2009 Aid Delivery
Sorting, labeling and documenting all
the clothing supplies for over 80 children.
In August, 2009 we made our first aid delivery to the children on the
Hope for Chernobyl’s Child
sponsorship list. Although only 9 of the HCC children were sponsored, we were able to provide new
winter coats and winter boots to all 36 children thanks to many generous
donations to the general fund!
As Executive Board Members of both Hope for Chernobyl’s Child
and For the Children of the World,
Jennifer Henning and Elizabeth Tennison traveled (along with Jennifer’s
daughter, Carly) to Belarus to purchase and deliver aid
items to children and schools in three villages in the Gomel Region.
In addition to the work we did for Hope for Chernobyl’s Child,
we worked for our partner organization For the Children of the World
to provide aid to approximately 50 additional children.
In all, over 80 children were provided with coats, boots, school
supplies, school uniforms, sports shoes and/or sports uniforms.
Additionally, three village schools received much needed
equipment such as television sets, sound systems, printers, copiers,
cameras, and sports equipment. We could not have accomplished this work without our sponsorship
families, donors, and of course a team of hard-working Belarusian
translators, drivers, school directors, and friends.
Our translator, Sergei, next to the
microbus used for aid delivery.
When we arrived in Belarus, most of the coats, boots, school uniforms and sports clothing had been
purchased in Belarus already by a team of our translators with money that was sent ahead in June.
We spent one day labeling and sorting out supplies by school and children. Once everything
was sorted out, we were able to see that some items were still needed.
We spent another day in the city of Minsk searching and shopping for these items.
The first “glitch” in our mission happened the day our transportation
was to arrive to pick up all the supplies to deliver them to the
villages. We had arranged for one of our friends with a micro bus to help with the delivery.
But that morning, the micro bus wouldn’t start. At 6 a.m., our friends were able to
quickly find another micro bus and driver, (Andrei) who was willing to travel from
Dobrush to Minsk (approximately 4 hours), and then out to the Villages (about 3 hours drive)
and back to Dobrush the same day. So we loaded all the supplies into a micro bus and our luggage
into our friend, Igor’s, trailer and we were on our way! A few hours later, we were unloading
all the supplies at the school in Lipova. Andrei was able to then return home to Dobrush.
Igor would complete the aid delivery process with his car and trailer.
Jen and Elizabeth resting on Valiantsina’s
porch after a long day of aid
supplies delivery.
We spent the next day handing out coats and boots to the children on the HCC sponsorship list as well as all the first and second graders in
the school in Lipova. It was a long day, but one full of photos, smiles, thank you’s and hugs!
It was awesome to see the difference we can make in the lives of these children and their families!
We went back to Director Valiantsina’s home tired, but fulfilled.
The following day, we drove to Garocheche to deliver aid items to first
and second grade children there. After a brief meeting with parents, the rest of the day was spent
shopping with the school directors from two villages for much-needed equipment in the
towns of Kalinkavichi and Mozyr. It was a difficult day for us all. The directors had lists of
specific items they wanted to purchase for their schools, but there seemed to be a shortage
of everything. In America, we can drive to one of many electronics stores and choose almost any
model printer, copier, TV., camera, etc. in almost any quantity we want them in... instantly.
Supplies unloaded into the office of
Director Valiantsina in Lipova.
Not so in Belarus! Many stores only carry one of each type of item. We searched (no kidding)
about 20 stores for two printers between two fairly large towns! And that was just for the printers.
It was similar stories for the other items, too! This was probably the most exhausting day of the trip.
And we want to especially thank our translator, Sergei, for all his hard work and determination that day.
We couldn’t have accomplished it all without him! Once again, we returned to Director Valiantsina’s
home very exhausted, but so happy with all we had accomplished.
Igor, our friend and trusted driver.
Our last day in the villages was spent delivering aid supplies to the
small village school in Vezhny. There were only 8 boys and girls to receive boots and coats, and
there were a few items we purchased and delivered for the school. When we finished in Vezhny,
we headed to the town of Dobrush for some days of rest and visiting with “our” family there.
Both Elizabeth and Jennifer have hosted children from Dobrush.
Loading new equipment purchased for
three village schools into Igor’s trailer.
During the time we spent in Dobrush, we worked on putting together official paperwork for the
village schools to submit to the Department of Humanitarian Aid in Belarus. This included translating
and adding up receipts (with my blackberry telephone calculator) and listing out item for item
everything we donated to the village schools. We had to do this in both English and Russian,
have it printed (once again, not necessarily an easy task) and signed, and then deliver it back to each
village school director. Jennifer, Carly, and Igor spent a day delivering these items back
to the villages.
All in all, it was quite a mission to accomplish all we did! We couldn’t have done any of it without the help of all the
American donors. Thank you to every one of you who have helped financially!
You truly do bring Hope for Chernobyl’s Child!!!
Left to right: Adam, Igor, Carly, Jennifer, Valiantsina (Lipova School Director),
Sergei, and Valiantsina (Garocheche School Director).
