| 2019 has been another very busy year, with over 120 volunteers travelling to Belarus. We've had CARE Camps running all year long with volunteers visiting every month of the year. Summer of course is a particularly bright and busy season and each year it extends making the winter shorter for our dear friends in Cherven and Gorodishche. |  |
We kicked off the summer with two groups of Transition Year students. The boys from Good Counsel College, New Ross, Co. Wexford and girls from St. Mary's College, Arklow. This was the second year of this TY program and both groups got on brilliantly, doing themselves and their schools very proud. We'll have more on this in another post but for now here's a lovely message we received from one of these wonderful young people;
"I'm just back from Gorodishche volunteering with my school St. Mary’s Arklow and I just want to say that I had such an amazing experience spending my time with the children and it has really made me want to do so much more charity work and I now know how important it is to fundraise to help them reach their full potential! I didn’t realise how quickly you could form such a bond with the children and young adults and it really has made me see things in a different light and what actually matters💚 I am so grateful for the opportunity that this charity has given me and I can’t wait to travel out again as soon as possible to again experience what has become a huge part of my life."
If you have been following us on social media (Which you definitely should be😄), be it Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you'll know the rest of the summer flew by with groups from all over Ireland; Mayo, Dublin, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Kerry and Cork travelling to Belarus to spend time with the children and young adults with disabilities in Gorodishche and Cherven orphanages. The children and young people feed off the energy the Irish bring and spirits remain high long after they depart. Our volunteer program ran long after summer and all through autumn with groups spending time in both orphanages.
Each CARE Camp is unique, but they all bring something special and important to the lives of our friends in Belarus. Simply by being there to hold a hand or sit by a bed, to sing a song, give a hug, push a swing, throw a ball, all of these little moments are precious moments, creating memories, developing friendships, stimulating the mind, getting the body moving, getting sunshine and fresh air into the lungs. The groups organise a variety of activities catering to all abilities and needs. Simple sensory play and massage for those bed bound can bring such joy to those little faces, handmade sensory toys with colours, lights, textures, and sounds are like whole new worlds of wonder. Massages improve circulation and of course when finished with a brand new pair of socks, who wouldn't be smiling!
When the weather allows, our volunteers do as many outdoor activities as possible, bringing those in wheelchairs and those mobile out for walks, getting the bodies moving with simple games and activities, outdoor discos, games of volleyball, soccer, you name it! Art, music and baking are firm favourites also.
Each CARE Camp is unique, but they all bring something special and important to the lives of our friends in Belarus. Simply by being there to hold a hand or sit by a bed, to sing a song, give a hug, push a swing, throw a ball, all of these little moments are precious moments, creating memories, developing friendships, stimulating the mind, getting the body moving, getting sunshine and fresh air into the lungs. The groups organise a variety of activities catering to all abilities and needs. Simple sensory play and massage for those bed bound can bring such joy to those little faces, handmade sensory toys with colours, lights, textures, and sounds are like whole new worlds of wonder. Massages improve circulation and of course when finished with a brand new pair of socks, who wouldn't be smiling!
When the weather allows, our volunteers do as many outdoor activities as possible, bringing those in wheelchairs and those mobile out for walks, getting the bodies moving with simple games and activities, outdoor discos, games of volleyball, soccer, you name it! Art, music and baking are firm favourites also.
A big treat is when the volunteers organise excursions, be it local walks to the park for ice cream or to the lake on very hot days to cool down or, more recently to the new pizzeria (the kids in Cherven are very happy with this place that has arrived in town, they've already visited it multiple times with volunteers!) Sometimes trips are organised for further a field, to nearby towns for activities such as the cinema, fairground, petting zoo, circus etc. These days are always very exciting and a break from their daily routine.
Among our groups of CARE Camps were also some medical volunteers, Seán was over for a second time this year doing a lot of work fixing and readjusting chairs, fitting and delivering new ones, for both children and young people in Cherven and the local community and hardly finding a moments rest amongst all the work! He also sent over a brand new chair on the most recent truck, you can see Sveta here is much more comfortable now.
We also had our physio volunteers working with some of the children in Gorodishche using the standing frames kindly donated by people in Ireland, checking on those who had been introduced into the physio program last year and also getting some younger children started on the program. Working together with the staff and a local doctor to ensure the continued success and expansion of the project. These standing frames have many physical and emotional health benefits for the children who are bed-bound and so it's fantastic to see it in action and everyone embracing it.
We also had our physio volunteers working with some of the children in Gorodishche using the standing frames kindly donated by people in Ireland, checking on those who had been introduced into the physio program last year and also getting some younger children started on the program. Working together with the staff and a local doctor to ensure the continued success and expansion of the project. These standing frames have many physical and emotional health benefits for the children who are bed-bound and so it's fantastic to see it in action and everyone embracing it.
A big thank you to all our volunteers who have travelled so far this year. It's been a busy but successful and beneficial one for all involved.
Thank you also to our volunteers who do trojan work here in Ireland.
Thank you for your continued support without which we'd be lost.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh!
Спасибо вам большое 🌻
Thank you also to our volunteers who do trojan work here in Ireland.
Thank you for your continued support without which we'd be lost.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh!
Спасибо вам большое 🌻
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