After the public outcry over the photograph of a female courier holding a baby in her arms, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, Askarbek Yertayev, stated that he had looked into the family's situation. He said the woman's husband works in IT, and that she herself has a specialised secondary education.
WHAT THE MINISTRY REPORTED
According to Askarbek Yertayev, the family arrived in Almaty on 19 May to try to find work independently.
"The husband has a higher education in IT. She has a technical education, specialised secondary, in preschool education," the minister said.
He also noted that young people relocating to other cities are advised to contact career centres for job seeking.
WHAT SUPPORT MEASURES WERE OFFERED TO THE FAMILY
According to the ministry, once contact was made with the family, specialists, together with relevant departments, reviewed possible state support measures.
According to Yertayev, the woman's husband was offered a list of vacancies for IT specialists with high salaries. He also stated that the ministry had begun liaising with platform employment companies and expects their responses on the issues raised.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE FAMILY'S FINANCIAL SITUATION
During discussions with journalists, the ministry also denied information that the woman's husband was ill.
"He has a loan, a car, 2 million. They live very well in Shymkent. In principle, he has a brother who works in the pawnbroking sector, and the parents live comfortably. So they are quite well off, let's say," stated Askarbek Yertayev.
At the same time, the minister stressed that he did not believe the woman had decided to work as a courier "just for a walk." The department reiterated the need to contact career centres when relocating.
WHY QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE
During the interview, journalists noted that the public had actively shown sympathy for the woman and had begun helping her before the official response from state bodies. In response, Yertayev said that locating the family and gathering information had taken time, and that work on providing support measures had begun as soon as contact was established.
CONTEXT
The situation prompted widespread public outcry after a photograph circulated on social media showing a woman holding a baby and carrying a delivery service bag on her back. Users spent several days trying to identify the woman in the picture.
Earlier, the Vice-Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, Viktoriya Shegai, when answering journalists' questions about the mother-courier from Almaty, stated that issues of family budgeting fall within the realm of family relationships. She also noted at the time that she could not comment on a specific case without full information.