the world a better place. UNDP even goes a step further and educates people about gender equality in communities where such balance is uneven."

Outside of Work Olzhas has a few hobbies, they are reading, watching movies/series, walking, and cycling. Additionally, he states that he also has an appetite for extreme sports.

"I love reading autobiographies of people who have succeeded in some areas of their lives and are able to share their story in a book."

"Also, I am very much into extreme activities such as skiing on the mountains during winter and hiking with camping during the summertime, and at some point, in my life I would love to try skydiving, that is on my bucket list."