U.S. Embassy Small Grants Program 2021 – Empowering Kazakhstan

TOPIC 1: Countering Trafficking-in-Persons 

Human trafficking remains a challenge in Kazakhstan. The Trafficking-in-Persons (TIP) Report ranked Kazakhstan at Tier Two Watch List in both 2019 and 2020, reflecting the need for increased prevention efforts by both government and civil society. Specifically, awareness of the problem, assistance to victims, and protection of at-risk groups need to be bolstered.

Previous Mission-funded projects have focused on raising public awareness and providing special training for law enforcement agencies and representatives from TIP government bodies in Aktobe, Atyrau, Turkestan, and Shymkent.

This funding opportunity seeks projects that will broaden TIP prevention efforts for at-risk groups by addressing specific, current challenges:

• lack of awareness of TIP dangers for potential victims and law enforcement officials.
• inadequate legal services and protection mechanisms for victims.
• insufficient training for those who can help prevent human trafficking crimes.

The pandemic has created additional challenges for vulnerable populations, increasing the need to better support migrants, reduce exploitation of vulnerable groups, and assist government efforts in implementing policy reform and capacity building.

Project Goal: 

• Reduce trafficking-in-persons in Kazakhstan by increasing awareness among potential victims, as well as strengthening capacity of individuals and institutions that can provide protection.

Project Audiences: 

• At-risk populations including labor migrants.
• Local and state government officials.

Project Objectives (Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives):

(1) Raise awareness of migrant legal rights through trainings reaching at least 100 current and potential labor migrants.

(2) Increase knowledge of at least 25 local and state government officials, including law enforcement, on existing trafficking-in-persons legislation, victim identification, anti-trafficking best practices.

(3) Create a prevention program to provide education and support to an at-risk group, identifying target audience and most likely vulnerabilities to trafficking.

TOPIC 2: Addressing Air Quality

Air quality in Kazakhstan is a significant public health and economic challenge, with Almaty and Nur-Sultan ranked among the world’s most polluted cities. Coal-based heating systems and vehicle emissions both contribute significantly to the problem, though it remains unclear the extent to which each is a factor. Longer-term solutions, including shifts to gas-fired power plants must be supplemented by short-term actions to promote awareness and incentivize immediate changes to consumer behavior, reflecting the urgency of the problem.

Previous Mission-funded projects have focused on increasing awareness both in big cities and across rural Kazakhstan, through investigative journalism, education campaigns, and documentary films.

This funding opportunity seeks projects that will broaden understanding of the crisis and reduce individual contributions to poor air quality by addressing specific current challenges:

• lack of understanding of poor air quality, including sources of air pollution, impact and mitigating responses
• underdeveloped academic and professional institutions focused on air quality
• insufficient availability of environmentally friendly alternatives, both in products as well as transportation, as well as incentives to use these options

Project Goal: 

• Improve air quality in Kazakhstan by increasing understanding of the causes and deleterious effects of pollution, as well as providing more environmentally-friendly alternatives to citizens.

Project Audiences: 

• Citizens, 10-35 years of age.
• Civil society activists and researchers.
• Academics and institutions focused on air quality.
• Journalists and opinion leaders who can amplify key messages.

Project Objectives (Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives):

1. Raise awareness of air quality challenges to at least 5000 members of a targeted demographic between the ages of 10-35, located outside of Almaty and Nur-Sultan, and provide information on mitigating responses.
2. Develop capacity of academics and institutions for, and further research into, the causes of air pollution, and provide a policy and implementation framework for Kazakhstani local and regional authorities to reduce air pollution.
3. Create a campaign to educate and incentivize use of environmentally friendly alternative consumer products or transportation, reaching at least 1000 people.

TOPIC 3: Promoting Renewable Energy

There is no greater long-term challenge confronting the world than climate change. Nations must reduce fossil fuel usage for the long-term sustainability of the planet. In 2019, only 1% of Kazakhstan’s energy production came from renewable energy sources. Although Kazakhstan’s renewable energy usage has increased the last two years, much remains to be done, including for Kazakhstan to meet its Paris Agreement commitments.

The Mission has not funded specific projects on renewable energy recently, though economic diversification and sustainability have remained areas of focus, including on air quality (mentioned earlier).

This funding opportunity seeks projects that will promote and accelerate the usage of renewable and sustainable energy sources in Kazakhstan by addressing specific current challenges:

• lack of awareness of the damage of fossil fuel usage
• lack of information on alternative energy availability
• underdeveloped academic and professional institutions focused on renewable energy

Proposed projects should seek to address one of these challenges above by leveraging local, state, and civil society stakeholders to strengthen and/or establish strategies to increase understanding of renewable energy advantages, develop capacity for research and production of alternative energy sources, and provide a framework for Kazakhstan to reduce its fossil fuel dependency.

Project Goal: 

• Promote usage of renewable and sustainable energy sources in Kazakhstan through increased awareness and research.

Project Audiences: 

• Energy consumers in either urban or rural Kazakhstan
• Academics working in energy-related areas
• Journalists covering renewable energy policy
• Local government officials and policy makers in rural Kazakhstan

Project Objectives (Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives):

1. Reach at least 5,000 citizens in Kazakhstan with an awareness campaign on the importance of renewable and sustainable energy
2. Develop research guidelines among educational institutions to coordinate efforts and develop a cadre of renewable energy professionals.
3. Develop a resource map of renewable energy resources for policy makers to highlight a pathway away from fossil-fuel dependency in Kazakhstan.