Families from across Donegal will welcome children who have been affected by the Chernobyl disaster to the county next week.
A group of 11 children – seven of which will travel to Inishowen – will arrive in the north-west from Belarus and Ukraine on Wednesday (June 26) to experience what it is like to live in Ireland.
More than 30 years ago the Chernobyl nuclear disaster launched a radioactive cloud across much of Europe. The catastrophe has once again been played out on our television screens, in a drama being rated one of the best shows of all time.
The children are staying with host families for four weeks and it is estimated that the cleaner air prolongs the children’s lives by up to two years.
During this time, they will have a full programme of activities and will visit local attractions.
In 1986, the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant, which is located 12km south of the Belarusian border, exploded.
To this day, large numbers of people in Belarus live in contaminated areas which has no access to clean food.
It is estimated it will take up to 400 years to rid Belarus of contamination many children exposed to the have damaged immune systems.
In 1988, 83 children were revealed to have thyroid gland problems. In 1989 the number was 807, and in 1990 it had risen to 9,924.
More than €12,000 in donations have been made during the screening of the harrowing HBO and Sky Atlantic series in recent weeks.
Chernobyl Children International’s (CCI) founder and voluntary CEO, Adi Roche welcomed the spike in donations but said the charity is down significantly on its 2019 budget.
She said: “We are a long way from where we need to be. We hope the success of the series will translate into increased donations. But we have been at this for 30 years.
“This disaster fades from the headlines, and from the memories of ordinary people but this series has quietly taken the world by storm.
“It has revealed the truth, it tells the inconvenient truth and honours the stories of those involved,” Roche added.
“It manages to get behind what really happened in a digestible fashion for people who are not nuclear scientists. With its raw truth-telling, this series has burst the bubble of lies and deception and cover-up.
“It has re-inspired us and re-enthused us.”
If you would like to host a child next year please contact the Foyle and Inishowen outreach group press office on 0863903030.