Helping Means Creating Opportunities: The Story of the Al Jardam Foundation

Hello everyone! My name is Ermat Asekov. Since 2019, I have been working as a warehouse specialist at Borusan Cat Kyrgyzstan on the Kumtor project. That same year, I founded the Al Jardam Public Charitable Foundation.

Today, these two parts of my life are closely connected. My work has taught me responsibility, discipline, and a systematic approach, while charity reminds me every day how important it is to care about people and support those who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

Why did I decide to establish the foundation?

For me, helping people has never been simply a social activity. It is something that has gradually become an important part of my life. In 2019, I decided to establish the Al Jardam Public Charitable Foundation, which was officially registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The foundation’s main goal is to support people who are in particular need of assistance: orphans, widows, single mothers and fathers, large families, people facing difficult life circumstances, as well as those who require expensive medical treatment or surgery. From the very beginning, we wanted to create not just a foundation that provides financial assistance, but a community of people united by the desire to support one another. Today, Al Jardam’s work is guided by the principles of compassion, honesty, transparency, and trust. Over the years, the foundation has implemented numerous charitable initiatives. We provide assistance to orphanages and rehabilitation centers, support residents affected by the Batken events, and have sent humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. The COVID-19 pandemic holds a special place in the foundation’s history. At that time, many families faced serious financial difficulties. Thanks to donations collected as fitr sadaqah, we were able to prepare and distribute hundreds of food packages to people in need. For us, it was important not simply to collect aid, but to make sure it reached the families who genuinely needed it.

The Strength of the Foundation Lies in Its People

All of Al Jardam’s work is built on people’s trust. Donations are collected online from caring individuals and charitable donors. Every contribution, regardless of its size, becomes part of a greater effort to help others. Over time, we have seen a genuine community grow around the foundation — people who are ready to support one another. This is what gives us the opportunity to take on increasingly ambitious projects. One example is the Support for People in Need project, which we launched in Karakol in 2024. Today, around 1,000 people regularly support the initiative through a WhatsApp community. The project allows us to provide targeted and timely assistance to people and families who need it most at a particular moment. Our work with families taught us an important lesson: sometimes, a person needs more than financial support today. They also need an opportunity to change their life tomorrow.

This is how our new project, Give a Fishing Rod, Not a Fish, came about. We began implementing it in 2026. The name reflects the project’s main idea: rather than limiting our support to one-time assistance, we want to help people gain the opportunity to provide for their families independently.

As part of the project, we support people in starting small businesses. This may include assistance with launching a business, purchasing the necessary equipment, or creating the conditions needed to generate a stable income. For us, it is especially important to see the results not only at the moment assistance is provided, but also later — when a person is able to support their family independently and plan for the future.

Another area of the foundation’s work is helping families build their own homes. In 2025, as part of this initiative, the first house was built and handed over to a family in need. For that family, it was more than just a new home. It meant safety, stability, and an opportunity to begin a new chapter in their lives.

In 2026, we are continuing this initiative, with construction of a second house for a family in need now underway. Every such project requires a great deal of joint effort and, of course, the support of people who care. That is why it is especially meaningful to see dozens and hundreds of people come together around these initiatives.

What Connects My Work and Charity

I spend most of each month working at the Kumtor mine, located at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters above sea level. I work on a rotational basis: 14 days at the mine followed by 14 days at home.

Working at Borusan Cat Kyrgyzstan has taught me discipline, responsibility, attentiveness, and teamwork. These same qualities help me in my work with the foundation. At a worksite, it is important to identify a potential hazard in time and prevent it from causing harm. In charity, it is equally important to notice a person who needs help and respond in time. In 2025, I identified and eliminated 50 potential hazards in the workplace as part of our safety program. For me, this is another example of how important it is not to remain indifferent and to take action when you have the opportunity to make a difference.

This is where I see a shared value: taking responsibility for people and striving to make the world around us a little safer and better. I do not believe that charity can solve every problem. But I know for certain that timely assistance can change a great deal for a particular person. It can mean medical treatment, food for a family, support in starting a business, or a new home. Behind every such story is a person who, at some point, found themselves in a difficult situation and needed to know that they were not alone.

That is why we continue to develop the foundation, launch new projects, and look for opportunities to provide long-term support. I sincerely believe that helping does not simply mean giving someone something today. Sometimes, it is much more important to create an opportunity for that person to help themselves tomorrow. That is why, for me, Al Jardam is more than just a charitable foundation. It is a community of people who believe that even a small contribution can become the beginning of major change.

Together, we can do much more. Because helping one person means giving hope to an entire family.

Ermat Asekov

Ermat Asekov, 1991 doğumludur ve Issık Göl Bölgesi'nin Karakol şehrindendir. 2016 yılında K. Tınıstanov Issık Göl Devlet Üniversitesi'nden Enerji Mühendisliği bölümünden mezun olmuştur. 2017 yılında çalışma hayatına Kumtor projesinde başlamıştır. 2019 yılında Borusan Cat Kırgızistan bünyesinde Depo Sorumlusu olarak göreve başlamış ve halen görevine devam etmektedir. Evli ve bir çocuk babasıdır. İş ve Vakıf faaliyetleri dışında kalan boş zamanlarını ailesine ayırmaktadır.