Chernobyl Children International

29/05/2026

Yana was born was born 13 years after reactor No 4 at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant exploded, spewing radioactive iodine, caesium and strontium into the environment. She was recognised as a victim of the disaster, and now the fallout from Chornobyl beats in the heart of her son, Matviy.

Matviy has been in the care of CCI funded Cardiac Surgeons with Global Cardiac Alliance since his birth, and has undergone 3 life-saving surgeries to help heal his damaged heart.

Matviy’s life was saved thanks to the generosity of the people of Ireland, who have helped CCI to fund over 4,200 Cardiac Surgeries in children and newborn babies.

Journalist Lara Marlowe recently met with Yana and Matviy during our most recent Cardiac Mission in Ukraine, which coincided with the 40th Anniversary of Chornobyl in April. Click on the link below to read their story and the impact of the kindness of the people of Ireland;

https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2026/04/25/we-can-fix-it-the-surgeons-who-have-risen-to-chernobyls-genetic-challenges/

📷 Pietro Chekal

28/05/2026

As a result of being born with disabilities, Nastya was abandoned to an institution as a young child, where she was destined to spend the rest of her life, with no access to the outside world.

That is until CCI's Restoration of Rights Programme empowered Nastya to regain her rights to live independently. She now shares an apartment with a friend at CCI's Independent Living Home in Chausey.

Here you can see Nastya pick up some groceries on a recent day-trip, operating the self check-out completely independently, which she learned how to do on our Restoration of Rights Programme and with her Irish host family and volunteers.

Well done Nastya, you continue to be an inspiration! 🩷💫

26/05/2026

Our first Summer Camp of 2026 has begun, but we need your help to ensure that even more vulnerable children and young adults can experience these life-changing camps this Summer!

The impact of Chornobyl was medical, environmental, social and economic, which resulted in thousands of children and babies being abandoned to orphanages and institutions. These young people live within these institutions, with limited opportunities to engage with the outside world, for the rest of their lives.

However, our specially designed Summer Camps give children and young adults an opportunity to feel joy, freedom, and connection. With your support, we can open the doors to even more of these young people who would otherwise miss out.

Our Summer Camps place a strong focus on health and well-being, providing participants with access to health-boosting therapies and treatments alongside fun, engaging activities. From singing and dancing to games, arts and crafts, and social connection, every moment is designed to nurture both physical and emotional well-being.

But we cannot do this alone.

Funding is the key to making these experiences possible. Every donation helps us bring another child or young adult to a Summer Camp where they will have the chance to laugh, play, build friendships, and simply be themselves in a safe and supportive environment.

These camps play a vital role in fostering socialisation, inclusion, and personal development, especially for young people with disabilities. By giving them opportunities to interact with peers in a communal, encouraging setting, we help build confidence, independence, and a true sense of belonging.

Please consider making a donation today so that more vulnerable young people can attend our Summer Camps and experience the joy, care, freedom and opportunity that they so truly deserve.

💚 To every supporter, donor, and volunteer...THANK YOU!💚

Your kindness is bringing health, hope, and happiness into the lives of some of the most vulnerable children affected by the Chornobyl disaster.

www.chernobyl-international.com

25/05/2026

Chornobyl Children International (CCI), led by Founder and Voluntary CEO Adi Roche, has condemned the missile attack on the Chornobyl Museum in Kyiv, which also saw catastrophic damage to the Ukrainian capital and the loss of 80 lives.

The strike, which occurred during a large-scale assault on Kyiv on the night of 23 May, caused severe damage to the museum, an institution dedicated to preserving the memory and legacy of the 1986 nuclear disaster. Approximately 40% of its irreplaceable exhibit items have been destroyed.

Speaking about the attacks over the weekend Adi, who has visited the Chornobyl Museum on many occasions over the past 4 decades, said;

“The Chornobyl Museum was a place I knew well…years of memories that kept the story of Chornobyl alive, especially in this 40th anniversary year, have now been erased forever.”

“Chornobyl is universal, its message speaks to the world and targeting the Chornobyl Museum dishonours the victims and survivors of the disaster. The museum was a sacred memorial that speaks of all nuclear catastrophes and victims. This is akin to attacking a graveyard.”

The Chornobyl Museum served as a vital archive of human suffering, resilience, and scientific history, containing artifacts, testimonies, and documents from those affected by the disaster. The museum re-opened to the public on the 26 April 2026, which marked the 40th Anniversary of the disaster and the United Nations Chornobyl Remembrance Day, which Roche petitioned for at the UN General Assembly in 2016. The museum’s loss represents a profound cultural and historical tragedy.

Chornobyl Children International stressed that the targeting of cultural institutions and sites of remembrance is deeply alarming and undermines efforts to preserve global historical memory. The charity reiterated its call for the protection of all nuclear-related and humanitarian sites, warning of the grave risks posed by ongoing military actions in the vicinity of nuclear facilities.

“40 years on from the disaster, Chornobyl is sacred in global consciousness and it our responsibility to ensure that its legacy and the lessons it holds for all of humanity are never erased or forgotten.” Roche continued.

Adi Roche led the humanitarian response from 1986, and founded Chornobyl Children International as a humanitarian first-responder organisation in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster. The charity has delivered over €110million of humanitarian aid and programmes to the affected regions over the past 40 years.

Chornobyl Children International (CCI), led by Founder and Voluntary CEO Adi Roche, has condemned the missile attack on the Chornobyl Museum in Kyiv, which also […]

25/05/2026

Following the 40th Anniversary of Chornobyl, Adi was delighted to speak with Colm Flynn for BBC World Service to discuss the work that has shaped her life, and the Christian faith that has sustained her through it.

Click on the link below to listen now!

Adi Roche, whose faith inspired a lifetime helping children affected by the disaster

18/05/2026

We are on the countdown to one of our favourite times of the year...Family Support Days!

Thanks to our kind and generous donors, every year Chornobyl Children International organises Family Support Days for the families and children in our Hospice and Community Care Programme. This gives them the opportunity to meet each other, develop a support network, exchange ideas and enjoy some time out from their everyday lives.

Our Hospice and Community Care Programme offers medical treatments and therapeutic services to terminally and chronically ill children across Belarus.
CCI’s multi-disciplinary teams conduct home-based services specifically designed for each family, who are assigned a palliative care team including therapists, a nurse, a psychologist and a social worker. The team makes home visits to supervise the child’s care, provides medication and supplies at no cost to the families and evaluates the social and emotional needs of all family members.

The programme helps 60 families between Minsk and Gomel.

16/05/2026

Our first Summer Camp of 2026 has just begun, but we need your help to ensure that even more vulnerable children and young adults can experience these life-changing camps this summer.

These young people live within institutions, with limited opportunities to engage in the outside world. For them, these camps are a chance to feel joy, freedom, and connection. With your support, we can open the doors to even more of these young people who would otherwise miss out.

Our Summer Camps place a strong focus on health and well-being, providing participants with access to health-boosting therapies and treatments alongside fun, engaging activities. From singing and dancing to games, arts and crafts, and social connection, every moment is designed to nurture both physical and emotional well-being.

But we cannot do this alone.

Funding is the key to making these experiences possible. Every donation helps us bring another child or young adult to a Summer camp where they will have the chance to laugh, play, build friendships, and simply be themselves in a safe and supportive environment.

These camps play a vital role in fostering socialisation, inclusion, and personal development, especially for young people with disabilities. By giving them opportunities to interact with peers in a communal, encouraging setting, we help build confidence, independence, and a true sense of belonging.

Importantly, these camps also help break down barriers in wider society. When children and young people with disabilities are seen actively participating and thriving, it challenges stereotypes, promotes understanding, and helps create a more inclusive world for everyone.

Please consider making a donation today so that more vulnerable young people can attend our Summer Camps and experience the joy, care, and opportunity they deserve.

www.chernobyl-international.com/donate

15/05/2026

CCI were very proudly represented by Board Member Helen Faughnan and long-standing volunteer Isobel SanRoma at 'Grandchildren of Chernobyl', an exhibition hosted at Our Lady's College Greenhills Drogheda yesterday evening.

Featuring paintings from children affected by Chornobyl, photographs of the fallout, and artistic interpretations of the disaster by Transition Year students, the exhibition was a powerful example of a new generation of young people keeping the memory of Chornobyl alive.

All funds raised by the exhibition will go directly to helping save lives on CCI's Cardiac Surgery Programme.

A big thank you and well done to all students!

13/05/2026

As the impact of Chornobyl and the ongoing war in Ukraine continues to be felt, our humanitarian work remains as vital as ever.

We are proud to support 145 children in the heavily impacted region of Radnyka, just 45km from Chornobyl, by funding daily hot school lunches. For most of the children, it is the only warm, nutritious meal they have access to each day.

These children were already among the most vulnerable, living in one of the areas hardest hit by Chornobyl’s fallout. The war has only deepened that hardship, which is an unimaginable burden for any child to carry.

None of this would be possible without your kindness and generosity.

40 years on, thank you for standing with the children and grandchildren of Chornobyl.

12/05/2026

A huge thank you and well done to the students of Our Lady's College Greenhills Drogheda for hosting a very special Chornobyl Exhibition in aid of CCI's Cardiac Surgery Programme.

Featuring artwork from children affected by Chornobyl, and the student's own creations, this special exhibition will take place this Thursday evening and all in the area are welcome to attend.