The first phase of Rotary Club of Almaty's support for the Kun Bala Public Foundation — which supports children and teenagers with Down syndrome — focused on acquiring a comprehensive set of educational materials and developmental toys based on the Montessori methodology, manufactured in Russia.
According to the teachers and experts working at the Kun Bala development centre, these bright, functional materials — including tactile letters and numbers, weight tablets, geometric solid models, Pythagoras boards, board games and much more — will significantly improve the effectiveness of learning for pre-school and early school-age children. They also help prepare the children for inclusive education in mainstream kindergartens and schools, which is one of the Foundation's key priorities.
The club, together with Kun Bala specialists, researched and selected the most suitable manufacturer of the specialised materials, purchased them for a total of 392,205 roubles, and transferred them free of charge to the development centre.
The Kun Bala Public Foundation for the Support of Children and Teenagers with Down Syndrome was established on 14 August 2015. The Foundation was organised by parents raising children with Down syndrome, and carries out ongoing educational activities to raise awareness among Kazakhstanis about Down syndrome and the possibilities for inclusion of people with Down syndrome in public life.
