Who we serve

We aid those who grew up or aged out of orphanages, single mothers, and children with special needs. As we work with the children and mothers we serve, we help them seek transformative change in their lives. More than simply meeting the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, our staff seek to address the emotional, medical, and educational needs of those who come to them for help. We provide a temporary, safe home for women and children to gain stability and are given an opportunity to learn skills that will help them build a life for themselves.

Our Work

Day Program

Provide support to children who come from difficult life situations and need extra academic and social support. Often the parents of these children grew up in an orphanage. The Day Program is divided into preschool and elementary school age children. The Day Program environment seeks to assess and help meet developmental milestones, provide good nutrition, exercise, and play time for healthy brain and body development. Each summer, we also host a special Summer Program.

Residential

Residential Program provides support to single mothers or aged-out orphans who have no other resources and would otherwise be out on the streets. The goal is to provide a safe, stable place to focus on developing the life skills needed to support herself and her child(ren). The Residential Program also serves children whose parent, due to life circumstances, is unable to provide a stable home environment and needs additional support. 

Children in our Day Program and our Residential Program receive education in Kazakh, Russian and English; art, speech, physical, and mental-health therapy as appropriate; healthy foods, social skills, and active play times for development; exposure to extra-curricular activities; and most importantly, an abundance of love.

Business

In order to provide employment, organic food, and to help offset operating expenses through the profit generated from small businesses, Caring Heart has several business start-ups.  

The first business is producing peanut butter. Known in many countries as a staple grocery item, peanut butter is just being introduced to the Kazakhstani market. “Altyn Zhangak” or “Golden Peanuts” is 100% natural and is being produced at Caring Heart and is sold in several local supermarkets. The goal is to have our peanut butter sold in major supermarkets in the five largest cities in Kazakhstan by 2026.

The second business is aquaponics and microgreens. Packed with nutrients and free from chemicals, a variety of lettuces, kale, other greens and herbs can be grown in our greenhouse located on our office property. As with peanut butter, this can provide employment opportunities, provide nutritious food for our meals and to help supply local restaurants and produce shops with locally grown vegetables and fish.

If you are interested in investing in one of these startup or knowing more, please let us know by writing [email protected].

Life Skills

The Life Skills Program is for those single mothers with few employment opportunities or who have had limited success in the work environment. In this program we aim to help the women gain valuable employment skills, develop social skills, learn parenting techniques, and develop the confidence and belief in themselves to create a better life for their families. Work skills taught range from sewing and felting to cooking and cleaning. The women receive a salary, and they have the option of having their children participate in our Day Program so that they can work and be near their children. A goal is to provide a solid foundation and the training necessary to fulfill the unique call on their lives.

Other services provided include:

The impact we have made in our community

Join us on a journey towards compassion and hope. Through our non-profit organisation, we strive to make a positive impact on the world. Give back to your community and be a part of something greater than yourself.

Of our employees are also clients
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Donated medical services
$ 0 M+
People trained
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Additional facts

27 of our employees are the sole providers for their families.

Since 2015, 543 people have been given assistance through food, clothing, housing, legal assistance, document help, medical, clothing, employment and childcare.

Since 2015, 1091 children who have received good nutrition, academic support, assistance in meeting developmental milestones – all in a loving environment in order to have a better chance at meeting his/her full potential.

Shipped two 40’ shipping containers with used clothes, shoes, toys, etc.

Our Stories

Zebo

Zebo is the house manager for Caring Heart. She is a good worker, teacher and offers encouragement to those who work with her.

Gulzhamal

Gulzhamal works at Caring Heart as a teacher and is now giving back by pouring into the lives of the children we serve in the Day Program.

Asel

Asel came to Caring Heart in 2019 seeking employment. Qualified as a translator, she was working rotation in another city, but found it difficult leaving her family for 14 days at a time.

Olga

Olga came to Caring Heart towards the end of 2023 seeking employment. Mother to 5 boys, she found herself in a difficult place unable to find work in the village.

Make a Difference.
Make a Donation.

We are seeking those who will partner with us financially. Whether it is a one-time gift, monthly support, or help with a specific need or project, all donations further the work being done.

Make a Difference.
Make a Donation.

We are seeking those who will partner with us financially. Whether it is a one-time gift, monthly support, or help with a specific need or project, all donations further the work being done.

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Laura and John

Laura Eisses and her husband John live in Greenville, North Carolina. They have a son Tyler, daughters Anna and Ellie and a previous Chinese international student who is a daughter to their family as well. Laura has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Masters degrees in Child Development and School Psychology. Laura worked as a School Psychologist in the public schools in Portland, Oregon for several years. Laura became connected with Caring Heart after she and John adopted their daughter Anna from Almaty Kazakhstan and their daughter Ellie from Kemerovo Russia. A mutual friend connected John and Laura to Caring Heart and the ministry in Kazakhstan.

Madina

Madina was born in Merke, Kazakhstan, and raised by a single mother, which gave her a deep understanding of the challenges of growing up without one parent. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work but has dedicated over 14 years to working with children in a Kindergarten setting. Her passion for nurturing and guiding young minds has been at the heart of her professional journey.

As someone who values the well-being of children and families, Madina strongly believes that young mothers—especially those who grew up in orphanages or face difficult circumstances—need psychological and practical support. She is passionate about helping them navigate motherhood with the care and encouragement they deserve.

Madina is married and is a loving mother to four boys. She finds joy in family life and continues to embrace opportunities to support and educate children.

Yulia Ldokova

Yulia Ldokova is a native of Almaty, Kazakhstan and has had a heart for orphans since she was a teenager. She volunteered as a mentor for orphans for over 12 years and has influenced the lives of many young people. She has a BA in international relations from the Kazakh-German University in Almaty and a Master’s degree in Educational Policy and Management from KIMEP University. She is a gifted translator and works in the translation department at KIMEP. Because of her desire to help those disadvantaged, she reached out to volunteer for Caring Heart, visiting often and fundraising for special projects. In 2017 she joined formally as one of Caring Heart’s co-founders and is actively involved in the lives of many of the children and staff.

Victoria Charbonneau

Victoria describes herself as a “Jack of all trades, Master of none.” Truthfully, she is a woman of many talents and abilities. Her life experiences are quite diverse. She has lived and worked on dairy farms and has been employed by a livestock dealer and has worked in veterinary clinics. She has worked in construction and taught in the ESL (English as a Second Language) department at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is an especially gifted artist with an uncanny knack and heartbeat for working with children, especially those often overlooked and forgotten by society. Victoria seems to have been uniquely created to connect at a heart level with people and especially so with children. She was a foster parent, has worked with the homeless, and had exchange students living with her while her own children were growing up. In 2000, Victoria took her first trip to an orphanage in Kazakhstan and returned each year thereafter on short-term trips until moving to Kazakhstan on a full-time basis in 2009.

Beth Turnock

Beth would describe herself as one who has so many dreams and passions that it would take 10 lifetimes to fulfill them all. The dream for the Ranch actually began when she was a teen. When asked what she wanted to do when she grew up, she would reply. To have a ranch with horses and underprivileged kids. That dream has been evolving ever since. Beth has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and worked for 13 years in residential treatment with abused, neglected and delinquent children. Her passion is for administration and small business development. She especially enjoys helping others recognize their full potential. In 2000 Beth went on the same delegation as Victoria to an orphanage in Taraz, Kazakhstan. She too fell in love with the culture and the people of Kazakhstan. Seeing the plight of the orphans, she felt called to the work being done there. In 2003 she moved to Kazakhstan where she worked until January 2011. In January 2012 Beth joined Victoria to pursue the vision for Caring Heart full-time.

Amelia Fox

Amelia is the Ministry Advisory Team Chairwoman. Amelia has a BA in Psychology from Davidson College and an MBA from the Yale University School of Management.  Amelia is a strategic, entrepreneurial, and analytical Executive with a track record of leading organizational transformations in private, non-profit, and public sectors. She lives in Tampa Bay and spends her non-working time at baseball fields and fishing with her teenage son or cooking a wide range of meals for friends and family. Amelia’s passion for Caring Heart and orphaned children stems from her personal experience adopting her son from Astana, Kazakhstan in 2009. She witnessed firsthand life in a baby house and has a heart for maintaining historical culture while ensuring that the children and struggling mothers in Kazakhstan have opportunity and are loved.

Jimmy & Patty Hendren

Jimmy and Patty have been members of the MAT since January of 2020. Jimmy and Patty are life long residents of the state of Missouri, and this coming June will celebrate fifty years of marriage. They are the parents of four children,including their daughter Anastasya whom they adopted from the Umit baby house in Taraz, Kazakhstan, in June of 2007. This coming May, Ana will graduate from both Moberly Senior High School and the Moberly Area Community College receiving her Associates degree. For many years they were active in ministry, serving as pastors, Associate pastor, Prison Ministry Director and youth camp counselor, and currently serve as team leaders in their home church. They are passionate supporters of Caring Heart since it’s founding in 2013 and currently serve as Member Care representatives.

Erin & Keith Martin

Erin and Keith live in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania where they raised three biological sons and two adopted daughters. Keith worked as a business accountant for many years. After their adoptions Erin became involved with their adoption agency in social media management and advocacy for children who were waiting for families. They now work together as owners of discount grocery stores. When they are not running their businesses or spending time with family, you are likely to find Keith on a hiking trail. Erin will likely have a camera in hand, chasing the perfect shot. They have a personal connection to Kazakhstan because their oldest daughter was adopted from Uralsk in 2008. They strongly believe that caring for the vulnerable is a mission that is very close to God’s heart. So when they recently visited Caring Heart they fell in love with the children there. They formed a strong relationship with Beth and Victoria and  enthusiastically support Caring Heart in caring for at-risk women and children.

Oksana Khliustov

Oksana was born in Shakhtinsk, Kazakhstan. In 1997, she immigrated to the US with her family. She has a BA in Liberal Studies from California State University, Sacramento and a MA in Educational Leadership from Gateway Seminary. Oksana has spent more than two decades in many locations around the world actively involved in the education and non-profit worlds. Her passion for orphaned children and youth brought her from Almaty to us in 2018. She joined the MAT team in January 2020. Oksana, recently married, lives with her husband in Northern California.