SPECIAL PRIZE The Westport branch of the Chernobyl Children’s Project, winners of the best bilingual float at the St Patrick’s Day parade in association with Gnó Mhaigh Eo and the Chamber of Commerce, receiving their €250 from John Durkin, CEO, with Fiona Reynolds, committee; Laura Ní Éanacháin, Gnó Mhaigh Eo, Geraldine Butler and Anne Gibbons, Secretary, Westort branch. Pic: Frank Dolan
Westport Chernobyl Group begins its most ambitious fund-raising campaign yet
Neill O’Neill
THE Westport Outreach Group of the Chernobyl Children’s Project International (CCPI), has begun an ambitious local fund-raising campaign, through which they hope to raise €50,000 in the next three years to buy a foster home in Belarus.
Twenty-two years have passed since the worst nuclear accident in history left a dark cloud hanging over the lives of millions of people in Eastern Europe, and today millions of children in the region struggle to live anything resembling a normal life in orphanages.
The Chernobyl disaster orphaned a generation in the areas most affected by contamination and those born since still live in the shadow of its legacy. But now, with the help of the local community, the Westport Outreach Group of CCPI want to change the lives of some of these children by buying a house in which foster parents will live with them, and attempt to provide them with as normal a family life as is possible.
The cost of the house must be met by the local group and then the running of it will be left to the Belorussian authorities, who will place suitable foster parents and needy children in it.
Every year since 1995 the Westport Outreach Group, working in unison with the CCPI, have brought groups of children from Belarus to Westport. Deputy Group Leader of the Westport Outreach Group, Caitriona Kelly, said that the people of Westport have shown exceptional generosity and kindness over the past 13 years, and that her organistaion hopes this will continue over the next three years as they endeavour to complete their biggest task yet.
“We are looking at the various things we need to do at the moment and hope to launch several special fund-raising events in the coming months,” she told The Mayo News. “People can help out on this project in any way they like, and while we will be organising special events like a fashion show – which will take place in Louisburgh on June 1 next – we would also gratefully welcome any effort, suggestion or time that any person could give to aid us in reaching our target figure.
“Last year, for example, we raised €5,000 during the Dublin Mini-Marathon in June, and if anybody would like to run it under our banner this year, then we can organise sponsorship cards for them. The committee is open to all fund-raising ideas and we really hope we can make this project a reality. We also hope to be able to deliver progress reports to the local community along the way.”
A bank account in the name of ‘Chernobyl Children’s Project’ is now open in the AIB on Shop Street in Westport, for anyone who wishes to make a donation.
