PARTNERSHIPS IN AID

APRIL 26, 2004, MARKS THE 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WORST NUCLEAR DISASTER IN HUMAN HISTORY – THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DISASTER. ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT AREAS OF THE DISASTER WAS THE CITY OF CHAUSY WITH A POPULATION OF 12 THOUSAND.

In the interest of wanting to aid the children and families of this disaster the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl was formed in 1998 in Brockville, Ontario by volunteers. In support of this group and their mission Kriska Transportation of Prescott, Ontario and Harland Veinotte Transport of Morrisburg, Ontario partnered in 1999 to offer their services in the form of transporting of goods and warehousing of donations that were to be sent to Chausy. Recently, Highland Transport from Markham, Ontario also has become a partner. All three of these companies are members of the Ontario Trucking Association.

In total 81 – 40 foot transport containers containing more than 130 tons of food, feeding more than 2500 families, $18 million in medicine, 30 containers of Tide laundry soap, clothing and hygiene products have been sent. A total value exceeding 24 million dollars. In fact, the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl is now regarded as the 3rd largest provider of aid to the Republic of Belarus and presently the most active.

The recent CAC mission that went to Chausy in March/April this year accomplished the following; delivered 16 containers of medicine and aid valued at 2.5 million, delivered a fully equipped fire truck to the Chausy Regional Fire Department, provided $25,000 USD for laundry equipment for a 130 bed hospital previously without laundry facilities, provided $12,000 USD for 3 large washrooms for an orphanage, $5,000 USD medical fund for invalid children, $1,500 USD for novels and non fiction books for 2 orphanages, enrolled 57 orphans into their orphan education program and delivered wheelchairs, walkers, hygiene products and clothing to 100 invalid children that until now have spent most of their lives in bed! All this accomplished through partnerships of caring organizations and individuals.

Each year children are brought to Brockville from Chausy for a six-week visit and are sponsored by local families. This allows the children recuperation from the radiation contamination against their immune system (it takes approximately 20 days for the cleansing of the immune system). Also during this period the children receive dental attention from local dentists and care by physicians and opticians all by donation. This year 38 children will come to Brockville at a cost of $100,000 and some will be referred onto CHEO for medical attention.

In April of this year an employee of Kriska, Tracy Cirtwell was one of 25 local individuals to volunteer their services on a three-week trip to Chausy for the distribution of supplies. Here is her story.

I first learned about the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl from my aunt and uncle who had been sponsoring a young girl from Chausy. She had come to Brockville for a six-week summer vacation. However, it wasn’t until 1999 when I was working at Kriska in their Customer Service department arranging pickups with suppliers for CAC that I got to understand the situation more clearly.

My uncle went over to Chausy four years ago with the CAC and it was at that point that I started considering to volunteer also. It wasn’t until this year that I was finally able to make the commitment and it is something I certainly do not regret.

I had the honour of sponsoring a family that had just had a baby nine days before our arrival in Chausy. In knowing that the family was to have a new arrival I was able to send diapers, blankets, bottles, pablum and clothes for the baby, school supplies and shoes for their nine-year-old daughter along with clothing for the parents. Also included were flour, sugar, oatmeal, toothpaste, soap and shampoo. All of these supplies arrived in Chausy just before we were to leave on our journey.

We flew out of Dorval and arrived in Germany 8.5 hours later to connect with our 3-hour flight to Minsk. From there we took a 4-hour bus ride to Chausy.

The family who I stayed with during my time in Chausy turned out to be the family of the young girl who had spent time with my aunt and uncle in Brockville.

Most days were spent unloading containers of food, hospital supplies and other types of supplies to a central school gym. The government of Belarus requires that all supplies must be accounted for on arrival and CAC had ensured that they had sent the supply list prior to leaving. The government had provided us with a list of individuals and families who would benefit the most from receiving these supplies. It was eye opening experience to see these people come by horse and carriage, bike and walking. “You have to understand that these boxes of supplies weigh 75 pounds. I was amazed to see women trying to strap the box to their bikes or balance to carry them to take them home” said Tracy.

Very few families have houses they are more like residences with a community bathroom or outhouses. The conditions are very unsanitary. It’s not unusual to see a pig hanging outside a house or residence to be cooked for supper.

Visiting the orphanage was a whole new experience, as we don’t have them in Canada. Most children in the orphanage have parents who are alive but are not able to financially look after them. They often go to visit their parents and then go back to the orphanage to eat and sleep.
It is overwhelming how thankful and happy these people are that you have come to help them. Leaving them behind is another issue. You realize that you have so much to go back to and they are left with what you have given them. We as Canadians take a lot for granted and it’s surprising just how little you need to live on.

Looking to the future, I know that I will certainly return again with the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl to Chausy. I also, hope to be able to sponsor a child to come to Canada for 6 weeks in the summer. It is something that I definitely will work towards.

I also would like to thank Kriska for sponsoring my trip and allowing me the opportunity to be part of this effort, for that I am extremely grateful.

The photos below are from Chausy, Belarus which lies in one of the hardest hit areas of the Chernobyl Nuclear accident.

Above: Aid to Families with disabled children



Above: Sorting food and aid for over 700 families

Above: Fire truck



Above: Washed out roads create problems for delivery



Above: Tracy Cirtwell presenting Mayor of Chausy with Kriska truck model



Above and below:  Family to receive aid



Above: $2.4 million in medicine to Chausy Hospital





Above: Typical homes in the affected region