My name is Sana. I have been a volunteer since my school years. At the age of 16, I started working as a young journalist on the Almaty TV channel. After that, I became a volunteer of the city’s volunteer League. After volunteering in world events like UNIVERSIADE- 2017 and EXPO- 2017, the roads brought me to the Red Crescent, where I have been a volunteer for more than 3 years.

At first, I was a so-called “front volunteer”, actively participated in presentation events, and led the creative part at the international European conference. But later on, I was drawn back to journalism. Now, I don’t take part in emergency events or first aid training workshops, but I am always up to date with all events, not only of our Red Crescent but also of all other International Red Cross and Crescent societies. Because at the moment I am an information volunteer, helping the Department of external communications. I moved from “front office” to “back”?

Every week I try to devote my time to handling international and local news. If they are in English, I translate and design them for easier visual perception for our readers, in our social networks such as Instagram and the news portal.

During the quarantine period, while I have my main job, it is difficult to go to the Red Crescent office and help people together with the front-line team. Therefore, I prefer to be useful for sitting in quarantine, processing the necessary information for Kazakhstani readers. It is very convenient to do this activity with the main job. I learned a lot from the Department of external communications, especially from Nurila.

Every time I read the news from our international and local colleagues, I understand how powerful the Red Crescent’s humanitarian goal is. How sensitively each employee and volunteer work for the families in need. I believe that everyone has the opportunity to do good things, even at the time of quarantine.

Sana Zhumabayeva
Kazakhstan Red Crescent
May 14, 2020