While one group of children from Chernobyl arrived to a warm welcome in Kilkenny this week, there was bitter disappointment for two little girls and their host families, as the girls were left behind in Belarus.
The two girls, Alesia and Vera (both aged 10 ), were due to be picked up at a bus stop two kilometres from where the main group of children were being collected for the journey to the airport.
However, due to a mix up between the organisers and the driver, no bus arrived.
“The two girls were waiting there at 11.30, as arranged with them – that’s where it’s always been,” Jim Kavanagh, the Kilkenny Outreach group leader, told the Kilkenny Advertiser.
“And they waited there the whole night, but the bus never came.”
The airport from which the group departed is three hours away from the girls’ village. By the time the error was realised, nothing could be done. The children who were on the bus left on their flight, while the two Kilkenny host families only learned of the situation when the plane was half an hour away from Shannon Airport.
The good news, however, is that it has since been confirmed that the two girls will travel to Ireland with the next group of children, which arrives here on June 19.
The Kilkenny families due to host the two children were understandably upset when they heard what had happened. Rita Cullen, who will host Alesia, and Stella Coughlan, who will host Vera, are now looking forward to the girls’ new arrival date.
“Vera was here last year, Alesia has been coming for five years now, since she was five years old. We all know her very well,” said Mr Kavanagh.
“Obviously, the two girls were enormously disappointed when they weren’t collected. I think we were maybe even more disappointed though.”
Mr Kavanagh volunteered to fly over to get the children himself, but he was unable to do so due to the constrictions placed on the children’s movement. For safety reasons, the children must travel with a group of other children and with their Belarussian adult interpreters.
The charity’s CEO, Adi Roche, was at Shannon Airport awaiting the group’s arrival. She managed to arrange for the two girls to travel with the next group, which departs from Belarus later this month.
“Everyone was helpful, there were no obstacles in the way. We are very happy with the way it was handled,” said Mr Kavanagh.
The Kilkenny outreach group leader was keen to stress how important the work of the Chernobyl Children International is, and how much coming to Ireland means to the children.
“I know the village well, it’s in the middle of nowhere. The situation over there is really dreadful. Take the worst apartment in Kilkenny – it would be a palace compared to what these girls are living in. There’s very little comfort, it’s just so basic: a bed, and an open fire as a cooker,” he said.
“I also just want to say a huge thanks to all the host families. Without them, there would be no children coming. If anyone wants to find out about being a host family, maybe for next year, don’t hesitate to contact us.”
For further information, visit www.chernobylchildren.ie or telephone Jim Kavanagh on 087 2805059.
