Both orphanages – Gorodische and Cherven were busy last week welcoming groups of Burren Chernobyl Project volunteers. Gorodische was happy to see teaching students from Ireland and Cherven – the medical team.

Both teams did really well.

Gorodische was having lots of fun with games, parties, outings, football matches, etc.

Cherven team was busy repairing wheelchairs, visiting families in the local community, meeting new people through Hospice, going around places providing support.

The week was very productive and positive.

We thank both teams very much for all their fantastic help! Well done!

Today we said good bye to another lovely group of Burren Chernobyl Project volunteers. 8 students – lads and girls had an amazing experience with the children from Gorodische children’s orphanage. It was Alice’s second trip to Belarus and the first trip ever for the rest of the team. But they did really well.

Certainly the routine was quite the same as with all the Irish groups: they helped looking after the children in beds, organized games for active kids, picnics, little parties with ice cream, took some children to town for an outing, played football with older boys and girls. Fantastic, unbelievable time.

Of course they’ve helped by purchasing different stuff: bought mattress covers for more than 6 000 000 rubles, transparent plastic for their green house at about 2 000 000 rubles. Also supported a local family where the parents look after a special needs child, bought a nice dress for a young lady that is going to be transferred to an adult instituting in the near time.

And as always on the last day there were lots of tears. The farewell was too emotional, but we are sure we’ll meet them again very soon as the group really loved their time in the orphanage!

We thank you all for your fantastic contribution into making a difference for these children! Well done!

Our latest container of Humanitarian Aid has arrived to Minsk in April and been unloaded into the Dobra Tut warehouse in Minsk. The office in Minsk has received very many letters over the past weeks from orphanages and individual families, and from Social Service Centres throughout Belarus requesting aid. The container was loaded in Ennistymon in Ireland on March 15^th Schenker Firm. This load contains lots of clothes, shoes, pampers, walking aids, wheelchairs and toys. The aid has been distributed according to the distribution plan that was confirmed with Burren Chernobyl Project and the Department Humanitarian Aid. A full list of institutions and Centers and the aid is listed in our REPORT section so one can see where exactly the things from the truck went to.

Thanks to all who helped with the loading- and to those who helped with the unloading in Minsk, to the ladies in Dobra tut office for all the paper work and helping the organizations to pick up the aid.

Liam O'Meara

Last week in Gorodische was an exciting week, a busy week, a happy week for the children and surely for the volunteers!

Rose and her lovely group of young lads and girls from Ireland had a wonderful time in Gorodische children’s orphanage. Lots was done, lots of smiles, lots of happiness. For some of the volunteers it was the unique experience as it was their first time in Belarus and first time in an orphanage at all. But they managed! They did a great work playing with children, organizing picnics, outings to the local school museum, organized soccer matches every evening, spent time going around all the units with yogurts and sweets and other pleasant surprises for the children.

Unbelievable time. And they promised to be back, and we believe them as their eyes cannot lie.

We thank you very much for your support and the time you have given to the children. And surely as always we are all looking forward to seeing you back again soon!

6 days at the end of May in Yazovki village in Cherven psycho neurological asylum were very successful.

4 lads from Ireland, co. Offaly did a fantastic job on the project – house for independent living on site of the asylum. Billy, Liam, Declan and Tony were working very hard, fast and super professional on the roof of the house that is sponsored by Edel Smith, Co. Clare. The lads continued work and made an amazing contribution to the building.

The time really flew but everyone in the asylum from the residents to the workers of the institution loved their company and their humor and a very friendly atmosphere that they brought in with them. We miss the all now, especially the two lads – Sasha and Grisha – who reside in Yazovki and who were of a great help to the volunteers.

We thank you very much again from the bottom of our hearts for the great week and a fantastic work! Looking forward to seeing you back again soon!

Dear friends, we express our gratitude to those who helped by purchasing onions for the adult asylums’ gardens.

Today we particularly thank Natalia, Vladimir, Marianna, Katerina, Yulia!!! We appreciate your kind-heartedness and your support!

130 kg of onions that we bought with your help were distributed among the following asylums: Cherven psycho-neurological asylum, village Yazovki, Stolbtsy psycho-neurological asylum, village Kul, Svir psycho-neurological asylum.

We say big thanks again to all of you!

"For the past couple of years we have been sometimes here and sometimes back in Ireland when little ones have passed on. There are a number of little graves in Cherven and in Gorodishche that do not have a a permanent headstone over the graves of the children and we are now in the process of looking after each grave. In the past we have managed to mark every resting place with a nice cross but we may not have the funds for that now – so we are looking at a smaller but permanent stone marker. In Cherven Children’s plot where several of the children who visited Ireland over the years now lie, there are twelve small graves needing attention.

The little wooden crosses do not last very long so it would be great to have a more permanent headstone for the children.

In Gorodishche there are also four graves without a permanent headstone and we are looking at having this done over the coming months. At the moment I am investigating prices of the total cost.

Thanks to all those who have shown interest in this task and to those who have already made a donation towards the costs involved".

Liam O'Meara

April is already gone and we are happy to share the news of the last month.

It was really busy! Several orphanages welcomed volunteers from Burren Chernobyl project and not only.

One of the Burren Chernobyl Project representatives Brian O’Sullivan visited Cherven children’s orphanage, some families in Cherven area and also took part in the Conference on social issues that took place in Minsk along with Liam O’Meara – The director of our Charity and of BCP and Simon Walsh – the director of our partner’s organization Chernobyl Children’s Trust. Brian has donated some medical stuff, some of the little bits and pieces like kettles, a blender and a microwave oven for the orphanage.

Gorodische Children’s orphanage also welcomed a group of 4 Irish volunteers that came over to Belarus for the first time. They’ve been helping with looking after the children in beds, did massage, organized sport games for the older boys and girls, organized little parties in every Unit with plenty of sweet and drinks and yogurts and fruit. They really enjoyed the time and are hoping to come back again, hopefully in autumn.

Cherven psycho neurological asylum in Yazovki village was also happy to have a building team from Co. Offaly, Ireland. We have already informed you on that in details here.

And one last bit of news on the volunteer groups. Cherven children’s orphanage has opened their doors to a group of young people from different countries – Belarus, China, Northern Ireland, Germany, Spain, Malaysia, that temporary live or study in Minsk. The idea belongs to Simon Walsh – the Chernobyl Childern’s Trust director who has organized them to come and visit the orphanage and meet the children. The first visit was very impressive for all of them but some of them are coming back in May. Looking forward to it!

We say thank you very much from the bottom of our heart for your attention, help and your kind hearts. We are happy to have you!

First building week is over

The 5 lads from Co. Offaly, Ireland that came via Burren Chernobyl project to give a hand on a building project – House for independent living – made a fantastic start!

The volunteers have done an enormous job putting all the outside and inside walls together on the foundation. They were really fast and professional! And of course we say thanks a million on behalf of all involved into it!

By the time when next group of Irish volunteers come to Yazovki at the end of May, everything will be ready to do the roof!

Can’t wait to see the progress!

Well done to the lads! And hope to see you soon again!

Thank you very much again and again for your support!

So the “hot season” returns to our lives! First Burren Chernobyl Project volunteers opened the year in Gorodishce children’s orphanage in March having spent a wonderful week with the children and young adults.

First Irish volunteers are expected also in Cherven children’s orphanage this Sunday!

We also got a humanitarian aid truck from Ireland this week that is going through the procedure of registration in the Department of Humanitarian Aid. The results of the distribution regarding this Aid will be displayed in our REPORT section as well as other operations. By the way brand new information is to be found here.

And as always more detailed information on new projects and the work of our volunteers you can find on pages of our website. 

Dear friends, partners, sponsors, volunteers and all!

We wish you Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Thanks to you for all you and people of Ireland do for people of Belarus!

May this day be merry and full of only pleasant events and moments!

Yours, 

Dobra tut Fund

Fund is saying thanks to Gerasimenko A.V., Gomel, for transferring 100 000 BLR on our account. 

Thank you very much for support and understanding! This money are going to be spent on seeds for gardens of the orphanages. More detailed report on purchases and distributions is to be found here a little later!

We thank you once again!

Dear friends, we appreciate your every contribution. Fundrasing for seeds is still on!