THE ROTARY CLUB OF BANBRIDGE
CHERNOBYL CHILDREN'S PROJECT (IRELAND)
HOW IT STARTED
The charity was born as a result of receiving a heart-rendering message from
Belarussian and Ukrainian doctors, which said; SOS Appeal:
'For God's sake, help us to get the children out'
THE DISASTER
On 26 April 1986 at 1:23am an explosion took place in Reactor 4 of the
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine.
The radioactive cloud released from the burning reactor drifted north into the
neighbouring country of Belarus, and then moved east across Western Russia and
west across Europe.
Over 70% of the radiation fell on Belarus. The people have been exposed to
radioactivity 90 times greater that that released by the Hiroshima bomb.
More than 2000 towns and villages were evacuated and now lie abandoned and
uninhabitable; this situation will continue forever.
LIFE IN THE CONTAMINATED ZONES
People must change their clothes twice a day, and may not walk in the woods more
than two hours a month.
Radiation level charts are printed in the newspapers and dictate decisions such
as whether children can be allowed out to play.
People are told to wash food at least 5 times in "clean water" but
nobody is told where this clean water is to be found.
Farmers are told to separate cream and use fatless milk, but are not told how or
where to dispose of the remaining liquid.
Cattle are not supposed to graze in areas where the grass is less than 10cm
(4") high so their mouths won't touch the ground.
Most people find it impossible to adhere to these elaborate and inconsistent
instructions, and simply give up trying.
Since it was founded by Adi Roche in 1991 the Chernobyl
Children's Project has developed a number of programmes which aim to help those
affected by the tragedy:
REST AND RECUPERATION
MEDICAL AND HUMANITARIAN AID
LIFE SAVING OPERATIONS
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
"Although we receive excellent support from our government,
we receive no state funding. Without your help our work cannot continue.
"It is only with your generosity that we can supply vitamins to boost
damaged immune systems; send life-saving medicines to ill-equipped hospitals;
provide painkillers to allow terminally ill children to die with dignity; meet
flight costs to bring children to Ireland for vital medical treatment."
This quotation comes directly from one of the leaflets published by the
Chernobyl Children's Project.
A decision to support a cause like this is an easy one to make. If you want to read more please go to our links page which will take you to the charity's website.