Raffi Kirakosyan is one of the most active volunteers օf Armenian Red Cross Society. From the very first day of Response to COVID-19 pandemic, as a leader of Yerevan Disaster Response Team, he was involved in sorting, packaging and distributing the donated food the most vulnerable groups of the population.
Raffi was born in Lublin, Poland. In 2004 he moved to Armenia with his family. Now he is a software engineer. Like our other volunteers, Raffi has a wide range of interests, too.
"I like hiking, listening to music. I was playing on the baritone horn in a scout band, I also played guitar. I love creating something new. Recently my brother and I have made a torch from recycled paper. So, I try myself in different fields".
Raffi says that at the beginning, he joined Red Cross for a week. Afterwards, the week turned into two years. During the “Give Hope” charity campaign, a scout group (he is also a member of this group) joined it, handing out leaflets on the streets.
Since March of 2018, he has been involved in “Smiley Club” and “PSS” programs, then moved to the Disaster Management Department.
"Simulation training was organized in Stepanavan, and I joined them. Now I am devoted to the team. I loved the people gathered there, as they were motivated with an idea and believed in it till the end. The Disaster Response teams activities are very interesting to me. First, I was a rescuer then, step by step, I gained a lot of skills and now I am the leader. Our volunteers have the essential knowledge how to rescue, how to provide first aid, first psychological aid, as well as, how to mobilize people, how to make food very quickly. So, the state of emergency is not stressful for us at all. If something happens, we know how to cope with it. We participate in various simulation exercises, and we are ready to accept challenges".
"Volunteering gave me good friends, entertainment, knowledge and skills, and a team which is already like a family for me. I am very proud to be a Red Cross volunteer. Here I fulfil my dreams and goals".
