Chernobyl Children's Project International
 |
|
| Founded | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Adi Roche |
| Type | Health, Humanitarian Charity |
| Focus | Chernobyl nuclear disaster |
| Location | |
|
Area served
|
Belarus, Ukraine, European Russia |
| Website | Chernobyl Children International |
|
Formerly called
|
Chernobyl Children's Project International |
Chernobyl Children International (CCI) is a United Nations-accredited, non-profit, international development, medical, and humanitarian organisation that works with children, families and communities that continue to be affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. The organisation's founder and chief executive is Adi Roche, the Irish humanitarian and peace campaigner. Before 2010, it was known as Chernobyl Children's Project International (CCPI).
Chernobyl Children's Project International was founded in Ireland in 1991 by Adi Roche in response to an appeal from Ukrainian and Belarusian doctors for aid. Roche, previously a volunteer in a nuclear disarmament group, received a fax in 1991 which read "SOS appeal. For god's sake, please help us get the children out," which inspired her to take action. That year, Roche set up a small workspace in a spare bedroom of her home and began organising 'rest and recuperation' holidays for a few Chernobyl children. Recruiting Irish families who would welcome and care for them, CCPI began in Ireland in 1991, and expanded into the United States in 2001. It changed its name to Chernobyl Children International in 2010.
Over its lifetime, the organisation has grown in strength and numbers and is now the single largest contributor to Belarus and the fallout from Chernobyl. It works closely with the Belarusian government, the United Nations and many thousands of volunteers in Ireland, Belarus and worldwide to deliver a broad range of supports to the children and the wider community. It also acts as an advocate for the rights of those affected by the Chernobyl explosion, and engages in research and outreach activities to encourage the rest of the world to remember the victims and understand the long-term impact on their lives.
To date, Chernobyl Children's contributions exceed €91 million in direct and indirect aid, and the 'rest and recuperation program' has brought over 22,000 children to Ireland, returning an average of two years to each child's lifespan. The organisation held many large-scale events on the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on 26 April 2011.
...
Wikipedia