A reindeer-herding family from the Yamb To community – comprising a herder and a ‘chum worker’ – has become the first in the Nenets Autonomous Area to receive a 600,000-ruble certificate under the new regional program, according to a press release from the local government.

The program, established in March 2025 by a resolution from the Nenets Area Administration, offers a compensation grant for the construction or purchase of a traditional nomadic dwelling, known as a chum.

This new form of support is available to young families where one partner is a reindeer herder and the other is a chum worker (a nomadic home keeper). Eligible families, including single-parent households, must have at least one parent under the age of 35 and one or more children under 18. Additionally, one parent must maintain a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle and be employed for at least three years by a reindeer-herding farm or an indigenous Northern community within the Nenets Autonomous Area.

The grant, provided from the regional budget and capped at 600,000 rubles, is disbursed to young families as reimbursement after they have built or purchased a traditional home and associated buildings, upon submission of the required documentation.