OREANDA-NEWS. August 5, 2011. The North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) held a ceremony in Atyrau on July 20th to hand over twelve local community projects totaling around 22 million tenge (USD 150,000).

The ceremony, which was co-hosted by NCOC and Agip KCO, the agent company responsible for Phase I of the Kashagan Project, brought together representatives of the regional authorities, local NGO’s and happy recipients.

NCOC’s Deputy Managing Director Zhakyp Marabayev emphasized that “NCOC and its agent companies are committed to fulfilling their social and environmental responsibilities in a manner that will bring long-term benefits for the citizens of Kazakhstan.”

“The consortium’s annual Sponsorship and Donation (S&D) programme allows us to respond directly to the development aspirations of the communities in which we operate – as today’s event clearly demonstrates,” he added.

Among the many recipients were: Atyrau Regional Museum of Fine and Applied Art (provided with Minibus), Atyrau Industrial Training Enterprise of Kazakh Society of the Deaf (provided with cotton wool), "ANA SHUAGY" disabled women society (received office equipment), "Frontovichka" People's Chorus of WW II Veterans’ Club (received accordion), "Mugedek Alemi" NGO (support for the "Koltanba" project), “Globus” NGO (support for "Through the knowledge towards the action" social project).

The ceremony is part of a wider Sponsorship and Donation Programme carried out by the consortium since 1998. In 2010, 84 projects in the Mangistau and Atyrau regions, and one project to assist flood victims in Kyzylagash, received support. In total, 221 million Tenge (USD 1.5 million) was spent.