OREANDA-NEWS. February 10, 2012. Mangistau Region, 1 February 2012: North Caspian Operating Company B.V. (NCOC), together with Agip KCO, the agent company responsible for Phase I of the giant Kashagan project, held a ceremony in Aktau today to hand-over 16 sponsorship and donation projects to residents of Mangistau Region under the Consortium's Sponsorship & Donations (S&D) programme.

Opening the S&D handover event, NCOC's External Relations Director Pierre Delpont said: We are handing over today 16 community projects as a sign of the Consortium's continued commitment to support local communities in Atyrau and Mangistau Regions. I am proud to announce that in 2011 the Consortium sponsored 104 S&D projects, with a total value of about 213mln tenge, and we expect to spend a similar amount this year as well.

The Consortium handed over 16 S&D projects, among the beneficiaries of which were:

Support in organization of KVN Mangistau Oblast games in Aktau in 2011;

Tupkaragan district culture house orchestra (Kizilozen village), provided with musical instruments;

Tupkaragan district Zhaukazin kindergarten (Akshukur village), supported in purchase of playgrounds;

Tupkaragan district Aigul kindergarten (Tauchik village), provided with musical equipment for self- knowledge and events;

Tupkaragan district Bayterek kindergarten (Akshukur village), supported in purchase of Gazel;

Tupkaragan district teachers, in honour of Teachers Day provided with 10 passes to health complex Chagala in Aktau;

Tupkaragan district Blind people's Society, in honour of Disabled people Day provided with food products and hygiene/sanitary means;

Community of Atyrau and Mangistau regions, supported in publication and presentation of Beket- Ata Book in Russian;

Aktau economic lyceum, provided with multimedia equipment;

Aktau social adaptation center, supported with appliances for roomers;

Mangistau region disabled pupils, in honour of Disabled people Day supported in participation in Mini-football tournament in Uralsk;

Aktau school NN12, provided with Electronic library;

Aktau city war veterans, provided with 20 vouchers to Shagala sanatorium;

NGO Ak niet, support in realization of Project What will be my profession? (3 daily seminar) for improvement of school graduators knowledge quality in Tupkaragan district;

Zhayik-Caspian Orchus Center (NGO), supported in realization of Education Project for Aktau NGOs planning, assessment, designing, monitoring and evaluation skills to improve an expert potential of social projects in Aktau;

Tupkaragan district centralized hospital, provided with latest standard medical equipment and training for doctors.

The event was attended by authorities of Aktau and the Mangistau Region, NCOC and agent company Agip KCO.

Consortium's S&D programme funding is equally split between Mangistau and Atyrau regions.