When I was twelve years old my mum decided to join the charity, Friends of Chernobyl Children. For those that don’t know this charity, Friends of Chernobyl Children is a charity set up to help those in poverty that suffer from the after effects of the Chernobyl disaster that happened over twenty years ago. Children most in need are sent to England to stay with English families for four weeks every summer for five years. In this way, children are able to learn English, improve their immune system, make friends with children suffering from similar problems and expand their social network beyond Belarus.
At first glance this seems just like any other charity and yet it is so much more. At 12 years old, any child is jealous of their mum giving others attention and so I was not a fan of the situation. However, having been convinced to attend one of the events with the children I fell in love with the charity and have been involved, providing an English home for one of the children, ever since. All the children are so full of life and take no nonsense from anyone which, coming from ‘polite England’ was a breath of fresh air. Certainly Marissa, the child that stayed with my family every summer for four years and who stays in contact through skype, facebook and email, will tell my dad when he is getting fat and when my brother is being too cheeky!
The charity provides the perfect basis for Cultural Diplomacy and cultural exchange. Staying with English families, the children are given an insight into British culture and yet it is not all one-sided. I have learnt so much from every single one of the children I have met. Certainly, I hadn’t realised that citizens were still being affected by the radiation caused by the Chernobyl disaster or that fresh fruit is still a rarity in the country as a result. A couple of the children I was lucky enough to have met during my time at the charity have sadly since died and this shows that the charity is so so important as children do still need their immune systems boosted and need the support the West can provide.
Having visited Marissa in Belarus, I now have a better grasp of the culture that they have grown up in and the communist system that is still intact across many eastern states. Growing up in the West I was surprised that a European state was still so traditionally communist. Whilst in Britain if people want to buy a house they get a mortgage, borrow from the bank and buy the house, in Belarus those that want to move must go on a housing list that takes years to get through. This is just one of the big culture shocks I had whilst visiting.
Visiting a local church in Belarus, I met several community people in the town Marissa lives and made several friends. Having been so hesitant about the charity at the beginning I can honestly say it was one of my mums better decisions and without the charity I would never have met Marissa or learnt about any of the problems countries such as Belarus face.
