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 later obtained a degree in "Kyrgyz language and literature" from one of the local universities in Karakol.
Now, Zhanat and her husband are raising four children, aged 13, 9, 6, and 1.5 years. "The children are small, and they need constant care. I always wanted to be close to them while also working. After learning about the social contract program, I applied and received 100,000 soms last summer," she said.
This funding allowed her to purchase a sewing machine. Orders come from sewing workshops in Bishkek. "The patterns are sent to us through drivers, we sew, and then return the finished products. This significantly improves our financial situation. Before, I just sat at home with the kids, but now I earn money. Now we have more resources, and we can afford more for the children," she added.
Zhanat mainly sews children's outerwear (bombers), pajamas, and dresses, earning between 80 to 120 soms for each item. "If the design is simple, I can sew from 5 to 10 items a day. I monitor the children's nutrition, help them with their homework, and then I sew. Sometimes, if there is an urgent order, I work until 3 a.m.," she reported.
In addition to orders, she also helps acquaintances with clothing repairs and sews festive outfits for herself and her daughters.
Work can be unpredictable. Zhanat recalled an instance when she finished sewing an item but discovered that the lower thread had run out, and she had to start all over again.
In the future, she plans to expand her business by acquiring more sewing machines.
