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You may have read the newspaper articles about the work of Chernobyl Children Life Line or perhaps you have listened to someone from a local link of the charity giving a talk to a Rotary club, women’s guild or some other organisation about what we are trying to achieve. Perhaps you may have met some of the “Chernobyl” children during their visit to your local area or a friend, relative or neighbour is involved with the charity. You have become sufficiently interested in Chernobyl Children's Life Line that you are browsing the web for more information and you are probably asking yourselves – Could we become a host family? What is involved? What are we letting ourselves in for  !!!

What is a Chernobyl Child? 

Every child in Belarus is a deserving child, regardless of social background and family circumstances.  Belarus is a developing country that has suffered most from the fall-out caused by the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986.

Many of the children who come to the UK may appear normal and healthy, but they are all subjected to the effects of radiation, and that is increasingly obvious by the numbers of children born with deformities, or suffering from cancers and other radiation related illnesses.  Their plight is often worsened by lack of medical facilities, contaminated food, shortage of medicines, lack of nutrition, poor and over crowded living conditions, unemployment, and difficult family circumstances.

Each child will be different, but few will have enjoyed the comforts and facilities we take so much for granted.  Many of the children will have been uprooted from the countryside because of radiation problems and relocated in towns, living in overcrowded flats in tower blocks.  They may not be too familiar with the concept of privacy and may appear fussy about their food because of stomach problems.

Belarusian people are proud and the children may not like to admit to shortages or lack of facilities (some may even exaggerate about what they do have).  What is certain, is that the parents and guardians of these children are desperate to send their children abroad for this once in a lifetime opportunity to come to the UK for a months respite care where they can benefit from good, uncontaminated food, clean water, fresh air, and a chance for respite from all these concerns and difficulties.

Doctors and scientists are now also discovering that many of the children are not only battling thyroid cancer and leukaemia as a result of the Chernobyl disaster, but are now finding that they are ingesting so much contamination there is a steep rise in reported cases of intestinal cancers and heart defects. Post mortem examinations on children are revealing that their organs resemble those of 70-year old people rather than young children.

Police checking of host families

Our charity is no different from any other organisation that deals with children or vulnerable adults. All our host families have to be police checked, after all, would you send your own children to a foreign country to live with total strangers for a month without knowing the family was of good character. 

The position of the Plymouth & District Link of Chernobyl Children Life Line is that all prospective host families, support families and others, such as drivers, who have contact with the children will require a enhanced disclosure certificate from The Criminal Records Bureau. This will be requested on their behalf by the Plymouth & District Link and will not incur any financial outlay, only the completion of the application form. More information on the Disclosure process may be found on their website www.crb.gov.uk

Host families

Host families come in all shapes and sizes from families with young children of their own, single parents, working couples to retired couples whose children have long flown the nest. The only exception is single males who will not be considered as host parents because of the rules of the charity.

Being a host parent to a child from perhaps a rural area of Belarus can be hard work but also very rewarding. Their way of life in Belarus is totally different from ours and living with a host family that takes for granted such things as running water, hot baths and showers, flush toilets, central heating, television, etc, etc, can be rather a culture shock to them. The children, however, soon settle in and begin enjoying all these western “luxuries”.  

Language

One of the most frequently asked questions is about language. Communication is NOT the major problem people imagine. Miming and signing can get the message over, often with much hilarity on both sides, and quite quickly the children start to pick up words and phrases in English as we do words and phrases in Russian. Each group of children has a leader/interpreter who is always available to sort out minor problems or misunderstandings and for visits to the dentist or optician where language is important.

Clothing

When the children arrive in this country many of them arrive with little in the way of clothes. A few clothes in a small holdall or a bin liner and feet crammed into shoes, which they have long outgrown, is not an uncommon sight at the airport. This is a direct result of the economic situation in Belarus, which is grim, and results in many families struggling to survive on a monthly wage that is often less than the equivalent of US$50.

Although the children arrive with little, we make sure they take advantage of their 30kg luggage allowance on the return journey, returning home laden with clothes for their brothers, sisters and parents from what has been collected or donated.

Activities

A wide and varied programme of events and outings is arranged for the children during their visit. Swimming, horse riding, ten pin bowling, beach barbeques (many of the children have never been to the seaside !) visits to places of interest, go karting, etc ,etc are all regular favourites. The main reason that the children are here is to get away from the contamination in Belarus for a month and have a “health break” that will improve their general health. As far as the children are concerned they return home having enjoyed a holiday they will never forget.

Returning Home

A word of warning to all prospective host parents – When these children return home to their families in Belarus it is hard to say goodbye. They have become very much part of your family over the past four weeks and many friendships have been made. Most of the children return home looking much healthier than when they arrived and this is a constant source of satisfaction for us in the Plymouth & District Link.

When host families receive letters from the families of the children in Belarus it is also very apparent how much their parents appreciate everything that has been done for their children in this country.

Still Interested ????If you are interested in becoming a host family, a support family or would like to help in any way please contact us by clicking here or telephone either of the following numbers for an informal chat.

The chairperson for Sunflowers is Joanne Stephens. 01752 513458

Secretary is Vanessa Donoghue