There are businessmen, doctors, bankers, musicians, taxi drivers and others among our fellow citizens. But it happened so that former citizens of Kazakhstan also work for the US federal government, being valuable employees, which important issues of vital activity of the country depend on. The stars of our article are Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians, and his wife - Zhanna Sagyndyk, an actuarian of the US Government.
This photo is more than 100 years old. It is kept at the American house of Sagyndyk family in Maryland. Raimzhan Marsekov- one of the first Kazakh lawyers and publicists is in the photo. He was born in Semipalatinsk Region, graduated from the Imperial University in St. Petersburg in 1902 and worked for the district court in his homeland. A public man and a participant of the Alash movement, Raimzhan Marsekov, was executed by shooting in 1937 together with his brothers. Their family was rehabilitated in 1952. A former Kazakhstani citizen, Makhmud Sagyndyk, who now lives in the United States, is proud of his great-grandfather.
Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians:
- I was born in Semipalatinsk, studied at the Peoples' Friendship University in Moscow, have a degree in in mathematics. Having graduated from the University, I defended Candidate’s dissertation in mathematics and worked in Almaty for the Department of Geometry of the Kazakh State University, as well as Associate Professor at the Almaty State University.
Makhmud's wife is also a mathematician. Zhanna defended her dissertation in differential equations, lectured at the Institute of National Economy and the School of Business in Almaty. The daughter of a professor of the Kazakh State University, Umirseit Kh. Sharipov, and a student of the academician, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, Kulzhabai A. Kassymov, had become not only an excellent specialist, but also a reliable companion, Makhmud's life partner. Having worked for 10 years at home, young scientist, Sagyndyk, went to continue his education to the United States. In 2000 he defended his doctoral dissertation at the University of Kentucky and later mastered the profession of an actuary.
Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians:
- It is a very prestigious profession in America and takes 10-15 years to pass the exams. Since 2000 I had started working for a life, real estate, and health insurance company. In 2009 I moved to the Federal Government of the United States as an actuarian of the Department of Health.
The first several years of life in the US were not easy. The experienced specialists with academic degrees began to settle in the new places, learn English. In fact, Makhmud learnt French at Peoples' Friendship University in Moscow, and Zhanna spoke German.
Zhanna Sagyndyk, an actuarian of the US Government:
- We started living here from nothing. Makhmud was a doctoral student. There was a time when we counted every cent. We missed our relatives very much here and thought that we would get an education here, learn everything we could and return to Kazakhstan. Even in 2007, we actually decided to return to Kazakhstan. But our degree in mathematics happened to be in demand here, as nowhere else in the world.
Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians:
- I realized that I was involved in a little abstract math, but the most difficult thing is the problems of real life. We make calculations, we help the US Congress. Our role is precisely in development of bills and technical support. That bills should be financially reliable.
In 2009 Makhmud and Zhanna participated in development and financial analysing of health care reforms in the United States. And here their knowledge in the field of mathematical statistics, accounting and financial modeling was useful.
Zhanna Sagyndyk, an actuarian of the US Government:
- Mahmud works for a group involved in calculations for insurance of the elderly persons, those who are over 65 years old, and I work for a group dealing with low-income insurance. We are involved in calculations relating to 110 million of people. 70 million are poor and 50-60 million are elderly among them. That's about a trillion of US dollars.
Sagyndyk spouses make calculations and forecasts for all 50 states of America. For example, during these days, together with colleagues from the Office of Actuarians of the US Federal Government, they collect data regarding flu and addiction-dependent illness.
Zhanna Sagyndyk, an actuarian of the US Government:
- Now there is a very big problem with opioids abuse in America. And this issue is raised at the governmental level. If no drastic measures are taken, there can be serious consequences. We are calculating the costs of treating these patients with drug addiction.
Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians:
- I know that problems in the field of healthcare, pension sphere are also actual in Kazakhstan, and, of course, actuarial calculations can help. I believe that the level of development of the actuarial profession reflects the level of society.
Over the years they have achieved great success. The holder of the international certificate of financial risk manager - Makhmud - became a member of the American and British Chamber of Actuarians. And Zhanna is the best civil servant in the US and the recipient of an award for extraordinary and unique contribution to the work.
Zhanna Sagyndyk, an actuarian of the US Government:
- For 20 years of staying in the United States, we can say that America is very, very different. We arrived first in Kentucky, then due to Makhmoud’s work we moved to Pennsylvania, then to Indiana. We lived in Ohio, then moved here, to Maryland, to the Washington and Baltimore area.
Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians:
- I sometimes think about the life path that we have made. I was born in Kazakhstan, lived there for 17 years, then went to Moscow, where I lived for 10 years, returned to Kazakhstan and worked for 10 years and now I live in the USA for more than 20 years. I believe that we are citizens of the world.
Zhanna Sagyndyk, an actuarian of the US Government:
- We have a very good Kazakh-American association here. And our connection with the motherland has become more complete.
Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians:
- About 5 000 Kazakhs live in the Washington area.
Zhanna Sagyndyk, an actuarian of the US Government:
- We celebrate Nauryz. We have a Kazakh language school, a choir, organized by the Kazakh community.
Makhmud Sagyndyk, a member of the US Chamber of Actuarians:
- We miss Kazakhstani steppes. Every time I come to my homeland, I travel by train, I look at the vast expanses of Kazakhstan. We are very pleased with good relations between Kazakhstan and the United States, especially, the recent visit of the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his meeting with the US President. There are many projects. We hope that this is a great step in strengthening of relations between two countries.
These are the achievements of a successful Kazakh family overseas. It's nice that knowledge and experience of Sagyndyk family were in demand in the most developed country in the world.
Authors: Maira Abdrakhmanova, Renat Sadyrov
Source: http://24.kz/ru/news/social/item/222059-kazakhi-rabotayut-v-pravitelstve-ssha
