24.10.2025

A business breakfast on “Effective Approaches to Sponsorship and Charitable Support for Local Communities” was held in Atyrau, organized by the Oil and Gas Council PetroCouncil and the PR agency “Business with Meaning”, with the support of the AYALA Foundation.

The meeting formed part of PetroCouncil’s broader efforts to create a professional dialogue platform for the oil and gas industry. The Council brings together operators, contractors, experts, and government representatives to foster sectoral development and implement significant economic and social initiatives across the regions.

The event brought together senior executives and representatives of major oil and gas operators, subsidiaries of national companies, emerging petrochemical projects, and oilfield service enterprises of the Atyrau region — all members of PetroCouncil.

Natalya Yeskova, Vice President of the AYALA Foundation, presented examples of projects that save children’s lives and improve the quality of medical care across Kazakhstan. Since its establishment in 2007, the Foundation has equipped more than 60 neonatal centers with advanced medical equipment, helped save over 200,000 newborns, and has been actively contributing to the digital transformation of philanthropy in Kazakhstan.

“Charity today is an integral part of the country’s digital ecosystem. We are moving towards complete trust, online transparency, and the creation of a unified culture of openness,” — emphasised Natalya.

Marina Fakhrutdinova, Social Performance Advisor at Tengizchevroil (TCO), shared insights from the company’s Social Investment Programme (SIP), launched in 2010. Since its inception, more than 140 projects worth approximately USD 17 million have been implemented in the fields of healthcare, education, environment, culture, and civil society development.

Sunkar Kulzhanov, Government and Public Affairs Manager at NCOC, presented a large-scale portfolio of social and infrastructure projects carried out between 1998 and 2025, with total investments exceeding USD 950 million. In just the past three years, the company has implemented dozens of initiatives across the Mangystau and Atyrau regions.

Oilfield service companies, in turn, shared their experience in implementing sponsorship and charitable initiatives in the Atyrau region, highlighting the importance of early detection and rehabilitation of children with congenital mental disorders.

The atmosphere of the business breakfast demonstrated that when business and philanthropy come together, they give rise to projects that not only provide support but also create lasting, sustainable change. Participants identified key areas for future collaboration aimed at improving the quality of life in local communities and supporting vulnerable groups of the population.