LocationsThe success story of the Ishker-KG cooperative in the UNDP mentorship programme
June 9, 2025
Ziyada Mulabaeva, a founder and a chairperson of the board of the Ishker-KG cooperative
From an idea to a successful business: the story of Ziyada Mulabaeva
Ziyada Mulabaeva is the founder and chairperson of the Ishker-KG cooperative, which processes wild forest fruits. The cooperative produces oil, paste and flour from walnuts, pistachios and almonds using the cold-pressing method, offering consumers environmentally friendly products. Today, the cooperative includes 318 farmers and 18 entrepreneurial partners.
The path to success was not easy. After moving to the village of Shaidansai in the Nooken district in 2020, Ziyada noticed the difficult working conditions of women who manually collected and peeled nuts, handing them over to resellers for little money. This inspired her to create a cooperative that would increase the income of rural women and give their work new value. In 2021, she united 17 active women from the village and founded the Ishker-KG cooperative, starting the journey from a small initiative to a stable business.
UNDP Programme as a Growth Point
As production volumes increased, the cooperative faced new challenges: the need to enter new markets, improve product packaging, and master e-commerce tools. In search of knowledge and opportunities, in 2023, Ziyada became a participant in the UNDP Aid for Trade mentoring programme, where marketing and business strategy expert Inabat Latipova became her mentor.
As part of the programme, the mentor conducted a series of training sessions for Ziyada on business development, covering key aspects such as drawing up a business plan, branding, negotiating with clients, marketing strategies, and promoting products on social media. The joint work brought tangible results: the cooperative updated its packaging design, developed a new logo, and improved its marketing strategy.
Inabat Latipova, a mentor of Ziyada Mulabaeva
Real achievements and prospects
One of the key successes of the cooperative was cooperation with large clients, such as the restaurant complex "Supara" and the confectionery factory "Kulikovsky". In partnership with IP "Zheenbaev", the cooperative has already supplied 6 tons of walnuts, and the volumes continue to grow. The products of "Ishker-KG" are actively presented at exhibitions and fairs, where they receive positive reviews. At one of these exhibitions, visitors gave Ziyada the unofficial title of "Pistachio Queen", which became a symbol of recognition of her work and achievements.
As part of the UNDP mentoring programme, the cooperative received grant support for the purchase of a dried fruit grinder for crushing nuts and a colloid mill for the production of paste. This made it possible to significantly increase processing volumes and optimize production processes.
In the future, the cooperative plans to expand sales markets, register the brand internationally and attract investments to create a production line for processing wild pistachios. Participation in international exhibitions in Germany and the EU will be an important step towards global development.
Ziyada Mulabaeva and Inabat Latipova
Mentoring as a development tool
The mentorship programme, implemented by UNDP as part of the Aid for Trade project with the support of the Government of Finland, is aimed at developing women's and youth entrepreneurship. It helps aspiring entrepreneurs master business skills, establish sustainable business processes and adapt to new economic realities. Thanks to mentoring, entrepreneurs receive the support and expertise necessary to reach a new level.
60 participants were selected from 160 applicants for the programme, who were assisted by 30 experienced mentors. Within the framework of the initiative, grant support was provided to 33 business projects on a competitive basis in the amount of 63,000 US dollars. This support contributes to the economic development of regions and strengthens the position of women in business.
Inspiration for future entrepreneurs
The story of Ziyada Mulabaeva and the Ishker-KG cooperative shows that with mentoring support, determination and perseverance, significant success can be achieved.
Ziyada is confident: “Don’t be afraid to start. Difficulties are part of the journey. The main thing is to have a goal, move forward step by step and appreciate every victory. Seek support, learn and use the opportunities that are provided to you.”
The UNDP programme has become a powerful impetus for growth for Ziyada and her cooperative. There are still many ambitious goals ahead, but one thing is already clear - “Ishker-KG” continues its path to success, inspiring others to follow their dreams.
The mentorship programme, implemented by UNDP as part of the “Aid for Trade” project, funded by the Government of Finland, together with the business association “JIA”, is aimed at supporting women's and youth entrepreneurship. The initiative helps participants expand their knowledge and strengthen their positions in the market, while simultaneously developing the regional economy.
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