Kazakhstan digital public good start-up Ozim Platform supports childhood upbringing and development
This new digital public good (DPG) application supports children with disabilities and their families.
Ozim Platform (Ozim) is a social application created to support Kazakhstani families raising children with disabilities. It was developed by innovative graduates from Nazarbayev University’s Graduate School of Education. Developing Ozim was a labour of love based on the personal experience of one of its founders, who has a child requiring early intervention.
“I had the idea to create the mobile application ‘Ozim Platform’ during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when all rehabilitation services became unavailable to families raising children with disabilities. Parents had to work with their children on their own while being instructed by rehabilitation specialists and other experts. However, the pandemic highlighted that not every family has a computer or laptop, but everyone has a smartphone. Taking this into account, I had the idea to create a smartphone application. This initiative seemed especially appropriate for parents from remote regions of Kazakhstan where there is a shortage or absence of specialists,” says Assem Tazhiyeva, the start-up’s founder.
Ozim is a unique product, a smartphone application available for both Android and IOS devices, which can help millions of young parents learn about the stages of childhood development and raise children with disabilities by prioritizing early intervention and social development.
According to its founder, Assem Tazhiyeva, Ozim’s partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) revealed that the Ozim Platform mobile application might qualify for international Digital Public Goods (DPG) status.
DPG projects hold great social importance, and DPG status helps projects obtain international recognition and support to solve global problems. Ozim and UNICEF joined forces to finalize Ozim’s DPG application based on DPG criteria in late 2022.
“[During the application process] We enhanced the application’s functionality and created new content, and in July 2023, we received confirmation from the DPG Alliance that the Ozim Platform was now included in the DPG project register,” says Assem Tazhiyeva.
All projects must comply with DPG standards, which require adherence to open-source principles to receive DPG status. DPG projects must be accessible and safe, comply with ethical data-gathering standards, and focus on addressing public needs.
Azhar Nurkenova often uses Ozim. Azhar is a speech pathologist and mother of four. She believes every parent can find something useful on Ozim:
“I learned about the [Ozim] application from social media. The first thing I liked was the ease of registration and user-friendly, intuitive interface. The app is pleasantly and gently designed, as the creators thought through the aesthetic component. It’s great that every parent can find specific information in the app–from theoretical materials to practical exercises.”
The Ozim development team invited experts, including medical practitioners and teachers, to create platform content by providing essential information to parents in both text and video formats. The application has nine logically and thematically structured sections making the search for necessary information simple and effective. It also contains a unified database of various rehabilitation organizations.
“I especially liked the video tutorials. Experts conveyed the information in the simplest and most understandable language for parents. The information is also high-quality. I would probably duplicate the video content in text format for the convenience of those who prefer to read rather than watch. It’s also great that the app gives you recommendations and advice from psychologists and lawyers,” says Azhar.
Azhar was also pleasantly surprised that the application has games designed for both mothers and fathers. In her opinion, it is important that the app’s developers didn’t forget about fathers, who are becoming increasingly involved in childrearing and development.
“In our family, both my husband and I are involved in our children’s lives. My husband and I share responsibility for our children’s upbringing, development and enjoyment, so I recommended that he install Ozim. In general, the app is great. I told my friends about it because every mother will find something useful in it," says Azhar.
Azhar considers the ‘Inclusion’ tab one of the most important subsections of the platform. According to Azhar, society does not always accept children with disabilities, so it is good that the app allows parents to discuss these issues and their experiences. The same section also provides information about various events and meetings that can be useful for parents and their children.
“I did not know that Ozim has United Nation’s international DPG status. DPGs are software products and resources that are freely available to society and contribute to the growth and well-being of all citizens. In my opinion, this fully aligns with the goals and mission of the Ozim project,” says Azhar.
Ozim also allows parents to monitor their children’s development. Users can enter their children’s data into their accounts and periodically conduct tests to track their children’s developmental progress.
“I haven’t used all the mobile application features yet, but I think that, as a speech pathologist, I can also gain useful experience for myself. I will definitely continue exploring the platform’s functions," says Azhar.
The mobile application is useful not only for mothers and fathers but also for specialists. By registering as a specialist, users can post their practical experience and distribute training materials in Kazakhstan and CIS countries. This is useful for learning from colleagues’ experiences and gaining access to international literature. Communicating with like-minded people and receiving feedback from parents will also help experts improve their skills and identify needs.