FOUNDER and voluntary CEO of Chernobyl Children International (CCI) Adi Roche paid a special visit to the youngsters of Teach Abhaile pre-school and naíonra this week, describing the children as “our hope for the future”.
The campaigner who has spoken out on issues relating to the environment, peace and social justice talked to the children at the Ennis school about the ways they can protect our world.
The school on Kevin Barry Avenue was festooned in orange, the colour of Chernobyl Children International with cards and decorations made by the children given pride of place.
Speaking to The Clare Champion ahead of meeting the children, while adhering to social distancing guidelines, she said such encounters were something that “really gladdened her heart”.
“In the middle of the pandemic and hearing all about the variants and Delta, it is just wonderful to come to some place like Teach Abhaile, and to meet those who are our hope for the future, the next generation, and just to plant the seed in young minds about the importance of caring for the earth and caring for the environment.
“It’s lovely to see that the ethos of the naíonra and the preschool here are already well tuned into that and we are looking forward to engaging with the kids.
“I know they are very young to be giving any serious messages to. If you start small it’s beautiful, to just open their young minds to what the future can be. It doesn’t have to be all worry and concern.”
Adi was one of the leading figures to respond to the humanitarian crisis which followed the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. She praised the people of Clare for their efforts in doing what they can to help those affected.
Adi said that while children cannot be brought to Ireland from Chernobyl at the moment due to the pandemic, speaking to Irish youngsters like those at Teach Abhaile helps keep their plight in the spotlight.
“Thirty-five years on, this is an opportunity for me to say to the people of Clare, you have not been found wanting. The generosity, the compassion, the kindness, bringing children into Ireland over all these years as part of a national collective response to the victims and survivors.
“While we cannot bring them in at the moment because of the virus, we are still keeping the story alive through the minds and the hearts of these little smallies.
“These are the very formative years for children. And this is when they are absorbing everything around them like sponges. And this is when we can speak to their hearts because children are very black and white, they know something is right or something is wrong.
“For me it is a lovely opportunity to just engage with them and to say thanks to them, there is a future, and there is hope. And the future is all of them.”
The day before the visit, Teach Abhaile held a fundraiser for Chernobyl Children International (CCI), with the youngsters all wearing orange.
Owner of the school Connie Hannon told The Champion they were “absolutely honoured” to welcome Adi.
“We have always followed her work and her efforts over the years, campaigning and advocating for children and families in Chernobyl. Lots of people in our locality and families attached to my service here and my own family have hosted children from Chernobyl and supported the cause for many many years, so it is absolutely fantastic that she has come here, the children have been very excited to meet her.
“When we are planning our curriculum one of the things we look at is where different families live and who they live with.
“We didn’t go into great detail with the children because of their age, but we have explained children live in different places. They live in Chernobyl, they may not be able to live with mommy and daddy, or their grandparents.”
She described the support received for the fundraiser as “fantastic, everybody was on board”.
A cheque for the money raised and flowers were presented to Adi by the school.