Some of you may be interested in this young Russian woman's photo diary of Chernobyl as it appears today.

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/ki.../chapter1.html

Fascinating. Thanks for posting this very moving photo diary.

That is the most amazing thing I've seen in a long long time. Incredibly moving.

Great find. Thanks.

An amazing young lady. What an incredible report.

<b><i>Thanks Elana</i></b> for a beautiful tribute to the many innocent that never knew what hit them until it was too late. What a human tragedy.

and once again, Thanks <b>dcespedes</b> for posting the link.

What a haunting reminder of a terrible disaster.

Amazing. Thanks for posting it.
Annette

There is a charity in Ireland that organizes a convoy of donations to Chernobyl every April. Volunteers drive the loaded trucks across Europe to the Chernobyl orphanages, hospitals, and rural communities, where they put the donations directly into the hands of the children and their caregivers.

This long standing relationship has also resulted in many of the Chernobyl orphans traveling to Ireland to spend the Christmas hoildays with Irish host families.

The 2004 Oscar for Best Documentary (perhaps the wrong title) was won by a short film about this charity, which also organizes necessary medical care for the children of Chernobyl.

As a very small gesture of support, I am presently knitting winter scarves for the children. My goal is to have at least three dozen warm, thick scarves in cheerful colors ready for next April's convoy.

The name of the organization is the Chernobyl Children's Project. They have a website at http://www.chernobyl-ireland.com. To email for more information, contact [email protected]

This url should be sent to newspapers around the country.

Wow, I have read so much about it but now I have seen it. so sad.

Such a sad story...Very movings..Poor people, how much they had to suffer..

talk about time frozen - really haunting

thanks dcepedes

thanks Elena

Wow.

Moving and heartbreaking and I wish that those who can prevent something like this happening again could see this diary!
Thank you dcespedes~

I'd bet this is the clearest, most precise coverage of that terrible incident that has been captured to date. Absolutely haunting.

Thank you for sharing, dcespedes.

I passed the URL on to the Boston Globe and NYTimes, hoping...

Croque Madame, I am delighted you know about this project. I have been aware of the group it over the years and every Christmas its a huge deal in the Irish papers when the kids come to stay for a period of time. Many also spend the summers here to improve their health.

A lot of the kids have had years added to their life by being away from all the radiation and psooibly stress of where they are coming from. Trucks go each year and the woman who runs the charity (Adi Roche) arranges these convoys and often goes herself. The people who participate on these trips are selfless as they too become exposed to the radiation through food etc. This one group makes a huges difference to the children of Chernobyl.

Some of the children are living permanently now in Ireland with families here.

Makes you realise how lucky we are if the biggest problem we have is getting a hotel under &euro;100.

Very moving. I'm speechless.

SiobhanP: What's so remarkable about the Irish who feel compassion for the youngest Chernobyl victims is that the Irish are actually doing something to lift the unspeakable grief those children and their remaining family members live with every day.

And not just a little something, either. I can only imagine the amount of organization involved in assembling and transporting the donated goods and medicines across so many miles and borders! Ari Roche deserves a Nobel prize.

My father grew up in an orphanage and it was our family custom that, whatever country we lived in at the time, we invited children from local orphanages into our home to share Christmas with us. Taking them back to the orphanages afterward was a terribly hard thing.

I am certain memories of the hunger in the eyes of those children are what motivated me to become a social worker, a hunger that we could not appease with a good meal and a few presents. What they hungered for couldn't be cooked or giftwrapped, it was for a home and family. That's what the Chernobly children have known and lost.

Your countrymen and women should be very proud of themselves, although I know pride has nothing to do with their efforts.

Croque_Madame, I agree with you they should get more recognition.

There are some amazing charity organisations founded here like Concern and Troicaire and Bothar. Many deal with famine afflicted regions i.e. Africa. It is ironic but because of our history of famine we are trying to help others generations away from our own.

I used to work for a charity (as a job not a lady who lunches!)and its amazing the organisation and work that goes into these groups. Some of the above charities have taken the outlook of future planning for the people and provided them with businesses they must pay back a portion of from profits or providing farm animals instead of a handout. People value the ongoing benefits of a business or producing animal more than a handout and progress better.

Chernobyl seems to have been forgot about over the years and the legacy is still beong passed down. People like Adi Roche have had a huge impact on the area and decided to help directly without all the beauracracy of most charities.

I think I may do the same as you croque madame and get a few things together for the next truckload.

SiobhanP: That would be great! My suggestion would be to contact the oranization via email or their website (in one of my earlier posts), as there are a few restrictions in terms of weight, not wrapping the items, etc.

That's one reason I chose to knit the scarves, they're fairly lightweight. I've also contacted the local dental society for boxes of new toothbrushes.

I'm sure you can think of lots of useful or fun things to donate to the children!