In an interview with a Turmush correspondent, Zhanat shared that she was born on January 26, 1991. In her childhood, she dreamed of becoming a teacher and, after completing her studies, received a diploma in "Kyrgyz language and literature" from a local university.
Together with her husband, Zhanat is raising four children aged 13, 9, 6, and 1.5 years. "Taking care of children requires time and effort, and I always wanted to be close to them while also having the opportunity to work. When I learned about the social contract program, I decided to apply. Last year, I was allocated 100,000 soms," she recounts.
With the funds received, Zhanat purchased a sewing machine. Orders come from sewing workshops in Bishkek. "The patterns are sent to us through drivers, we sew and return the finished products the same way. This has significantly improved our family budget. Previously, I just sat at home with the children, but now I can earn money. We have become more financially secure and can afford more for our children," she shares.
The main focus of her work is children's outerwear (bombers), pajamas, and dresses, for which she earns between 80 to 120 soms for each item. "If the order is simple, I can sew from 5 to 10 items in a day. I monitor the children's nutrition, help them with their homework, and then I sew. In case of urgent orders, I even work until 3 a.m.," Zhanat adds.
In addition to sewing, she also helps acquaintances with clothing restoration and sews festive outfits for herself and her daughters.
However, work is not always predictable. Zhanat recalls how once, after finishing a piece, she discovered that she had run out of the lower thread and had to redo everything from scratch.
Her plans include buying more sewing machines and expanding her business.
