| There’s no rest for the wicked they say. Well we certainly hit the ground running this year. We’re only one month into 2020 and there's already been so much going on. January has been a very busy and productive month for us both in Ireland and in Belarus. From volunteer groups to truck loads and everything in between, here are just a few of the highlights from the past few weeks. |  |
Cherven Orphanage
Our friends in Cherven Orphanage were treated to a wonderful Christmas surprise from BCP volunteer Dean at the start of the month. Dean and Alena organised a trip to Minsk to see all the New Years decorations and lights around the city. The boys and girls had a fantastic day, full of wonder at the giant trees covered in lights and decorations. A highlight of course being a trip to KFC for some yummy refueling after a busy day! You can imagine the excitement for all involved, especially birthday boy Jenya, a birthday he won't forget for a long time!
| Our local volunteers also paid a visit to some of the children and young people in Cherven this month. Katya and Lisa travelled from Minsk to spend quality time with some of the groups. The older girls in particular love having the company and the chats. They have been visiting for a long time now and so have formed great bonds with them. |  |
A big thank you to our volunteers, Irish and Belarusian alike for brightening these winter days for the children.
Gorodishche Orphanage
We had two groups of volunteers travel to Gorodishche recently. Winter isn’t normally a time one might think of heading off to an even colder country to volunteer but in the past few years, with thanks to long third level Christmas breaks, our physio students from the University of Limerick have taken this break in January from their studies as an opportunity to share their love and training, to help the children and young adults in Gorodishche. January can be a long, dark month especially after the Christmas and New Years activities but our volunteers brighten spirits bringing warmth and fun for everyone.
 | Our groups organised all sorts of activities for everyone, not as many outdoor opportunities as in our summer CARE camps but more than enough fun and games indoors to keep everyone entertained, with discos and parties a plenty. One of the most important jobs for our volunteers is to celebrate the childrens birthdays, and in winter these are even more special as the children wouldn’t get quite the same celebration and fuss made of them if the Irish aren’t visiting. So it’s fair to say there were smiles all round for our birthday boys and girls the past few weeks. |
Well done to all our volunteers. Welcome to our new physio volunteers, here’s to the continued connection between these fabulous students and Gorodishche.
Thank you all.
Thank you all.
Humanitarian Shipment
Early on the 4th of January in Ennistymon we loaded Truck 113. Despite a busy time of year and short notice we had a huge turn out of our loyal volunteers and some very welcome new faces too. Thank you to all who helped on the day, to those who loaded, and those who prepared the goodies for afterwards, everyone had a smile and we flew through it.
Many hands make light work :)
Many hands make light work :)
| Not only did we load the truck but it has already landed in Belarus, arriving to our HQ in Minsk just this week. Our crew were on hand ready to unload everything into storage where it will be further sorted and distributed over the next few months. These supplies will go to different places across Belarus; orphanages, asylums, old folks homes, hospices, day centers and some very needy families in rural areas. |  |
Olga
There are so many stories we could tell about the people who benefit from these items. We have met some incredible individuals and families over the years. Their stories, and the strength they show is inspiring. We are constantly blown away by the reactions, the genuine gratitude, and the overwhelming joy, when they receive this help.
 | One such story is about a family from Gomel, in the south east of Belarus. The Zhevnerov Family doesn't have much, but they have opened their hearts and their home to a young boy with special needs. Not only have they welcomed Alosha into their family but they strive to help others too. They regularly help a group of young people in an independent living house for young people with disabilities outside Gomel. The family reached out to us as Olga, a young woman living there was in need of a chair that would help her be more independent. The donation of an electric wheelchair from Ireland has changed Olgas life and they were all extremely grateful to all who made this possible: |
“Your kind hearts, care and sincere desire to help have changed the life of a person I deeply care about for the better, and this is amazing! Freedom of movement is a priceless gift. Dear friends from Burren Chernobyl Project and the Dobra Tut Charity Fund, you have reassured us that there is good in people and that the good always wins. Thanks a million again!!!”
Building Programme
| Our building programme is constantly active, with many little projects popping up throughout the year. Some smaller electrical and plumbing projects in Yazovki and Tarasiki adult asylums have been keeping Yuri busy recently. There has also been fantastic progress made on the independent living house in Gorodishche during the winter months. This work was made possible by the incredible generosity of our volunteers who raised the funds for the completion of the project. Liam visited this week and saw the great work being done, the young people who will be living in it are getting very excited seeing this dream come to life. |  |
It has been a fantastic month, and may it be a sign of a great year ahead for us all! It’s easy to see the common thread throughout these projects and programmes, and that is you and your support. Thank you all, without your continued support, none of the above good stories would be possible.
спасибо всем за вашу поддержку!
спасибо всем за вашу поддержку!
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