Chernobyl Children's Trust

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Orphanage Care Programme

Submitted on February 4th, 2007 by Administrator

Reunification Programme:

Children living in an orphanage rely heavily on each other, therefore strong family like bonds are established. When they reach their late teens / early 20’s children are moved to various Adult Institutions in Belarus. It is a very difficult time as these “families” are separated from each other. Working with children in Belarus for the last number of years we in the Trust, have seen first hand the devastating effects this move has on these family groups.

It gives me great pride to announce that January 2007 saw the start of a reunification programme. The 2 Sashas from Vesnovo orphanage travelled with Irish volunteers to an Adult Institution to be reunited with their friends Vera, Slava, Alecia, Vova and Deema whom they have not seen since 2005. It was an honour to witness the genuine joy and excitement these children experienced as they were reunited with each other. They hugged each other, they laughed, they cried and they talked with amazing intensity to one another. It was a very successful trip and we hope to continue and expand the programme.

The second outing on the Social Care Programme calendar also took place in January 2007. Irish volunteers took 8 children from Vesnovo Orphanage to a puppet show in Minsk. The night before the trip the excitement in the Orphanage was tangible – I doubt the children could sleep they were so excited! On the day older kids from Vesnovo helped us to settle the younger disabled children onto the bus. On the drive to Minsk the children sang, laughed and ate crisps and chocolate! There was much anticipation when we arrived – and the children’s faces light up when the show started! From the moment the children burst with excitement into our room at the Orphanage that morning, till the moment we sat them on the bus to return to Vesnovo there was a sense that this was not just a trip to a puppet show, this was the first time they had seen life outside of Vesnovo, the first time they had seen other children, and families, and they took it all in their stride and loved every second.


We look forward to continuing this Programme in 2007.

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