“En myqty”: the strongest ones work at AlES

The finals of the ‘En myqty’ (‘The Strongest’) project were broadcast last Saturday on the Jibek Joly TV channel. The reality show featured not show business stars, but ordinary workers from Kazakhstani enterprises. They made it into the top 20 thanks to their athleticism, endurance, determination and courage.

In fact, any young Kazakhstani who applied via QR code and proved their readiness for the most incredible challenges could become a participant. Last Saturday, 6 december, the names of the winners were announced at the project’s finale. First place went to Aidos Masiraliyev, a machinist at the Central Heat Shield Control Steam Turbine Plant CHPP-1 named after B.Orazbayev, AlES JSC. Aidos’s well-deserved prize is an apartment in the capital.

As the organizers announced at the start of the project, “En myqty” is a show with elements of extreme sports and survival, where representatives of the working professions from all over the country will compete for the title of the strongest. The project is being held as part of the Year of Working Professions.

Each test at each stage of the show allowed the participants to be tested for strength, character and team spirit, and ultimately to identify the strongest. Filming took place in the Almaty region, on the shores of the Kapchagai Reservoir. Kazakhstani viewers were able to watch the final of the project on Saturday on the JibekJoly channel. The project was hosted by the enthusiastic and energetic journalist and producer Dina Tolepbergen.

The project attracted equally enthusiastic participants. Although the show was new, it attracted many young people who wanted to test their courage, skills and bravery. Aidos Masiraliyev admits that he had some doubts, but his colleagues and friends strongly advised him to try his hand at it, rightly believing that Aidos was made for such a challenge and believing in him.

The young energy engineer had already proven his abilities as a tireless athlete. Aidos has participated in many difficult competitions and mountain climbs. The Kazakh media has written about him many times. He is the same brave climber who, while participating in the Alpiniada, raised the AlES flag on the peak of Almaty (Komsomol).

He has already conquered the Big Almaty Peak (3,680 metres) and the Youth Peak (4,147 metres). He took part in the Race Nation Shymbulak obstacle course, and at the end of 2024, Masiraliyev won the professional competition ‘Uzdik ondiris mamany’ – ‘Best Production Specialist’. With such competitive experience, how could he not take on a new challenge? Of course, he agreed…

‘I passed the casting and became one of the 20 participants in the reality show,’ says Aidos Masiraliev. The show consisted of eight stages. Before each new challenge, we were not told what awaited us, and we were only familiarised with the rules just before the start. The first morning was like being in the army: early wake-up, strict regime, they even took away all our phones. It was like that every day of filming.

We were all asked to choose our rivals or teammates. But I personally didn’t choose anyone – they chose me. I didn’t care who I was on a team with because each of the participants was really strong. And I was convinced of this during the project: each of the guys was not a weakling, but a strong, strong-willed and charismatic person.

During the reality show, every day was different. On the first day of filming and testing, we were divided into four teams of five people. There were many memorable moments in this project, because every day there was different challenges. But for us, it was important to get through each stage and move on to the next. The most memorable and emotionally painful task for me was to assemble a bicycle and get a truck to the finish line. And the most difficult was to carry a KamAZ tank, because dragging it across the sand was not easy…

The competitions literally included tests of water, fire and height: participants had to swim a long distance across a lake; walk through a blazing fire without stumbling or getting burned; and overcome a height with only a safety rope.

“In the last test, we had to hold onto a rope and not fall into the water from a height,” Aidos says with a laugh. “But at first, when they lifted me out of the water with a crane, I was shaking all over and thought I was going to fall. But then I relaxed, and the shaking stopped…”

Having already become the winner, the young engineer said that it was a great honour for him to win such an honest project. Another participant in the reality show, Bekzat Kalelov, an electrician at CHPP-1 from the AlES company, also decided to test his strength. He also made it into the top 20 and reached the final, taking third place.

“This was the most challenging project for me. And I am glad that with my accumulated experience in competitions and my knowledge, I was able to pass all the tests,” Bekzat shares his emotions and impressions. “After going through all the stages, I realized that I can quickly adapt to any situation, that I have the strength to pass any test, the will to win and compete. I proved to myself that I am strong. My goal in participating was also to test myself and believe in my strengths.

Besides, it was a lot of fun to compete with guys from different parts of the country. I wasn’t too upset that I didn’t win the grand prize, because my colleague Aidos won. I’m just happy for his success and congratulate him. But by taking part in the project, I also realized that life only gives you certain opportunities once, and you have to know how to make the most of them. I also became convinced that honor is above all else, and that the ability to stick to your principles in difficult times is also a victory over yourself, over circumstances, over difficulties. Having gone through these trials, I realized that I am also a winner, because my potential is growing more and more.”

Colleagues enthusiastically congratulated the young people on their successful performance and victory in such a difficult project.

“We are proud that such remarkable people have grown up in our team. They are professionals in their field and, despite their complex and highly responsible work, they find time for self-development,” says Yernar Sandybayev, Managing Director for General Affairs at AlES JSC. The role and prestige of blue-collar professions is growing in the country. A new, modern working class is being formed, the backbone of which is made up of young, educated, advanced, and well-rounded people. And in our energy sector, there are many such specialists who can be relied upon at work, in life, in sports, and in climbing. Among them are Aidos Masiraliyev and Bekzat Kalelov. They have proven this time and again. And their new achievements, visible to the whole country, have further raised the prestige of the energy profession.

Well, the young heroes of the completed project do not intend to stop there. After all, there are so many peaks in life that can still be conquered: professional, mountainous, sporting, intellectual…