Sometimes all we need is a good story to cheer us up. After scrolling through the daily feed days on end, the business talks, political stand-offs, and celebrity rumors can easily make us feel disoriented and in some cases hopeless. It seems like we don’t hear that many wholesome, feel-good news anymore.
In these moments, we all could use a gentle reminder that small acts of kindness and joy are happening all the time and all around us – if you know where to look. That’s why, QazMonitor compiled four mini-stories that will be sure to boost your mood, make you say ‘aw’, and give your brain cells a well-deserved break.
Heroes Who Donate Blood
Donating blood is an annual tradition for emergency workers in East Kazakhstan’s Department of Emergency Situations. This year, around 40 rescue workers and firefighters have donated a total of 17 liters of blood at the regional blood center.
Deputy chief of a local fire department, Dauren Suinbayev said: "Statistically, one in three people need a blood transfusion during their lifetime. By donating my 450 milliliters of blood, I want to help all the sick. I consider the participation of rescue workers very important. A donor is a person who gives life. We want to encourage everyone who has the opportunity to do their part."
Turkistan’s Bookworms
Kydyrbai Asylbekov, 60, works as a security guard at a kindergarten in Turkistan’s Keles district. He is also an avid reader who finishes two books a day. He says he likes to read historical books and is a regular at the library.
“I've been interested in reading since childhood,” he shared. “My brain rests when I read. I can read two books a day, sometimes five when I'm in a good mood.”
According to Asylbekov, he has read all the books in the village library, so now he borrows books from the central library. Keles district has 27 libraries stocked with 262,714 books.
Before working as a security guard, he was a firefighter for more than 10 years.
Coincidentally, one of Turkistan’s libraries recently organized an award ceremony for its most loyal readers. Farab library granted the “Golden Formulary 2022” title to 75-year-old Otegen Iskakuly for reading 100 books last year.
Brave Young Firefighters
Two teenage brothers saved two people from a fire in Karagandy this Monday. The fire broke out in the boiler room attached to the building.
15-year-old Yerasyl and 14-year-old Kanat Smagulov, were shoveling snow when they saw smoke rising from their neighbor's house. Without hesitation, the boys rushed to the rescue. They found an elderly man and woman trapped in the smoke-filled room and helped them out. The boys even managed to save their belongings and documents.
Before the fire brigade arrived, the young heroes called their neighbor Ruslan to help extinguish the fire. By the time the firefighters came, the three of them managed to put out half of the fire.
The Smagulov brothers were given rewards for their act of bravery, heroism and decisiveness.
The Robot That Serves Kumys
Zhansultan Zhantore from Shymkent created a robot that pours kumys and informs about the drink’s healing properties.
The student’s CS teacher helped him create Asylbek, a robot that is activated by a special plastic card.
"I got interested in robotics a long time ago. The idea of creating such a robot was born at an exhibition organized during computer science week at our school. I first shared the idea of creating a robot named Asylbek with my teacher. She supported my idea and said she would help me assemble it.
"We decided that 'Assylbek' should be in national dress because it promotes our national drink," says Zhansultan.
The robot-server has already won prizes at the district and regional stages of a science project competition.