Dear friends,

We are asking for your help again.

The spring has come and it means that the institutions are getting ready to start their agricultural life. The orphanages that we support have their own gardens and green houses where workers and residents work closely together to crop vegetables for themselves. Most of them grow vegetables for the whole winter! Also this kind of work for the residents is not only pure labor but also a possibility to feel needed and busy.

That’s why we ask for your support in purchasing vegetable seeds suck as:

-onions (MOSTLY NEEDED)

-cucumbers

-cabbage

-reddish

-carrot

-beetroot

-beans, etc

 For our friends in different asylums – Stolbtsy (Kul village), Cherven, Yazovki, Svir, Gorodische and others.

We have already got some money on our account for that, but it’s not enough unfortunately. The government budget is also very short. Thus we hope for you!

We would gladly welcome any support! Thanks a million in advance! 

Dear friends, we are happy to inform that the microwave oven for the children from Unit 6 in Cherven children’s orphanage is purchased and successfully delivered. From the bottom of our hearts we thank Nina Shydlouskaya for her quick response to our request and for providing funds to purchase an oven for the children who are on special feeding programme. We are also attaching the photographs of the oven itself and the invoice. The rest of the money that was put on our charity account is going to be used to get seeds for orphanages’ gardens and greenhouses. You will find information on that in our further reports.

Nina, thank you so much for your kindness and tenderness and selfless heart! We wish you and your family lots of happiness and wellbeing! 

Dearest friends,

It hard to believe that another year has passed by. And we are here again celebrating Christmas and about to greet a new year.

It was a really wonderful time, many things have been finished and a lot more have been started. Lots achieved. We have tried hard to support as many people as possible. And surely we are hoping to do more.

So today we would love to thank all our friends from Ireland – Burren Chernobyl Project, Chernobyl Children’s Trust and all other charities that have been cooperating with us to support people of Belarus. We thank all volunteers and donators, we thank all those who was organizing fundraisers, who was helping with humanitarian aid trucks, who was donating, who came over to Belarus to various orphanages and institutions, who have brought new ideas and started new projects. We know that life isn’t easy anymore, so that why we thank you twice for what you do for Belarus.

Thanks a million to all of you.

We wish you, and your wonderful families Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We send you all our love and warmth of our hearts.

Looking forward to seeing or hearing from you soon.

Always yours,

“Dobra tut” Charity

Today is a significant day for many people. The first church, that has ever been built on site of an asylum, was blessed by higher clergy of our country. Today the church opened its doors to the most important congregation – people living in the Cherven psycho neurological asylum, village Yazovki, Minsk region, and also for the people from the nearest villages.

This is a true miracle, that the idea that appeared in the head of the asylum director 3 years ago found response in the hearts of many people. Way to creation of the church was long and arduous. Nearly everybody was involved into fundraising money, materials and decoration. And nearly everybody worked. Local companies, and organizations, as well as the workers from the asylum and the residents themselves made their contribution. Our Fund has also supported the church. Having opened on our website a special project, we managed to fundraise some money and attract volunteers who helped my building and inner décor works.

And today we are happy to say thanks on behalf of the residents of this asylum to those who were taking active part in this project, to those who were donating money, who were helping to work, to those who were involved because they knew how important the spiritual support was. A special gratitude we would like to express to archbishop Veniamin, father Valerian (Smilovichi), brother Alexei who has done all the décor, archpriest Alexandr, Cherven, and all the other cleric people who took part in the whole event.

This was a very special day. Today we brought grace with us that we’ve obtained in this special place and that will remain in our hearts and in the hearts of those who have been at a miraculous event.

Today we have brought to Cherven children’s orphanage some boxes and packs of clothes, toys and CDs, that we have got from Anna Trubachova, Alexandr Zhdanovich and Olga Ermakova recently. The things are going to be accounted and distributed around the Units.

And we say thank you very much and wish you all the very best on behalf of the children!

Thanks a million!!!

After some break in autumn a group of Irish volunteers came to visit some places in Belarus from 20th to 27th of November. Supervised by Brian O’Sullivan, a medical director of Burren Chernobyl Project, the group spent a very busy and fantastic week in the country. The most important point of the week was Brian’s lecturing at the International conference on palliative care that was held in Minsk from 21st to 23d of November. He shared his experience in palliative rehab with the other participants of the conference from different countries, like South Africa, USA, UK, Russia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus.

Then the week brought them over to Cherven children’s orphanage, where our volunteers work very closely with the medical stuff. They have sponsored medications, brought lots of toys and stationary, makeup for girls in various units, also sponsored shoes for some girls in Unit 3. They have also purchased some antiflu meds for Cherven psycho- neurological asylum in village Yazovki.

Also the volunteers – Brian, Suzanne, Fiona – visited some families in the local community to support them in various aspects.

The visit was very productive and we can’t wait to see them here again! Thanks from everybody on Belarusian side for a fabulous week and a lovely company!!!

We must confess that our summer was mental but so nice! But unfortunately it came to an end and we are glad to share our news that we couldn't share as the time was extremely busy.

So let's start!

Group of Ronan Cullanan that have visited Cherven children's orphanage and Ivenets school for special needs children as well as some families with special needs children and young adults have done a fantastic job in all places! They have brought 2 specially made seats for boys Anton and Kolya — each seat worth 2 500 euro! The lads have also reviewed and repaired some of the wheelchairs in Cherven children's orphanage and those in some families, have supplied necessary dressings, catheters.

Group of Rowena Curran that have visited Gorodische and Cherven children'sorphanages from 17th to 28th July have dome mighty job as well:

• The volunteers have played with the children in both places; have purchased clothes, shoes, and stationary.
• organized disco and movie for the young adults from Cherven children's orphanage,
• purchased linoleum and a CD player for some groups in Cherven.

Group of "Roche Pharmaceuticals" that have spent their time from 28.07 to 04.08 in Minsk have organized a week of holidays for a group of wheel-chaired children from Gorodische children's orphanage. The girls have spent a lovely week with the children providing the full sponsorship for their holidays including food, entertainment, accommodation and transport. The volunteers and the children had so much fun. They have visited the Zoo, went on a tour to see the night lights of Minsk, visited the Hill of Glory, and the National Airport Minsk 2 to see the exhibited planes. They have also taken part in a magician show and a clown show, organized parties with face paintings, lots of sweeties and bubbles and balloons.

Group of Ned Hayden have visited several orphanages from the 28.07 to 11.08: Cherven children's orphanage and Cherven adult asylum in village Yazovki and also Borisov adult asylum in village Tarasiki.

They have purchased honey for both Cherven children's and adult places, organized a disco in the local cinema for the older boys and girls and an outing to town for the girls in wheelchairs from Unit 3.

Spent a week in Tarasiki, have brought clothes for the adults and helped at arts and crafts workshop.

Group of Edel Smith was really busy from 11th to 18th of August.They have organized 3 trips to Minsk for the older boys' and girls' groups of Cherven children's orphanage, visited cinemas, amusement park, McDonald's. Have also visited families in Borisov and Cherven. Made a few trips to Ivenets special needs school, organized a magician show for the children of Ivenets, some outings to town with ice-cream and sweets.

Groups of Bernadette Queally, Laura Williams, Kathleen Lynch have spent their fantastic time in Gorodische children's orphanage in August. They have organized trips for the children to Novogrudok, visited Adam Mitskevich's museum and castle mounting there, have been to the Lake Svityaz, Mir castle, went to an exhibition of exotic butterflies in Baranovichi.

The volunteers have organized camping for the children outside the orphanage, took part in celebrating children's birthdays.

Also purchased some necessary things for the children like 50 matrasses, clothes, and shoes, stationary. Purchased yogurts and sweets for parties. Brought lots of toys and jewelry from Ireland.

Lots has been done, the summer was great! We thank all our volunteers that have made this summer for children and adults of our orphanages and asylums unforgettable!

We are looking forward to meeting you again and not only in summer but any time of the year!

With all our love and gratitude,
"Dobra tut" Fund

Last week Gorodische children's orphanage opened their doors to a group of Irish volunteers. And again smiles, children's laughter, tons of happiness and fun.

Volunteers of Burren Chernobyl Project always bring lots of joy and happiness to the children of Gorodische. A group of 9 ladies sent their time with an incredible use: they helped looking after children in beds, played with more able children and every evening were playing football with older boys and girls.

They have also bought load of things: T-shirts, shorts, footwear, brought loads of toys and jewelry from Ireland, provided additional foodstuffs for Unit 2 and yogurts for most of the groups.

The week flew and the saying goodbye was very emotional. But we hope to see them again next year! Thanks you very much for an amazing week and lovely presents!

The Humanitarian aid that arrived to the Fund from Burren Chernobyl
Project in May is delivered according to the distribution plan.

Clothes, footwear, bed linen, blankets, wheelchairs, walking aid for special needs
people are gone not only to the orphanages and institutions but also to
social care centres. Detailed information can be found in the Report section.

We are about to say good bye to 2 groups of Burren Chernobyl Project volunteers that have spent this week in Gorodische and Cherven children’s orphanages. The week was busy for both groups.

Gorodische group have put money on the orphanage account for current needs, purchased shorts, T-shirts, summer shoes, brought jewelry, toys from Ireland. Sure evening football matches were a good entertainment for the children, and yogurts for little ones were a nice treat!

Cherven group have also done a big job: purchased a T.V set, got glasses for the big boys, brought jewelry from Ireland for the big girls, purchased some stuff for arts and crafts, foodstuffs for the children’s kitchen. Organized a little party and a football match for the big boys and girls.

The time flew and it’s time for the Irish volunteers to go back home. But we are looking forward to new meetings and say thank a million for their help!

We just said a farewell to Brian and Maria that have spent a week in Cherven children’s orphanage volunteering in different groups. The week was really very fruitful. Brian, one of the Directors of Burren Chernobyl Projects, has visited Belarussian Children’s hospital and a baby orphanage in Minsk to get some ideas how to improve the quality of life of the children in Cherven orphanage. Also they went to visit some of the families in the community and contributed a good amount of money to a family whose member is suffering from a very complicated disease.

But surely major work was done in Cherven children’s orphanage. Brian and Maria saw most of the children from nearly all 11 Units. The volunteers have spent some time with young adults having so much fun outside playing games, treating the children with ice-cream, etc. Also they have visited groups of severely disabled children, helping feeding them and playing with them.

It has been a fantastic week! We say thank you very much for a wonderful time and all your priceless help! No doubt we are looking forward to seeing you again soon!

This year became significant for both Burren Chernobyl Project and Charity Fund “Dobra tut”. Both organizations were celebrating their anniversaries: 20 years of Burren Chernobyl Project and 5 years of “Dobra tut”.

The event took place in April in Minsk. Honorable guests of the celebration were representatives of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Department of Humanitarian Aid, the Social Service Committee of Minsk as well as the directors of the orphanages and asylums, social service centers and other organizations we have been working with for all these years.

Warm atmosphere, plenty of nice words, congratulations and words of gratitude were expressed to all the representatives and volunteers of Burren Chernobyl Project whose incredible work during these years have made a big difference to the people of Belarus. Special thanks went to Liam O’Meara who has become a link between the two countries and a well-known representative of Burren Chernobyl Project.

Official thank you letters to Burren Chernobyl Project were given by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Department of Humanitarian Aid, the Social service committee and surely by the orphanages and asylums, social service centers and organizations. Workers of Charity Fund “Dobra tut” were also thanked for their work.

The guests were entertained by the group of Irish dancing “BassDance” and a blues band  “Bluesmobile”. Some well known people of the Belarusian cultural and music live also attended the celebration: Mariya and Mikhail Mitskevich – the relatives of a famous Belarusian poet Yakub Kolas, Oleg Homenko (folk band “Palats”), musicians of the rock band “ZM99” that were taking part in the charity rock concert “Dobry Fest”.

We thank everybody who was there with us that day, and those who couldn’t come for the celebrations but were there in their thoughts. Thanks a million to all of you!

We would like to say thank you to Jauhien Buzouski for the money transferred to our account. It's going to be used for one of the orphanages needs. Surely the report will be one the way.

Thanks a lot!

The first Irish volunteers of Burren Chernobyl Project in Cherven this year were Ronan and Dervla. Young people came to visit
the children and helped in any way they could. Most of their time was spent in Unit 6 of Cherven children’s orphanage, they also visited Children’s Hospice in Minsk to share experience on children’s care and went to see some of the families with special needs children.

The volunteers have brought some toys and stationary, purchased a microwave and special dishes for one of the units in the orphanage. Altogether Ronan and Dervla spent 5 days in Cherven but that was a very productive and interesting time.

We thank you very much for your help, support and attention! Looking forward to seeing you soon again!