The Adi Roche Chernobyl Children’s charity (CCI) has this week joined forces with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Belarus, contributing to UNICEF’s Flash Appeal to support vulnerable children and families in the response to COVID-19.

The charity was one of the first responders to the Chernobyl Disaster in 1986 and has invested €3.5 million over the last 34 years to improving the plight faced by children abandoned to institutional care by addressing urgent needs of children and young people in Vesnovo Institution and advancing many deinstitutionalisation programmes to find solutions for children to be living in family supported care or assisted living options.

Vesnova Orphanage, one of CCI’s flagship De-institutionalisation projects in Belarus, has confirmed cases of Covid 19. These children were hospitalized for care and CCI has worked with the institution staff to take all steps possible to prevent further infection.

Responding to the crisis, CCI has already made three deliveries of much needed medicines and personal protection equipment (PPE) to Vesnovo. Further, CCI has now donated €10,000 to UNICEF Belarus’ COVID-19 Flash Appeal Response which is directed to provide immediate procurement needs to prevent and control infection, as well as to ensure education and social protection facilities providing support for frontline workers and children and their families to remain safe.

Volunteer CEO Adi Roche said, “We have been working closely with the Belarusian Mogilev Oblast Committee of Labour and Social Protection since the outbreak at Vesnovo was detected and we are delighted to be co-operating with UNICEF in trying to limit the spread of the virus, including among some of the most vulnerable children as those in Vesnovo who already have comprised immunity due to their complex disabilities”.

“We have entered into a formal agreement with UNICEF to collaborate in the work of bringing much needed support to the children in Vesnovo and other children and their families in institutions and other facilities to be better protected from COVID-19.”

To date CCI has invested €107 million worth of aid and operates several life-altering programmes in Belarus and Ukraine which provide hope and alleviate the suffering of the victims of the Chernobyl Disaster.