Page 22 - Book about Friendship and Future.Stories of Volunteers.

Evgenia Bugakova

Recruiting Group Leader
YUM! Restaurants Russia, Moscow

From my early years, I could not pass by those who were
asking for help. I helped senior ladies to carry shopping bags,
cleaned the neighboring forest from rubbish, donated some
clothes. My life is full of kind stories that have educated me and
brought joy and inspiration! And I would like to share a few.
When I was 13, I was taken to a hospital, and there was an
abandoned baby there. He cried a lot as if he understood that no
one needed him as if unconditional love failed in his case. I per-
suaded the nurses to let me stay with the baby for the rest of my
treatment in the hospital. I had a younger sister and knew how
to take care of babies. But I failed to agree with my mum to take
this boy home.
When I was 19, on one of the internet forums I got acquainted
with a girl who was pregnant and was facing lots of problems.
I could not ignore this case. I arranged some fund raising, search-
ing for people who were ready to help. We rented an apartment,
brought food and found a job for her. At some point the girl felt
better and left for her native town, and we lost connection with
her. About five years later I got a ‘thank you letter’ and a photo
from her, she looked happy together with her daughter.
I grew up, helping here and there, sharing all my energy, sym-
pathizing with all my heart. For a long time I visited one ortho-
dox orphanage in Pavlovo-Posadsky district. And after each visit
I cried for so long and so lot. There were little babies among the
kids in the orphanages then. And it was unbearably hard for me.
At some point, I understood that I could no longer get so burned
out and decided I would help in another way. I started arrang-
ing such visits but did not attend myself. Finally, the company in
which I worked at that time took this orphanage under patron-
age and many issues got managed there.
Now I understand that my volunteering has changed, becom-
ing more conscious and balanced. I am no longer getting burned
out, I have got the resources and helping people in difficult situ-
ations brings only joy to me!