Rubbish pile up on the side of the village’s muddy, unpaved streets. Residents complain that when it is dry, the roads are dusty and when it rains, they are muddy. Taxi drivers are unwilling to take passengers here.
Rubbish pile up on the side of the village’s muddy, unpaved streets. Residents complain that when it is dry, the roads are dusty and when it rains, they are muddy. Taxi drivers are unwilling to take passengers here. © CABAR
The impoverished village of Prigorodny lies 10 kilometres from the shiny centre of Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan. The settlement of a few thousands lacks a policlinic and other basic services.
The impoverished village of Prigorodny lies 10 kilometres from the shiny centre of Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan. The settlement of a few thousands lacks a policlinic and other basic services. © CABAR
Collecting water from a standpipe is a daily chore for hundreds as most houses do not have running water. Queues start in the early hours and on weekends people stand for to four hours.
Collecting water from a standpipe is a daily chore for hundreds as most houses do not have running water. Queues start in the early hours and on weekends people stand for to four hours. © CABAR
“We used to have seven standpipes. Now only one is functioning and the water is salty,” lamented Yury Nazharov. In winter, the standpipe freezes, and it gets even worse. We have written requests of help, but to no avail.”
“We used to have seven standpipes. Now only one is functioning and the water is salty,” lamented Yury Nazharov. In winter, the standpipe freezes, and it gets even worse. We have written requests of help, but to no avail.” © CABAR
Nurdaulet Abdukarimov is a dentistry student. “I work part-time in a shopping mall in the capital. Every day is a struggle, my footwear cannot last longer than one season. What I earn is enough to pay for a pair of boots. I’ve been living here for ten years and have not seen any changes.”
Nurdaulet Abdukarimov is a dentistry student. “I work part-time in a shopping mall in the capital. Every day is a struggle, my footwear cannot last longer than one season. What I earn is enough to pay for a pair of boots. I’ve been living here for ten years and have not seen any changes.” © CABAR
The closest school is 1.5 kilometres away from the village and there is no public transport. Not every household has a car and those with no private vehicles must walk their children to school. As the roads have no tarmac, rain and snow turn them into large mud trails.
The closest school is 1.5 kilometres away from the village and there is no public transport. Not every household has a car and those with no private vehicles must walk their children to school. As the roads have no tarmac, rain and snow turn them into large mud trails. © CABAR
Yadviga Sosnovskaya, a retired flight attendant, has been living in Prigorodny for 47 years. “In the past, people working in aviation and geology lived here. Now people have cars and have tried to pave the road by themselves, but we have run out of money.”
Yadviga Sosnovskaya, a retired flight attendant, has been living in Prigorodny for 47 years. “In the past, people working in aviation and geology lived here. Now people have cars and have tried to pave the road by themselves, but we have run out of money.” © CABAR
A newly built football pitch in the village of Karaoktel, about 20 kilometres from Nur-Sultan. The village is divided into two parts, and only one of them falls under the jurisdiction of the capital, and as such it has schools, a kindergarten and a hospital.
A newly built football pitch in the village of Karaoktel, about 20 kilometres from Nur-Sultan. The village is divided into two parts, and only one of them falls under the jurisdiction of the capital, and as such it has schools, a kindergarten and a hospital. © CABAR
The village is home to about 20,000 people, who either work in small farms or are employed in the capital. Many are pensioners.
The village is home to about 20,000 people, who either work in small farms or are employed in the capital. Many are pensioners. © CABAR
“We rent temporary premises, it is the cheapest housing. My husband works in the capital. We have nine children. houses here have no indoor sanitation, and it is very humid in winter,” says Gulim Rakhmetova.
“We rent temporary premises, it is the cheapest housing. My husband works in the capital. We have nine children. houses here have no indoor sanitation, and it is very humid in winter,” says Gulim Rakhmetova. © CABAR
Zhagalau is a new large residential area in the outskirts of Nur-Sultan. It is rapidly growing and the local akimat, the municipal authorities, are supporting the rapid development of local infrastructure.
Zhagalau is a new large residential area in the outskirts of Nur-Sultan. It is rapidly growing and the local akimat, the municipal authorities, are supporting the rapid development of local infrastructure. © CABAR
Zhaksylyk Bekzhanov, a pensioner, has bought a two-room apartment for 14 million tenges (36,900 US dollars). “The area is very good. We have a common area, stores, a playground. The beach is under construction. The only thing we miss is a parking lot.”
Zhaksylyk Bekzhanov, a pensioner, has bought a two-room apartment for 14 million tenges (36,900 US dollars). “The area is very good. We have a common area, stores, a playground. The beach is under construction. The only thing we miss is a parking lot.” © CABAR
The public transport network provides good connection to the capital. It includes heated bus stops equipped with the information system and Wi-Fi.
The public transport network provides good connection to the capital. It includes heated bus stops equipped with the information system and Wi-Fi. © CABAR
Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with flashy, glistening buildings provides a stark contrast to the villages with no running water and basic services just outside of the city.
Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with flashy, glistening buildings provides a stark contrast to the villages with no running water and basic services just outside of the city. © Leon Neal - Pool/Getty Images
Photo Essay

Kazak Villages Struggle with Poverty

In Nur-Sultan, glitzy shopping malls and swanky hotels mirror Kazakstan's vast natural resources. In the outskirts, villages with no running water and basic services tell a different story of poverty and inequality.

Rubbish pile up on the side of the village’s muddy, unpaved streets. Residents complain that when it is dry, the roads are dusty and when it rains, they are muddy. Taxi drivers are unwilling to take passengers here.
Rubbish pile up on the side of the village’s muddy, unpaved streets. Residents complain that when it is dry, the roads are dusty and when it rains, they are muddy. Taxi drivers are unwilling to take passengers here. © CABAR
The impoverished village of Prigorodny lies 10 kilometres from the shiny centre of Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan. The settlement of a few thousands lacks a policlinic and other basic services.
The impoverished village of Prigorodny lies 10 kilometres from the shiny centre of Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan. The settlement of a few thousands lacks a policlinic and other basic services. © CABAR
Collecting water from a standpipe is a daily chore for hundreds as most houses do not have running water. Queues start in the early hours and on weekends people stand for to four hours.
Collecting water from a standpipe is a daily chore for hundreds as most houses do not have running water. Queues start in the early hours and on weekends people stand for to four hours. © CABAR
“We used to have seven standpipes. Now only one is functioning and the water is salty,” lamented Yury Nazharov. In winter, the standpipe freezes, and it gets even worse. We have written requests of help, but to no avail.”
“We used to have seven standpipes. Now only one is functioning and the water is salty,” lamented Yury Nazharov. In winter, the standpipe freezes, and it gets even worse. We have written requests of help, but to no avail.” © CABAR
Nurdaulet Abdukarimov is a dentistry student. “I work part-time in a shopping mall in the capital. Every day is a struggle, my footwear cannot last longer than one season. What I earn is enough to pay for a pair of boots. I’ve been living here for ten years and have not seen any changes.”
Nurdaulet Abdukarimov is a dentistry student. “I work part-time in a shopping mall in the capital. Every day is a struggle, my footwear cannot last longer than one season. What I earn is enough to pay for a pair of boots. I’ve been living here for ten years and have not seen any changes.” © CABAR
The closest school is 1.5 kilometres away from the village and there is no public transport. Not every household has a car and those with no private vehicles must walk their children to school. As the roads have no tarmac, rain and snow turn them into large mud trails.
The closest school is 1.5 kilometres away from the village and there is no public transport. Not every household has a car and those with no private vehicles must walk their children to school. As the roads have no tarmac, rain and snow turn them into large mud trails. © CABAR
Yadviga Sosnovskaya, a retired flight attendant, has been living in Prigorodny for 47 years. “In the past, people working in aviation and geology lived here. Now people have cars and have tried to pave the road by themselves, but we have run out of money.”
Yadviga Sosnovskaya, a retired flight attendant, has been living in Prigorodny for 47 years. “In the past, people working in aviation and geology lived here. Now people have cars and have tried to pave the road by themselves, but we have run out of money.” © CABAR
A newly built football pitch in the village of Karaoktel, about 20 kilometres from Nur-Sultan. The village is divided into two parts, and only one of them falls under the jurisdiction of the capital, and as such it has schools, a kindergarten and a hospital.
A newly built football pitch in the village of Karaoktel, about 20 kilometres from Nur-Sultan. The village is divided into two parts, and only one of them falls under the jurisdiction of the capital, and as such it has schools, a kindergarten and a hospital. © CABAR
The village is home to about 20,000 people, who either work in small farms or are employed in the capital. Many are pensioners.
The village is home to about 20,000 people, who either work in small farms or are employed in the capital. Many are pensioners. © CABAR
“We rent temporary premises, it is the cheapest housing. My husband works in the capital. We have nine children. houses here have no indoor sanitation, and it is very humid in winter,” says Gulim Rakhmetova.
“We rent temporary premises, it is the cheapest housing. My husband works in the capital. We have nine children. houses here have no indoor sanitation, and it is very humid in winter,” says Gulim Rakhmetova. © CABAR
Zhagalau is a new large residential area in the outskirts of Nur-Sultan. It is rapidly growing and the local akimat, the municipal authorities, are supporting the rapid development of local infrastructure.
Zhagalau is a new large residential area in the outskirts of Nur-Sultan. It is rapidly growing and the local akimat, the municipal authorities, are supporting the rapid development of local infrastructure. © CABAR
Zhaksylyk Bekzhanov, a pensioner, has bought a two-room apartment for 14 million tenges (36,900 US dollars). “The area is very good. We have a common area, stores, a playground. The beach is under construction. The only thing we miss is a parking lot.”
Zhaksylyk Bekzhanov, a pensioner, has bought a two-room apartment for 14 million tenges (36,900 US dollars). “The area is very good. We have a common area, stores, a playground. The beach is under construction. The only thing we miss is a parking lot.” © CABAR
The public transport network provides good connection to the capital. It includes heated bus stops equipped with the information system and Wi-Fi.
The public transport network provides good connection to the capital. It includes heated bus stops equipped with the information system and Wi-Fi. © CABAR
Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with flashy, glistening buildings provides a stark contrast to the villages with no running water and basic services just outside of the city.
Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with flashy, glistening buildings provides a stark contrast to the villages with no running water and basic services just outside of the city. © Leon Neal - Pool/Getty Images

CABAR

The Central Asian Bureau for Analytical Reporting is a project of IWPR
CABAR
Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

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CABAR

The Central Asian Bureau for Analytical Reporting is a project of IWPR
CABAR
Wednesday, 26 January, 2022

Nur-Sultan, formerly known as Astana, became Kazakstan’s capital in 1997. Investments worth billions of dollars have changed it beyond recognition, transforming it into a modern developing city of over a million people.

Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with flashy, glistening buildings provides a stark contrast to the villages with no running water and basic services just outside of the city. © Leon Neal - Pool/Getty Images

Since then, new settlements, both legal and illegal, have mushroomed in its outskirts to house people coming from the countryside in search of work, but many have remained largely neglected. The country’s deep inequality is at the core of the protests that swept the country in early January. It was the most serious unrest the oil-rich Central Asian nation of 19 million faced in decades.

This publication was prepared under the "Amplify, Verify, Engage (AVE) Project" implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway.

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