In Ust-Kamenogorsk, a probation officer Askat Utepov helped a 55-year-old man who has been living in complete darkness for about five years, reports the website infohub.kz.
According to the press service of the Department of Penitentiary Institutions (DUI) for East Kazakhstan region, the man lost his sight and after his mother's death was left alone, unable to maintain his home.
Askat Utepov learned about the situation because the man was his neighbor. Seeing the conditions in which he lived, the probation officer turned to his colleagues for help. Together with them and volunteers, including convicts, they came to the man's house.
According to volunteer Tatyana, it was extremely difficult to be inside. "It was impossible to enter. There was nothing to breathe. You go in — your eyes immediately get foggy, tears flow. There was a very strong smell," the volunteer shared. She noted that for about five years, almost no one had cleaned the house. Due to his lack of vision, the man could not perform many household tasks on his own.
He said that he mostly eats dry food. For groceries and necessary items, he turns to acquaintances for help. After his mother's death, the man was left alone. His constant companions are a cat and a dog.
The probation officers and volunteers cleaned the house, cleaned the stove and chimney, whitewashed the walls, and painted the floor. However, the work is not yet complete — it is impossible to put the premises in order in one day.
Currently, the man is applying for a social worker. According to him, the specialist should start helping him soon. He is not a convict and is not registered with the probation service.
Official representative of the DUI for East Kazakhstan region, Saltanat Ozhikanova, noted that Askat Utepov decided to help the man not as part of his official duties. "I was especially touched that Askat simply could not pass by. The man is not registered with the probation service, and the officer had no formal obligations towards him. He just saw a person who needed help," commented Saltanat Ozhikanova.
According to her, for a person with visual impairment, ordinary household tasks can become a serious challenge. "This story for me is not primarily about cleaning the house. It is about human attitude. Sometimes a person needs very little — to be noticed, heard, and simply visited," added the official representative of the DUI for East Kazakhstan region.
Now the man is waiting for the appointment of a social worker. Work on putting the house in order is also planned to continue.