“I Feel Useful — and That’s Why I Stay”

— I found out about the “Angels of Freedom” foundation through my father, who shared an article from orda.kz. That’s how I learned they were looking for a volunteer designer. The opportunity to do a good deed and gain professional experience at the same time really appealed to me. I’m planning to apply to a German university, where volunteering experience is seen as an advantage. I’d volunteered before—helping out with the search-and-rescue team Lider.kz, organizing races, and working on the Comic-Con festival—but I’d never stayed with one organization as long as I have with “Angels of Freedom.”

In early March, I applied and passed the interview. I started as a designer, but when the SMM coordinator position became open, they offered me a chance to try it. After two trial weeks, I transitioned to the new role.

— I manage social media posts. Every Friday, we create a content plan during our weekly calls. I make sure everything gets done, assign tasks to the team, and work on some posts myself. There are weekly posts, as well as announcements for fairs and tolokas.

— A little, yeah. I used to run social media for my mom’s business. Back then, I wasn’t particularly interested in SMM, but now I’ve grown to love it. I enjoy learning from more experienced colleagues and plan to keep developing in this field. If I’d stayed as just a designer, I think I would’ve gotten bored.

— Since August, we’ve gained 500 new followers. For a long time, our follower count was stuck at 1,300, but now it’s 1,850. It’s a team effort. Our Telegram channel is also gradually growing.

— At first, it was a bit awkward. I wanted to prove myself and show that my age wasn’t a disadvantage. But over time, I got used to it and now feel comfortable talking to everyone. My colleagues were really supportive—especially Katya, our HR coordinator. We chatted a lot, and she helped me settle into the team.

— I dedicate at least two hours a day to my work. It doesn’t interfere with my studies—I successfully defended both my coursework and my diploma project.

Sometimes it gets a bit tough when I take on too much, but overall, volunteering brings me joy. The workload is noticeable, but I don’t want it to be any less. Even though I spend all my free time volunteering, it makes me happy. I feel useful—that’s why I stay.

— I’m not particularly into politics. I read the news, but I don’t dive too deeply into it. My parents, on the other hand, study everything in detail. During the first few months of the war, I followed the news closely, but over time, less and less. What matters most to me is that we’re helping children breathe fresh air in shelters where the conditions are often unhealthy.

— My friends think my work is like, “Wow, that’s so cool.” I often tell them about our events, like fairs and charity runs. But they don’t always understand why I spend so much time on a project when I’m not even getting paid.

— I tell them that I just love what I do. After our team calls, I always feel a surge of motivation. I initially joined thinking the work would help with my university application, but now I don’t even care about that anymore. Even if I don’t get any certificate for it, I feel like I’ve gained so much more—experience. I admire the founders of the foundation, Yevgeniy Ribalko and Iryna Semenchuk, especially their persistence. The fact that they’ve been doing this for over two years without giving up both amazes and motivates me.

— It’s the embodiment of kindness and the united efforts of compassionate hearts.