Hello, my name is Olga Beller, and I have been a volunteer at the Republican Volunteer Center since March 2024. My journey into volunteering lasted 1.5 years, during which, after moving to Moldova in July 2022, I tried to adapt to the new country and put my experience in organizing events for people of all ages to good use. The Volunteer Center has become a place for me where my skills and experience are gratefully accepted, and where like-minded people await, for whom helping those in need is more than just words.

In March 2024, I became part of the friendly RVC team, and my duties included working in the Call Center as well as delivering food packages. A great help in fulfilling my volunteer duties was obtaining a Moldovan driver's license, which allowed my husband Vladimir Vasilenko and me to actively participate in Good Deeds Day, delivering "Healthy Breakfast" food packages to our beneficiaries.

Congratulating people on Pesach from April 22 to 29 also brought me many positive emotions in return. I enjoy working in the Call Center: I love communicating with people, informing them about various events, congratulating them on holidays, and providing necessary information support. I am happy that I once made the right decision to become part of the large RVC team!

My name is Elizaveta, or Liza for short.

In 2022, due to a chain of random events, I joined the Republican Volunteer Center as a volunteer for the "Call Center" project due to the military crisis in Ukraine, and this moment significantly influenced my life thereafter.

After completing work with clients from Ukraine, I also began participating in projects aimed at interacting with various age groups from our country. Throughout the summer of 2022, I taught drawing lessons to children from the Jewish kindergarten, and besides that, I had the opportunity to participate several times in the "IT-Grandparent" project aimed at increasing technological literacy among the elderly. I also participated as an interviewer and copywriter in the "20th Century Kishinevians" project, and later became part of the initial composition of the Jewish youth theater "Dor." Among the recent projects, I can mention "IMPRO-media," where, under the careful guidance of Viki and Nata, a large team of volunteers created an animated film dedicated to the holiday of Purim, which gave me the opportunity to try myself in various production formats: dubbing, script writing and editing, as well as recording musical accompaniment.

Honestly, now it's difficult for me to remember all the projects in which I was involved in one way or another, but I can confidently say that all of them had an undeniable and extremely significant influence on me and my personal development.

I am very glad that I became a volunteer at RVC, because it was here that I got acquainted with Jewish culture and unexpectedly discovered the presence of Jewish roots on my father's side, which I had not suspected or thought about before.

Thanks to RVC, I attended the wonderful family Jewish festival "Anavim" and subsequently began attending the Jewish youth platform "Haverim," which gave me a huge boost in understanding my Jewish identity.

If not for all these elements, I would hardly ever have had the opportunity to participate in organizing and conducting large-scale events such as Community Shabbats, Avdalas, or off-site events, such as the volunteer conference in Ukraine or the "Generations Shabbaton: Festive Tishrei" as a madrich.

In conclusion, I can only say that I am very happy and grateful to fate for introducing me to such a wonderful community and such wonderful, friendly people who have truly become close friends to me and my loving family. I like "KEDEM" because here you are accepted as you are, and all your skills find application in the most suitable and interesting format, including for yourself. As a teenager, I was able to acquire a huge amount of skills and knowledge necessary for the future, and I really feel that I am developing my potential, so I want to express my immense love, respect, and gratitude to all those whom we encountered in one way or another on this path!

Hi! My name is Arina, I am 17 years old and studying in the 11th grade. I am a volunteer of the Republican Volunteer Center (RVC) in Chisinau. I found out about the RVC by the end of 2019 from a friend, but I couldn’t join because of the pandemic. After, I was indecisive, but then, I made a decision to join the RVC team in June 2022. Looking back at my first interview, I can't help but smile at how afraid I was. During the time of my engagement in the voluntary craft, I managed to take part in many projects of the Russian Exhibition Center, which are aimed both at improving our city and at socializing the elderly and helping children. I managed to participate in the projects “Clean Chisinau”, “Give me a paw”, “Chisinau Citizens of the 20th Century”, host English classes for children in the Jewish kindergarten, and also be a volunteer at the Europe Junior Cup Chisinau 2022 in August. In September, I was lucky to become a member of the VC Festival for 4 cities of our republic. Now, I am helping to coordinate the "Ready for School" project, which allows preschool children to learn the basic knowledge in mathematics and spelling. At the moment, I am also involved in the work of the call center, where I call weekly and inform people about our projects and events. This is not a complete list of what I do at the volunteer center. On the one hand, the RVC is a place where you do volunteer work and get tired of giving yourself away. But on the other hand, this is a place that inspires and fills with new knowledge. For example, here I learned about my Jewish heritage. Quite unexpectedly for me and my family, we found out that my great-grandmother was Jewish. Here I was helped to reconnect with my heritage and feel like a part of a friendly Jewish community. Joining RVC was probably the best decision of my life. Here I met a lot of new people, a couple of whom became my close friends and support. It was here that I learned a lot about Jewish culture, how to communicate with different people, how to work in a team and help others. The Republican Volunteer Center is not just a couple of offices in JCC KEDEM, it is a family and a second home!

Hi all! My name is Mititelu Valentina, I am 16 years old and I am a first-year student at a teacher training college. I learned about the Republican Volunteer Center from my friend and started volunteering almost two years ago. My first project was called "Limba Noastră" where I taught Romanian to children. Participation in this project helped me become more punctual and responsible, as I realized that I have obligations that I should fulfill. In the volunteer movement, I especially like communication with different people, regardless of their age and interests. I love to learn something new and develop, as well as help people and see their smiles after helping. During my participation in the projects, I met a lot of wonderful people and there were many pleasant stories. One of them happened during the delivery of new phones. To old people. We helped them figure it out by explaining how each program worked. It was very interesting to listen to their stories that happened to them throughout their lives, and it's very nice to see smiles and joy on their faces. I understood that our communication was necessary for the elderly, and it brought pleasure to both of us. I am proud of my decision to become a volunteer at the Republican Volunteer Center, and I do not regret my choice at all. Activities at the RVC brought me new knowledge, a large number of interesting acquaintances and vast experience of working with people.

Hello, my name is Zlata Volynchuk, and since the summer of 2024, I’ve been a member of the big family of the Republican Volunteer Center. I first heard about the center from a classmate, and at that time I was drawn to the idea of becoming a volunteer and helping those in need. Now I participate in several projects.

I regularly call clients as part of the Call Center project. I enjoy talking to people and informing them about upcoming events. I also help organize events held at RVC and KEDEM. This activity allows me to explore what goes on behind the scenes and learn everything that experienced organizers know. I love seeing how much joy our guests experience and knowing that I played a part in that.

Another project I take part in is the English language learning program in the Jewish kindergarten. I help young children learn a foreign language to expand their future communication opportunities — because today, the world is open to each of us.

RVC has become a place for me where new friendships and knowledge flourish. But most importantly, it’s a place where helping others takes on a real, tangible form, and kindness becomes more than just an abstract idea. Our team is ready to lend a hand and can solve almost any task! Additionally, the volunteer center helped me discover the depth and importance of Jewish traditions. I’m so glad I once chose this path and I invite everyone to join our team!

Hi all! My name is Vyacheslav Gandrabur, I am 18 years old and I study at the International Lyceum in Chisinau. I love sports, especially football, as well as computer technology and programming. I learned about the Republican Volunteer Center from friends and classmates who shared their positive and interesting experience with me. I decided to learn what it means to be a volunteer, thus discovering new skills and unforgettable experiences. My main project at the RVC is "How does it work?", which is aimed at educating children. I tell the youngsters about the history and principles of work of various objects around us. However, my volunteer work began with the "Do Good" campaign, the purpose of which was to create and conduct presentations about volunteering for schoolchildren and students. The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has seriously affected the activities of volunteers. The approach to planning and holding events and lessons has changed. That is why I led the project "How does it work?" for a long time in an online format, which, of course, had its pros and cons. Luckily, with new volunteers and the reduced risk of Covid-19, we now have the opportunity to conduct classes in person, which makes classes even more fun. In my opinion, the most beautiful thing in the volunteer movement is emotions.I am pleased not only with my own positive emotions from volunteering, but also with the emotions of those people to whom I help. I also like that volunteering gives you the opportunity to gain social experience and develop other unique skills that can greatly help in everyday life. Volunteering is awesome!

My name is Alyona, I'm in the 12th grade at the "Petru Movilă" lyceum. I have always been interested in volunteering, because I wanted to help people, and I had always possessed the most important resources for this: time and desire. I started looking into volunteer centers and came across the Republican Volunteer Center (RVC). By the end of the summer, I filled out a registration form and was invited for an interview. This is how my volunteer journey began. At the moment I am participating in a project for children "How does it work?". In the classroom, I talk in a manner that is interesting for children about the work of the human body. I also work with older people in the "IT POP" project, which aims to teach mobile literacy to Hesed's wards. What I like about RVC is that absolutely everyone can find an outlet of expression for themselves here, as there are many projects for different age groups and interests. Volunteers are also not forgotten, for whom many educational seminars, training and master classes are held. I also want to note the coordinators who are always ready to help and make you feel at home as much as possible. I really enjoy being a volunteer and I'm glad to be a part of RVC!

Hello, my name is Komleva Tatyana, and for more than two years, I have been a member of the big and friendly family of the Republican Volunteer Center (RVC). I first learned about the center's activities at the "Volunteer School" seminar, which took place in Vadul-lui-Vodă. It was there that I felt the spirit of volunteering and decided to embark on this path.

One of the first events I participated in was Good Deeds Day, during which our team visited a nursing home to bring treats and share the joy of personal interaction. My active communication with the elderly continued within the ITbabushka project, where we taught them the basics of using a computer. Later, I joined the ITded project, where we helped them learn how to use smartphones.

Another project I take part in is the "Origins of Mercy" program. As a volunteer, I visit an elderly beneficiary who, over time, has become truly dear to me. The gratitude of those you help is an immense motivation and a truly valuable reward!

I grew up in a Jewish family, attended a Jewish kindergarten and school, so participating in RVC and KEDEM programs has been a wonderful opportunity to honor the traditions of my people while also developing my Jewish identity and remaining part of a united community.

Hello, my name is Malika, I am 14 years old, and I study at the B.Z. Hertzl Lyceum. My decision to become a volunteer was completely conscious and aligned with my inner desire to help others and be useful to society. Moreover, volunteering is a great opportunity to try myself in different areas and grow as a person.

I have participated in various projects such as “Origins of Mercy”, cooking masterclasses, and nutritionist lectures. Each of these events allows me to discover new facets of myself and learn something new. Participating in the center’s events also allows me to immerse myself in Jewish culture and study traditions.

The RVC team has become a real family to me, where friendly and trusting relationships thrive. We support each other like close relatives. And, in essence, what unites us is no less important than blood ties – it is the desire to help others and bring joy to those in need. I am very happy that I chose this path and invite everyone to become a part of our big volunteer family!

Hi all! My name is Linda Shcherbatova, I am 35 years old. I am a studied catering technologist-designer. At the age of 15, I joined the Jewish Cultural Center "KEDEM" and began to expand my educational horizons. Volunteering has always held a special place in my heart, thanks to my parents and grandparents who raised me the right way. At the moment I am participating in the project "The Origins of Mercy", which brings me joy, especially considering that my grandmother Greta is far away from me, because due to circumstances she had to move to another country. Often I meet older people who resemble my loved ones Greta and Izya. Their manners, habits or appearance give the impression that my relatives are next to me. What does it mean to be a volunteer? This is a moment of sincerity when you lend a helping hand in any situation. It is a manifestation of gratitude when you accept the arms of a person who has lived for many years. In their eyes you see only positive emotions accumulated over the years of life, and upon returning home you feel the aroma of the velvet skin of their hands. Being a volunteer makes me proud! This is a charge of positive emotions in our difficult time!

My name is Arina Baboglo, and I am a relatively new volunteer.

I have only been volunteering for 2 months, but the experience I have gained during this time would be enough for a year! I had the opportunity to explore the backstage of projects, acting as the logistics coordinator for the event "Love Story (2.0)". Thanks to this, I saw how much effort goes into each volunteer initiative, how much needs to be planned and considered to ensure that the project comes out in a magnificent "wrapper". This experience has been invaluable for me in terms of event preparation.

Volunteering helps you find new friends and like-minded people, as well as teaches you to work in a team and take responsibility. Moreover, you can try on various roles. I have been a teacher for children, a coordinator for projects and initiatives, and I am sure that many more exciting roles await me in the future. I enjoy the atmosphere in the volunteer center. Also, I like feeling like a member of a large and friendly team and knowing that I am making a real contribution to the common cause of helping those in need!