Giving a month to help a child's forever

LOOKING at the smiling faces of Nika and Oxana it is hard to believe that they are victims of the Chernobyl disaster.

But both girls come from Belarus where the air is still polluted after the 1986 disaster where radiation blew towards the country after a nuclear power plant explosion in neighbouring Ukraine. It is considered the worst nuclear accident in history. Some areas are still highly radioactive and will be for thousands of years.

Their trip to England was made possible through the Chernobyl Children Project which give children from the affected area, which is still highly radioactive, the chance to spend a holiday in the UK breathing fresh air.

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Such a holiday can boost the immune system of a child from Chernobyl for up to two years.

Under their recuperative holiday scheme, they give children from Chernobyl a month's break from their highly radioactive, polluted environment. They are also often in remission from serious illness, but healthy when they arrive.

Families and couples provide a home for two children for two weeks in late July/mid- August. The idea is to give the children a fun time with lots of fresh air, healthy food and love.

Nika and Oxana, aged nine and 10, were looked after by Rotherham couple Chris and Karola Woods who swam a mile at Concord Sports Centre in Shiregreen, in April, to raise money for the girls' flights.

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"A few years ago I saw a film about the plight of children affected by Chernobyl and how they could be helped by a holiday in England.

"I married Chris last year and he had seen the same film and we approached the Chernobyl Children's Charity and they were extremely efficient," explains Karola.

After the necessary CRB checks the couple learnt they were to have two young children from Belarus staying with them for two weeks in August.

"We decided that we want to help raise some money to pay for them to come over here. It costs around 400 for each child to come over. You don't have to raise any money, you can just be hosts, but we wanted to do something and as we swim anyway it made sense to do a sponsored swim." The event raised more than 800.

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The Woods don't have any children of their own and so didn't really know what to expect, but as the blog they kept during the girls stay reveals, they got as much if not more out of the trip as their charges. (www.lovechernobylkids.

wordpress.com)

"The children were from the same village and school but were in different years so didn't know each other that well when they arrived. But by the time they left, they were firm friends."

Although the charity organises events every few days, Karola said it was the ordinary things, like going blackberry picking, and baking that they seemed to enjoy most.

"They were a little homesick after they rang home, but we would suggest a walk and they would soon be ok. I would thoroughly recommend anyone becoming a host. You can easily take a two-week holiday and do nothing, or you can do something to help improve the health of these children."

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Chris and Karola are doing a bag pack at M&S Meadowhall on Sunday, December 19, to raise money for Chernobyl Children's Project. Anyone interested in hosting a child through the Chernobyl Children's Charity should contact Aidan Siney 07710 187 777 or visit www.chernobyl-children.org.uk

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