Elderly People Are Our Greatest Treasure

SDG-17 On February 4, 2026, within the framework of the “Law and Order” campaign, third-year journalism students — Yerbolat Kaster, Kabylkhan Ayaulym, Toleukhanova Aisha, Makhanov Danial, Meirkhan Nurzhalgas — under the guidance of senior lecturer Asel Alim, along with students of Group 105 led by advisor, senior lecturer, PhD Yerzhan Zhumabekov — Madi Temirbek and Didar Sultan — visited the municipal public institution “Shanyrak Social Service Center.”

This institution, commonly known as a nursing home, accommodates nearly 300 elderly residents. About 60 percent of them are people with disabilities, and some are bedridden and in serious health conditions.

The charity event began with a concert program. PhD Yerzhan Zhumabekov performed his well-known and deeply meaningful original poem “Life, Life!”, along with traditional folk songs such as “Moldabay” and terme. Third-year student Kabylkhan Ayaulym recited several poems by the outstanding poet Mukagali Makatayev from memory. The evening continued with receiving blessings from the elderly and presenting them with gifts.

Students and faculty members visited the residents’ rooms individually, learned about their living conditions, and engaged in heartfelt conversations. The elderly shared their thoughts on daily life, medical care, and mentioned that some of them had recently performed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Through interviews with the caregiving staff, students realized that the elderly often resemble children in their emotions, and finding an individual approach to each person is not easy.
“Most of them have children, and we try to give them the warmth they did not receive from their own families,” the staff noted.

Abandoning elderly parents has never been part of Kazakh tradition. Modern society should regard such actions — whether abandoning parents or children — as the highest form of cruelty. Whether punishment will come from the law or from God remains a matter of time.