Natalia Shumova: 'Kindness Will Save the World!'

25 february 2026

In the February edition of the series 'About People and Good Deeds', Natalia Shumova, Design Engineer 1st Category at Novye Resursy LLC in Krasnodar, talks about how a hobby can become a first step into volunteering, why inclusion resonates most strongly, and how to combine sport, ecology, creativity and charity in a single project. In the interview, she discusses family values, personal motivation, inspiring examples, and why good deeds truly change not only the world around us but also ourselves.

Do you remember your very first volunteering experience? What was your entry point into voluntary work?

After the pandemic, I began to look at life more consciously and think about how important it is to help people. That was when an inner desire arose to do good deeds selflessly. I have a hobby – postcrossing: I send and receive postcards from strangers in different cities and countries. In May 2022, from a corporate newsletter, I learned about the grant project 'You've Got Mail', which involved making and signing postcards for Attention Day for veterans at a Gerontology Centre. I immediately wanted to join. I felt that I wanted to be useful, and that I could be. That is how my hobby became my first step into volunteering.

What does being a volunteer of the 'People Changing the World' programme mean to you personally?

For me, it is an opportunity to make a real difference, to make the world around us a little better and people a little happier. Many people lack attention and care today. I truly believe that kindness will save the world!

Over several years, you have tried many different formats – from helping the elderly and children to eco-volunteering and event-based activities. Which area has felt closest to you and why?

Every project is important to me in its own way. Volunteering is not only about helping; it is also a huge source of positive emotions. It does not matter whether we are cleaning up an area, running a workshop or taking part in commemorative events – the most valuable thing is the interaction with like-minded people and the chance to involve children. Through personal example, the right life values are formed. The theme of inclusion is particularly close to me. It is important for me to help people with disabilities. In communicating with them, I feel sincerity, openness and genuine joy at receiving attention.

Has there been a volunteering project or campaign that touched you emotionally and stayed with you for a long time?

I was deeply impressed by Oksana Bochenina's project 'Expanding Boundaries', implemented with support from the 'Formula for Good Deeds' at the charitable organisation 'Good Home', where children with disabilities adapt to life through creativity and art. We ran a workshop and helped to improve the grounds. I was struck by their sincerity, kind eyes, desire to communicate and incredible effort. They are very talented and open. It was then that I finally understood that the inclusive direction is what truly feels close to me.

In 2025, with support from the 'Formula for Good Deeds', you implemented the project 'Run and Help'. What makes this project unique, in your opinion?

The uniqueness of the project lies in its multifaceted nature. It combined sport, ecology, creativity and charity. We held group runs, cleaned up the area, organised workshops for children and raised funds to support the children at the Afipsky orphanage. The project was implemented by a team of four, with each person contributing. We are united by a love of sport – we are all members of a running club. It is important that our families also took part in the events: between the four of us, we have ten children. This strengthened the family aspect of the project. In total, we managed to bring together 84 participants, including company employees, their children and relatives. Many came more than once, and that is the main indicator that the project truly resonated with people.

In 2026, with support from the 'Formula for Good Deeds', your project 'Sunflowers of Kindness' will launch, aimed at working with people with disabilities. What value do you think creative workshops bring to participants and to the volunteers themselves?

Such workshops help people with disabilities to discover their abilities, develop their imagination, creative thinking, motor skills and creative potential. The project creates an inclusive environment where participants can socialise through creativity, communication, reading and discussing books. And for volunteers, it is an opportunity to learn to understand, accept and support people with special needs more deeply.

At the 6th SIBUR Corporate Volunteer Forum, you were awarded in the 'Sports Volunteering' category. What does this recognition mean to you?

I am very pleased that the project received such an appraisal. Sport is an important part of my life: I run, swim, cycle, take part in competitions and corporate challenges. Being recognised in the sports category confirmed for me that an active lifestyle and helping others can be harmoniously combined.

You have a large family and three children. How do you manage to balance work, volunteering and family life?

I try to find balance and manage my time properly. Thanks to the training sessions organised by the trade union, I attend group sessions twice a week, go swimming once a week, and run in the mornings and at weekends. The most important thing is the support of my family. My husband and children share my values, support me in sport and take part in volunteering initiatives.

Do your children join you in volunteering activities, and in your opinion, how do such examples influence their values?

Children do not remember words – they copy actions. I see that environmental awareness and respect for people have become natural norms for them. My youngest daughter Maria (aged 9) happily accompanies me on campaigns, helps to make bird feeders and looks after the birds. My eldest daughter Anna (aged 15) once said that she would never stay close to someone who does not give up their seat for an elderly person – for me, that is a measure of upbringing. My son Lev (aged 18), thinking about mindful consumption, suggested passing on clothes he had outgrown to his friend, and in the autumn he went with his friend to help his friend's grandmother in the vegetable garden and dig over the soil. It is very important for me to see that my children are growing up thoughtful, compassionate and caring.

What has volunteering given you as a person – what has it taught you, and how has it helped you in life and at work?

First of all – friends and like-minded people. Volunteers are people with a special inner light. They are sincere, decent, and they work and live 'by conscience'. Volunteering fulfils me, inspires me and gives me a sense of real purpose. I am glad that through my example I can motivate my colleagues, while at the same time I continue to learn from others.

What advice would you give to employees who are only thinking about becoming volunteers?

Volunteering should not be done just 'for show'. It is important to find your own direction – something that speaks to your heart. It is always easy to find a reason not to take part. It is much harder to take a step and accept responsibility. But it is that step that changes a great deal. For a long time I doubted whether I should become a blood donor. A friend's example inspired me, and since 2023 I have been donating blood and its components regularly. To date, I have made ten donations. Sometimes it is enough simply to see an example close to you to decide to do a good deed.

You can learn more about upcoming good activities in SIBUR's volunteer groups on Vk and Telegram.

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