What We Do
Vesnovo Children’s Mental Asylum
Project Background
Vesnovo ‘Mental Asylum’ is situated in an extremely remote area of South Eastern Belarus. The nearest town ‘Glutsk’ is 14 kms away. Vesnovo is a large institution that caters for approx 156 mainly abandoned children and young adults ranging in age from 5 – 25 with a wide range of intellectual and physical disabilities. There are eight ‘units’ or different sections in this Orphanage in all, one the ‘high dependency unit’ is home to about 30 children who are bedridden and highly dependent on labour intensive physical care. Until recently the children were living in substandard, unhygienic conditions where they were not receiving the proper level of care or stimulation. Due to a shortage of nursing staff who were willing to work in desperate conditions in a rural area these children were living a quality of life that can only be described as lacking in the basic human dignity that is the right of any child. 
Upon discovering the conditions at Vesnovo CCPI initiated a strategic long-term plan incorporating the renovation and refurbishment of each unit to a high standard and the investment in the farm attached to the orphanage to enable reliable and sustainable production. CCPI’s first task was employing extra nurses to help with this situation. Their initial role was assessing some of the basic needs of the high dependency children.
CCPI’s response has been three-fold to date, firstly the employment of extra nurses, secondly the delivery of humanitarian aid, nappies, medical, food etc. Thirdly, a major building renovation of the orphanage carried out by Irish building volunteers. The building renovation involved ripping out everything back to bare walls and fitting all new floors, walls, ceilings, windows, doors, sanitation equipment, wiring, plumbing, wiring, beds and furniture. _51462819.jpg)
To date CCPI have renovated and refurbished three units, one of which includes the high dependency unit, which housed some of Vesnovo’s neediest children. Improvements have also been made to the sanitation and washroom facilities so that the quality of life will continue to improve for these children every day. By developing a long term relationship with Belarusian Health professionals and the Director of Vesnovo we are helping the local people help themselves, and giving “a hand up versus a hand out”.
However there are five units remaining in the asylum which require renovation in order for CCPI to improve the quality of each child’s built environment and improve the health, sanitation and comfort levels of the neediest children whose lives will be spent in the Vesnovo Asylum. Assistance with this project is desperately needed click here to find out what you can do.
