Almagul Ospanbayeva is an entrepreneur and founder of the luxury textile brand Yerkele. She is a psychologist by education and previously worked in a public health institution. The job was stable, but, as is often the case, it did not bring complete satisfaction. 

In 2012, an important event happened in her life - her son was born. Almagul went on maternity leave, and a year later the family had a second child. During my maternity leave, it became clear that I would have to stay at home for a long time. At the same time, Almagul did not want to sit around and decided to try herself in a new direction. 

The desire to be useful and realize oneself led to the idea of trying to sew. The skills were minimal: as a child, my grandmother taught me simple things — to hem, stitch, and sew bed linen. That's how it all started. 

Almagul opened a page in Odnoklassniki - at that time it was the only available tool for promotion. The first orders came from strangers. Almagul remembers his first order to this day – it was an envelope blanket for a newborn. 

Experience came through practice. I didn't know something - I called more experienced seamstresses, asked, studied. Sometimes it was scary to take orders, but she took them and did everything as accurately and on time as possible. Over time, regular customers appeared, and with them the confidence and desire to develop further. 

When the children grew up, it was time to think about returning to their previous jobs. But by that time, Almagul had already made a decision - she would not return to the state institution. She found a job that: brings pleasure, gives income, allows her to be free. It was not a "weekend job," but a job that you want to do every day. 

Later, the family faced a serious challenge — the youngest child was diagnosed with autism. It became clear that it was impossible to work outside the home. Then Almagul made an important decision - to organize a sewing workshop right at home. At the family council, it was decided to sell the three-room apartment and buy a large house. It was done for the sake of business: we needed a place for fabrics, sintepon, and equipment. Gradually, industrial equipment was purchased, 

Almagul has started hiring women who are in the same situation - mothers of children with disabilities. Women who find it difficult to get a regular job due to flexible schedules and the constant need to be with their child. Convenient conditions were created for them: flexible hours, the opportunity to work from home, understanding and support. Today, the team already employs 6 people. 

In 2022, the business received support from the Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund within the framework of the National Entrepreneurship Development Project Program. Almagul took out a loan for the equipment through Bank CenterCredit JSC, where the Damu Foundation subsidized the interest rate and provided a guarantee for the missing part of the collateral in the amount of 85% of the loan amount. This gave a new impetus to the company's development and allowed it to reduce its credit burden, purchase additional equipment, and expand production. 

The company's assortment now includes bedding sets, blankets, and pillows. Bedspreads, blankets, mattress pads and more.

 At the moment, Almagul is a successful mother of five children and her Yerkele brand continues to actively develop. Although the production is located in a rented room, where the team is engaged in daily sewing and order fulfillment, the entrepreneur has big plans - further expansion of production and the construction of her own large building, as well as the opening of her first own department with an area of 30 m2. 

For Almagul, business is not just about money. It's about the opportunity to support families, provide rehabilitation for children, and create jobs for women who find it difficult to find a job. It's about strength, patience and faith. 

The history of the Yerkele brand is an example of how a small business started on maternity leave can grow into a sustainable and socially significant business. 

IP Ospanbayeva A. K.

Kostanay, Kainar Trading House, 131/1 Altynsarina St., 1st floor

+7 (701) 561 10 00, +7 (708) 765 06 08

@yerkele.kz, tekstilka11