Myrtle and Alan Doherty have organised another hugely successful charity drive in aid of the Vesnova children’s orphanage in Belarus.
The appeal, now its eighth year, focused on collecting nappies, children’s clothes, toiletries and vital medications with the aim of improving the lives of children in orphanages and homes.
The goods were loaded into a lorry on Saturday, destined for the Vesnova children’s orphanage in Belarus.
Almost 200 children with intellectual and physical disabilities live in the asylum, which has been transformed by Irish charity Chernobyl Children International to provide a caring home for many children.
Speaking to Donegal Daily, Myrtle says that the response to this year’s appeal has been overwhelming
“We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who donated to our annual appeal for Belarus.
“To those who co-ordinated collections in other areas for us. Especially, Rachelle, Orla and Frances.
“To the business community who contributed, to our friends, family and community for their unfailing support every year, to the very helpful crew who came to load the lorry this morning, and to Jim Kavanagh for driving up from Kilkenny to collect it all, thank you all so much.
“This year we collected 125,000 nappies, dozens of boxes of toiletries, medicines and wipes, crutches, wheelchairs, walking aids, zimmer frames and the 1500 bags of clothes that went also.
“Glad to see it all loaded up & away.”
Most of the children at the Vesnova orphanage were affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.
Chernobyl Children International have transformed this asylum from a place of hopelessness into a caring home for many children over the past 15 years.
Pictured below is just a glimpse of the remarkable amount of supplies gathered for the orphanage this year:
