It is planned to increase the number of employed convicts to 70%, plus they will be able to do business

Together with the prosecutor's office and the Department of the correctional system for EKO, the Chamber of Entrepreneurs held seminars for inmates of medium security institutions RH 156/3 of Ust-Kamenogorsk on teaching to basics of business. Under current law, prisoners can open their own business even behind bars.

The program of seminars for inmates was compiled at the Chamber of Entrepreneurs within the "Roadmap for business-2020". Apprentice can become any convict at own wish.

"They are the ones who had entrepreneurial experience prior to imprisonment, as well as employees of enterprises in various industries. There are 25 of them", - said the deputy head of the institution RH 156/3 Rinat Kairbek.

For two days on the territory of the colony the business coach Talgat Kassenov told convicted people about state business support programs, legal aspects of business planning, marketing activities, the subtleties of human resource management, how to count income and expenses.

After training convicts have received certificates that will be useful to them in obtaining bank loans for starting a business.

"Education of convicts - is our "trick" - said the expert of the first category of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs Marina Mun. - If a person is in prison, it does not deprive him of the right to engage in commercial activities. Of course, if there is no prohibition or restriction in a verdict, regarding entrepreneurship activities. I think we will continue training in other prisons".

According to Assistant Prosecutor of EKR Rustem Kabdullin, convicts can become individual entrepreneurs within the project "Employment in the colonies - 2017", which was developed by the General Prosecutor's Office two years ago. Its purpose - to provide Kazakhstani convicts with paid work.

 Next year should be employed 70% of the prisoners, now 63.4% have a paid job.

"Of course, convicted need start-up capital for business development and trustees at large, - explains Rustem Kabdullin. – People, who are deprived of freedom, can’t go beyond the colony, they get assistance with search of suppliers, markets, their friends, relatives submit documents to the tax authorities. There are clear step by step instructions, as well as what to do".

As it was noted in the prosecutor's office there are no benefits for doing business for prisoners. The only thing is manufacturing facilities in the colonies are given in trust management free of charge, through the bodies for management of the State Property. These businesses pay only for water services, sanitation, electricity, and if you recruit people from among the convicts, they pay them the minimum wage.

"Today we raise the question, to prescribe benefits in the legislation for individual entrepreneurs from among the convicts during state procurements", - says Rustem Kabdullin.

Only two convicts - Almas Aibekov and Erzhan Elgonov became individual entrepreneurs in correctional facilities of East Kazakhstan. Both were serving sentences for serious crimes in the establishment of maximum security RH 156/2 Ust-Kamenogorsk

"In October last year in our club we were told that every convicted person in accordance with the legislation may engage in individual entrepreneurial activity, - said Almas Aibekov. - I was interested and told the administration of the institution that I want to open a business. After this conversation they tolf me few times how to fill in documents properly, I was given the opportunity to meet with my relatives. They agreed to be my trustees at liberty to issue the necessary documents, to engage in marketing. I registered as IE "Aibek". I am from Almaty region, my parents were engaged in greenhouse farming. I decided to build a greenhouse in prison".

Relatives helped Almas Aybekov with money. Construction of 240 square meters greenhouse was worth1.5 million tenge. First Aibek grew radishes and cucumbers during this spring. Products were sold by his trustees at the Ust-Kamenogorsk markets. Now he and five other convicts, his employees, grow green onions, cucumbers, parsley, cilantro. He plans to sell the harvest outside the prison.

Erzhan Elgonov recently opened in the colony a mini poultry farm for a thousand laying hens. He says that the business plan was developed  by his wife, who lives in Ust-Kamenogorsk. There is a possibility that Elgonov will participate in public procurement and supply prisons with chicken eggs. In addition to a sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, Elgonov has a lawsuit from the victims in the amount of 1 million tenge. He hopes that through his own business, he can pay off and help the family - his wife and his children.

In EKR there are 12 prisons, which have 5529 prisoners. This is the biggest indicator of the country. Of these, 4163 are able-bodied person. 2596 convicts have  paid jobs.

According to a senior inspector Dastan Sanbaev, another way of engaging people in paid work prevails now in prisons.