Chernobyl children’s visits to stop

Westport Chernobyl group to appeal visits ban


Ciara Galvin

For the past 20 years families around Westport have been hosting children from Belarus, one of the most badly affected areas of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Last week the host families had a tearful goodbye to what could be the last group of children to visit Westport as part of the Westport Chernobyl Outreach Group.
Speaking to The Mayo News, group leader Una Canning expressed her sadness at the ‘phasing out’ of the outreach programme.
“It was decided at a Board of Directors meeting last November that they would phase it out over the next few years, but they [Chernobyl International] mean now,” explained Ms Canning.
Reasons for the unexpected phasing out include diminishing resources within groups, not being able to fundraise, that Irish donors are supporting causes closer to home and that taking children 3,000 miles away is not sustainable.
Ms Canning, who has been hosting children for the last six years said she doesn’t agree with some of the reasons.
“We cannot understand why they want to stop it. You fundraise hard for it [annual visit] and you really make a commitment to get the money for it. I fundraised a lot in Westport and people were so good. Everybody will give to Chernobyl in Westport, nobody will pass you by,” said Ms Canning.
For the most recent trip, 13 families hosted a total of 10 children for the past four weeks. While detailing the activities the children got to participate in throughout the four week stay, Ms Canning noted that none of it would have been possible without the support from local businesses and people.
“They were swimming, horse riding, surfing, given ‘back to school’ stuff and eaten in places and nobody charges you, it’s incredible,” said the group leader.
“They [the children] have come for so long and they’re not coming anymore and we’re really sad about that,” added Ms Canning.
Determined to reverse the decision of founder of the programme Adi Roche, Ms Canning said she and members of the committee will be lodging an appeal in relation to the stopping of the outreach programme.
But for now the group wish to thank the people of Westport, Newport, Mulranny, Louisburgh and Achill for their continued support over the past 20 years.