In the words of Ailin Nurasheva: “I believe that every girl in STEM deserves support and opportunities to unleash potential and change the world"

On International Youth Day, Ailin Nurasheva, a young activist from Kazakhstan, shares her journey of promoting inclusive education for children from rural areas and supporting girls striving to succeed in STEM. Ailin inspires her peers by highlighting the importance of gender equality and opportunities in education, proving that everyone can make the world a better place. With the support of UN Women, she was elected as a member of the UN Youth Advisory Board in Kazakhstan, amplifiying the voices of young people. Discover how Ailin’s work contributes to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and combats gender stereotypes.

“I am 18 years old, and I am the head of the OQU Fund, a non-governmental organization which provides children from rural areas of Kazakhstan with the opportunity for high-quality inclusive education, focusing on preparing them for admission to selective schools. We also cover all the needs of our students, such as providing equipment (laptops) and travel grants. We are partners of UNICEF, and also received official support from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, thanks to which we will now recruit volunteers in greater numbers among all schoolchildren in the country. During the first year of the project, 330 students from all regions of Kazakhstan completed training at OQU, and 91 students entered prestigious selective educational institutions. Thus, our students won grants in the total amount of $ 3,116,000. In our program, volunteers can be schoolchildren and teachers. Teachers from selective schools act as tutors and help students prepare for admission in all the necessary subjects. They conduct online lessons and individual mentoring programs. In addition, we also have a large team of school volunteers who are responsible for various departments such as SMM, PR, HR and others. I also manage the OQU Girls sub-project, which focuses on community-building among rural areas to support girls with admission to selective schools.  Thanks to this initiative, every rural girl receives support, care and opportunities to realize her potential not only through training, but also through a full range of transport, psychological and informational assistance. Over the entire period of OQU Girls' work, more than 100 female volunteers and more than 200 girls from rural areas were involved.

I am also a co-founder of the YMB social organization, which aims to provide inclusive education for schoolchildren throughout Kazakhstan in the field of economics and business management, as well as training in the application of theoretical knowledge in solving current practical problems.  YMB aims to develop a web platform and an educational application with gamification elements for an audience of 13+ years old to teach the basics of financial literacy, economics and business management through a theoretical and practical approach. Also, an important aspect is the holding of events such as workshops, lectures, forums, competitions aimed at increasing engagement and awareness of the above-mentioned disciplines.

I believe that STEM is one of the most relevant and in-demand career fields today. STEM allows not only to connect different disciplines, but also to solve practical problems of global significance using theoretical knowledge from different sciences. Therefore, I became interested in this field primarily because of the broad prospects for applying STEM knowledge in real life. STEM is gaining great popularity among school students, which is why many are eager to participate in many competitions and contests. Among my achievements, I can mention 1st place in the International Competition “Wice” in the category “Information Technology and Robotics”, 1st place in the International Science and Invention Fair “ISIF” in the category “Technology”, 2nd place in the hackathon “Innoventure Challenge”, and I am also a finalist in the National Project Competition – “Samsung Solve For Tomorrow”.

I believe that it is necessary to organize more opportunities and events for young girls, which will include various forums, workshops with outstanding women in STEM. In this way, successful examples can inspire and encourage girls to engage in STEM and achieve new heights. It is necessary to raise awareness of young girls from an early age in order to overcome gender stereotypes, for example, by introducing special programs in educational institutions. It is also very important to portray a positive representation in the media. Thanks to this, people will be able to learn examples of successful women who challenge traditional gender roles.

I would like to advise young people in STEM to always challenge yourself in new fields, get involved and apply for any possible competitions and events. It does not matter whether you win or not, because  it will bring new experiences, expand your network and broaden your horizons. Therefore, strive to be active and implement your innovative ideas. Be persistent, confident and you will be able to reach any goal!"