In 2021, the guy was recognized as the best developer in Ukraine.
The name of Nekbakht Zabirov was mentioned on the pages of Asia-Plus eight years ago. Then we wrote about him among the Dushanbe schoolchildren who developed a program that allows you to transfer information in conditions of low Internet speed.
Today, Neckbakht is the chief software designer at the Samsung Research and Development Institute in Kyiv. And another 24-year-old Tajik developed a special program that helps Ukrainian refugees to adapt to a new country for them.
Inspired by presidential elections
Nekbakht Zabirov left Tajikistan seven years ago, and has been living in Ukraine for the fourth year. The guy has been to many countries, but he decided to build his life in Ukraine. He chose her not by chance.
He was inspired by the election of the current president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who was elected in the spring of 2019. Neckbakht followed the process with interest.
“I was struck by the fact that free elections can be held in the post-Soviet space. A simple actor and showman is running for the presidency. Moreover, he becomes an opponent of the incumbent president and the richest man in the country, and at the same time wins,” Neckbakht notes.
Upon arrival in Ukraine, the guy learned the language and, in order to obtain a permanent visa, began to send his resume to various organizations in the IT field. Soon he received an invitation from the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. He was offered a job in the Department of Development of the Digital State, where his tasks included deciding which companies would receive government orders for software development.
A year later, Neckbakt moved to Lviv and got a job at a private outsourcing IT company D2.Fusion.
Today he lives in Kyiv and works as a chief software designer at the Samsung Research and Development Institute.
In 2021, the largest national association IT Ukraine Association announced Nekbakht as the best developer in Ukraine. The Tajik guy created more than 70 projects and made a personal contribution to the country’s rating in the IT outsourcing market.
“Comfortable friends” to help refugees
Since the beginning of the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraine, Neckbakht, like many of its inhabitants, has been thinking about leaving the country. But later he abandoned this idea, because many of his friends, citizens of Ukraine, could not do this because of mobilization. He remained in the country.
“I was living in Lviv then. With colleagues, we began to think about how to help Ukraine and its people. The idea came from the story of a friend who fled to Europe with her children, – says our interlocutor.
There she had difficulties with paperwork. Due to excessive bureaucratic procedures, she could not register her child with a pediatrician for a long time. And then there were many such stories.
Together with the team, Neckbakht developed a special platform “Handy Friends” (Convenient friends), which allows Ukrainian refugees to receive assistance abroad.
“We have adapted our system for a chat bot in Telegram and Viber. In it, every Ukrainian abroad can get help on various issues from his other compatriots. For example, legal assistance, recommendations on finding housing, work, finding the right doctor, deciding on a kindergarten or school, and much more,” explains the Tajik citizen.
The developers launched the program at their own expense. In turn, Ukrainian state-owned companies and volunteers began to actively promote the bot. Today, this platform is used by about 5 million Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes.
“At the moment, the most active service is Find a Job. I am proud of the Ukrainians, because they are not ready to live on one allowance, they want to work and provide for themselves, – says Neckbakht. – The service “Find housing” is also popular.
We have compiled a huge database across Europe and North America. It has people who are ready to accommodate Ukrainians at home, and a large number of hotels that can provide a room for free. Our bot is based largely on the activity of volunteers and caring people. The Ukrainian diaspora also helps.”
The bot is periodically updated with new data. Recently, the developers have added the “Help to the Family” service. It is for those who are in Canada. Through it, you can get a free car if there are two or more children in the family.
The fact that the bot really helps Ukrainians is confirmed by user comments. Here is one of them:
“In Italy it is very difficult to arrange a child for school. But with the help of the bot, I was able to send my children to a private school in Milan close to our home. They come for them every day and take them home from school. Also, the children were given clothes, textbooks and a free Italian tutor,” the woman writes.
The bot is periodically updated with new data. Recently, the developers have added the “Help to the Family” service. It is for those who are in Canada. Through it, you can get a free car if there are two or more children in the family.
The fact that the bot really helps Ukrainians is confirmed by user comments. Here is one of them:
“In Italy it is very difficult to arrange a child for school. But with the help of the bot, I was able to send my children to a private school in Milan close to our home. They come for them every day and take them home from school. Also, the children were given clothes, textbooks and a free Italian tutor,” the woman writes.
“Everyone here knows that I am a Tajik”
Neckbakht recalls that terrible night of February 24th. Then he lived in Lvov. Colleagues called him and said that the war had begun.
“I did not immediately believe until I heard the sounds of a siren and an air raid warning. It was very scary, I have never experienced anything like this in my life. Everything is like in a scary movie. Nobody wants to experience this. I tried to calm down and immediately began to call my colleagues and interns who were under my command to make sure they were safe, ”Nekbakht shares his memories.
For all the years of his life in Ukraine, a Tajik guy has never faced disdain or prejudice on a national basis, because of skin color, language and religion.
“Everyone here knows that I am a Tajik. There is a mosque, a church and a synagogue on the street where I live. Every day, returning home, I see how the imam, the priest and the rabbi drink coffee together and have conversations. Everyone is friendly here,” notes the Tajik citizen.
Source: Asia Plus TJ
