Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

104-year-old Yummyush Adilova from Bulgarian village of Madrevo and her secrets of longevity

The oldest resident in the municipality of Kubrat Yummyush Adil from the village of Madrevo, has marked her 104th birthday.

"Our mother was born back in 1916, during the Balkan War, in a poor family that subsisted on agriculture. She has experienced wars, famine, poverty and difficulties.Together with my father she was sent to do apprentice work and also worked as a shepherd. After my mother became a widow before she turned 50, she had to raise her four children on her own. She decided to give me for adoption, but the family I grew up with did not separate me from my brothers for a moment and I am very grateful to them,”her son Muharrem told Radio Bulgaria.

After losing two of her sons, today Grandma Yummyush enjoys the attention of her other two sons, daughters-in-law, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

The centenarian is in good health and never misses elections. Perhaps one of the secrets of her longevity lies in hard work. She spent her entire life working in agriculture. Proximity to the earth, a positive attitude towards life and the difficulties she overcame along her path seem to be the key to the high spirits of Yummyush Adil. Otherpeople in the villagesay she is a good neighbor and advisor and speak of her with much respect.

"She receives a very low pension, but my brother Ramadan takes very good care of her," Muharrem told us, adding: “For her birthday she received flowers and greetings from the mayors of Kubrat and our village and we offered her our presents and wishes for good health. She was extremely happy with these gestures of attention."

English: Alexander Markov

Photos: private library

More from category

Happy 89th, Radio Bulgaria!

On February 16, Radio Bulgaria celebrates its 89th anniversary . Throughout these years, our multilingual media has been not only a channel of information, but also an invaluable link with our audience around the world. Today, Radio Bulgaria offers rich..

published on 2/16/25 7:35 AM

Todor Tokin: BNR's Foreign Broadcasts was not a channel of communist ideology, on the contrary!

At various times in its existence, the BNR's Directorate of Foreign Language Broadcasts, now known as Radio Bulgaria, the multimedia multilingual platform of Bulgarian National Radio, was more than just a workplace for a number of popular journalists...

published on 2/16/25 7:15 AM
Кирил Вълчев

BTA unveils a unique font on its anniversary

February 16, 2025 marks the 127th anniversary of the first bulletin of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, signed by its first director Oscar Iskander. The agency was established in 1898 by a decree of Prince Ferdinand I. Just like 127 years ago, today the..

published on 2/16/25 6:10 AM