Cork support flows in for families in Ukraine

CHILDREN who were forced to take refuge in corridors as explosions ripped through their apartment blocks are among those benefitting from Cork support in Ukraine.

Formed in the wake of the world’s most devastating nuclear disaster, the Greater Chernobyl Cause has been working with numerous families and individuals attempting to escape unrest. Many who fled to quieter villages are battling inhabitable conditions and find themselves in urgent need of vital supplies.

Some €51,000 worth of charitable donations have been used to purchase a van for the distribution of humanitarian aid to those in need. The initiative is aimed at helping rebuild lives as the nightmare continues for millions of people.

Set to hit the road next week, the vehicle will contain supplies such as bedding, lanterns and household items. The aid will be arriving at a time when many households have little choice but to operate without heating or electricity. The van will also carry medical aid and food to 150 Ukrainian families struggling to survive.

Fiona Corcoran, who founded and heads the GCC charity, described how even the lives of many who escaped physical harm were mercilessly shattered.

“The frightening tales are endless and the cry for help greater than ever,” she told The Echo. “Residents of Kharkiv told the Greater Chernobyl Cause about how their children would lie in corridors to avoid injury from shrapnel as it smashed through the windows of their flats. This was before their escape to the countryside.

“Others described their children’s fear while living and sleeping in the cellar, constantly crying out for the bombing to stop. A vet trying to treat animals got out just in time after realising she was working under the watchful eye of a sniper examining her every move from a building across the street.

“Generators have also been given to a local school where classes had to be abandoned so they can now operate again during the harsh winter months. They are all enormously grateful for the help they have received.”

Ms Corcoran is appealing for donations to facilitate the continuation of their relief work.

“We cannot forget the victims of this conflict and - with your support - our mission is to bring relief and hope to those desperately clinging on to the bare essentials of life. By contributing, you will directly impact the lives of those trying to survive in unspeakable conditions- all in the hope of escaping the bombs and horror of this ghastly war.”

Olessya Popova, who is coordinating the charity’s work in Ukraine, said she is overwhelmed by the generosity of Irish people.

“Since the beginning of the war, many have moved out of the cities into the countryside, having lost everything including their homes, their jobs and all that was precious to them,” Ms Popova said.

“The displaced families live in old, crumbling houses, often without any form of light or heating. Clothes, bedding, lanterns and household items of every kind are in great need and we are so grateful for all we have received.”

Donations for the relief effort can be made online at the greaterchernobylcause.ie

 or by post to The Greater Chernobyl Cause, Unit 4 Southside Industrial Estate, Pouladuff Road, Togher, Cork.