Kazakhstan’s Ozim Mobile App Assists Special Needs Children
Ozim Platform: Mobile Application Provides Support for Parents of Children with Special Needs
ASTANA – The Ozim (Myself) platform is a mobile application that aims to provide information and methodological support to parents of children with special needs. It offers video instructions from qualified Kazakh experts and rehabilitation techniques that parents can use at home. Assem Tazhiyeva, the platform’s founder, recently spoke with The Astana Times about the creation of this socially significant project, its mission, and its plans.
The mobile application provides parents with access to international studies on early intervention in both Kazakh and Russian languages. It also enables discussions with other parents on forums and offers a contact list of Kazakhstan’s rehabilitation centers. Recently, the application expanded to include materials on the early development of children, providing useful information for any parent.
Assem Tazhiyeva developed a deep interest in inclusive education during her volunteering project at Nazarbayev University (NU), where she explored families with children with special needs. She shared, “That project transformed me. I’ve known about mothers who are struggling every day.” Following her university graduation, Tazhiyeva participated in a joint research project by the Dara charity fund and NU Graduate School of Education on inclusive education development. During this period, she personally experienced the challenges faced by parents of children with special needs after giving birth to her third child.
“I myself knew about the problems like visiting numerous doctors, not understanding what’s happening to the child’s health, searching for information, and facing anxiety,” said Tazhiyeva. Recognizing the lack of a unified source of reliable information about treatment and doctors for parents in similar situations, she decided to create the Ozim platform. Tazhiyeva formed a team and applied for a social projects competition at NU, where they won a grant of 10 million tenge ($22,000). The platform was launched in November 2021 and has received positive feedback from parents.
“Our mission is to provide access to reliable information from experts. We want to unite experts in the field of early childhood development and parents,” Tazhiyeva explained.
The Ozim platform not only serves as an application but also functions as a public fund that conducts research in children’s development and participates in social work in this field. The team is currently exploring how the socioeconomic status of families impacts access to childhood development and intervention with the support of the Central Asian Research Centre for Education Innovation and Transformation (CARCEIT). Preliminary conclusions indicate that early childhood development is the most effective means of minimizing or preventing disabilities.
Furthermore, the platform collaborates closely with the United Nations. They have concluded an agreement with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to receive financing from the organization. Tazhiyeva is a member of an inter-agency working group initiated by UNICEF.
The app recently introduced an assessment test to evaluate a child’s development. According to Tazhiyeva, this test will enable parents to take timely measures. There are also plans to expand the app to other Central Asian markets. Tazhiyeva stated, “We are working on getting the status of [digital public good (DPG)] owner, which can facilitate simplified access to other countries.” The Ozim platform is one of the first Kazakh IT products nominated by UNICEF for the status of DPG owner. This nomination involves a technical review against the DPG Standard, which consists of nine indicators. Upon review and approval, the platform will be added to the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) registry and become a DPG owner, allowing access to resources, opportunities, and activities of the DPGA ecosystem, and enabling business expansion beyond Kazakhstan.
The Ozim platform is an essential tool for parents of children with special needs, providing them with information, support, and a sense of community. By uniting experts and parents, the platform strives to improve the well-being and development of children with special needs in Kazakhstan and beyond.
