Chernobyl Children's Project International

sponsor spotlight: depfa bank supports chernobyl children

For two years in a row, DEPFA BANK plc has hosted a golf outing to benefit Chernobyl Children's Project International.

The outings, which mobilized some of New York's largest financial services companies, were the inspiration (and hard work) of DEPFA managing director Jane Russell, with the support of DEPFA general manager Herb Jacobs. 

The first outing was held on September 11, 2006 -- the 5th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon.  Sponsors attending, all of them residents of New York City , were vocal in their belief that they couldn't be doing anything better to honor the date and the memories of those lost. A second successful outing was held this past fall.

Major sponsors of two events included:  Morgan Stanley, King & Spaulding LLP, Kutak Rock LLP, Allied Irish Bank, Nixon Peabody LLP, GFI Group, Lehman Bros, Stifel Nicolaus, Seattle Northwest Securities Group, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliff LLP, Packerkiss Securities, The Bond Buyer, Chapman & Cutler LLP, Citibank, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, Banc of America Securities.

We're proud of our work, and how smartly we invest our funding.  But we know we are relatively small and unknown, and that the tragedy of Chernobyl is largely forgotten.  Often it seems as though the big sponsorships always go the really large charities:  The ones with celebrity endorsements, big ad campaigns and media "buzz."  To receive this kind of support -- two years in a row -- and from such large and prestigious firms, was a "big deal" for us. And not just because of the funds raised (which were significant) but because of the confidence and trust placed in us, and the recognition that Chernobyl continues to affect so many.

I wrote a letter to Herb Jacobs, to express our gratitude for DEPFA BANK's endorsement, and to let him know how much it meant to us.  His answer was short and elegant -- and it stays with me because of how well it sums of the feelings of the many supporters and hundreds of volunteers who have embraced this work:  "It has meant more to us."

chernobyl children's project international appoints youth un representative

A young woman of Ukrainian heritage, Christina Stegura has grown up hearing stories about Chernobyl, and hoped that there might come a time when she could help.

Now she will, and in a very substantial way.  Christina will serve as one of Chernobyl Children's Project International's representatives at United Nations Headquarters in New York. This unique opportunity is the result of a partnership between CCPI (a UN accredited non governmental organization) and Lehigh University of Bethlehem PA.

Christina, a dean's list student who is vice president of her school's global citizenship program and pursuing degrees in sociology and anthropology, will be the first of a series of Lehigh University students to represent CCPI at the United Nations. She will visit the UN every month to represent CCPI's work in Chernobyl affected communities, attend briefings, and report back to us on how we can support the UN Millennium Development Goals.  The Millennium Development Goals are a set of quantifiable targets in spheres of development and poverty eradication that are to be achieved by 2015.

Thanks to Lehigh University for this wonderful donation of time and talent, and to Christina to advocating CCPI to be the beneficiary.

chernobyl shut down plans continue as belarus plans new nuclear plant

Several months ago I noted that Ukraine signed a $505 million contract with Novarka to build a new shelter for the ruined Chernobyl nuclear reactor.  This new shelter is to replace the hastily constructed sarcophagus that started to crumble and leak radiation 10 years after it was constructed.  It is hoped that the new shelter, due to be completed in 2015, will hold up for 100 years.  The plan, price tag, and completion date have been moving targets for many years.

(This post is illustrated with images of a "walk-through" virtual reality model of the actual Chernobyl disaster site that is located on Second Life.  The "Chernobyl Memorial" was created by virtual world building company Magrathean Technologies.)

On Tuesday, Itar-Tass News Agency expanded on Ukraine's plan for final disposal of spent nuclear fuel from the plant.  The plan calls for the power plant's premises to be completely cleared sometime between 2046 - 2064.  (That's what I call a flexible deadline.)

Also on Tuesday, the Security Council of Belarus announced their final decision to build the first nuclear power plant on their own territory.  Belarus shares a border with Ukraine and was seriously damaged by radioactive winds that contaminated their territory in the days after the accident.  Belarus' moratorium on building domestic nuclear power plants expired as of 2008.  The planned nuclear plant will cost an estimated $4 billion, and will be built by Russian company Atomstroiexport.

The Jamestown Foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor posted an article last week by David Marples, professor of history and classics at the University of Alberta Edmonton.  Marples reported that a site for the new plant has been selected near a village called Kukshynava, located in the Mogilev region. Here's a video of the survey work in progress.

Apparently the first choice -- near the village of Krasnaya Palyana -- had to be scrapped after a survey revealed that the land was too contaminated by the Chernobyl disaster to be safe for building. 

Belarus urgently seeks energy independence after Russia's move last year to double the price Minsk pays for gas imports. At the same time, the people of Belarus suffered greatly in the aftermath of Chernobyl, and continue to pay a heavy medical  and economic price. A number of my Belarusian friends and colleagues believe that the decision to move so quickly toward nuclear power -- especially without some sort of national public referendum -- is bound to stir fears and controversy in communities across Belarus. 

story: strangers join talents to help chernobyl children

CCPI supporters Derek Casari and Perry Norton recently surprised us with the gift of radio public service announcements (PSAs). Click on the player below to listen to one, and then read on for the story of how two strangers merged their talents to help children affected by Chernobyl. (If you're reading this post on email you may need to click here to see the audio player.)

 

Perry (pictured left) is the woman behind PanRight Productions, a one stop studio that creates audio for commercials, games, audio books, podcasts, and PSAs. Her mission is to "be a champion for artists and non profits for whom being heard is the most important task." In the spirit of last month's holidays, Perry offered her clients a special gift -- a free radio PSA for the favorite charity of the first 5 clients to respond.

Derek was first in line, requesting a PSA to benefit Chernobyl Children's Project International.   Derek is a systems engineer for 20th Century Fox post production in LA. Several years ago, Derek's six year old son Aaron died of a rare form of liver cancer. (With Derek's permission, here's a picture of Aaron and his grandfather at right.)  Derek told me that two years of grueling chemo regimens and sleepless nights spent at Children's Hospital of LA -- and the ultimate loss of Aaron, who so desired to grow up -- destroyed his marriage, his finances, and almost his  mind.  His search to find meaning in his son's death led Derek to volunteer for sustainable business incubator Green2Gold. And he found a special attraction to CCPI programs that help seriously ill children, and an admiration for CCPI founder Adi Roche.

Derek and Perry worked together to develop the public service announcement above, and presented it as a gift. This story is a reminder that doing good is not always about donating cash. It can be about thinking creatively, mining your talents, and combining your talents with other's. CCPI could never have afforded to pay for the creation of these PSAs on our own.  And now you can help us get them out to be heard.

The PSA comes in 15 and 30 second versions, and a one minute version.  Westwood One and Beasley Broadcast Group have already agreed to run them.  Here's how you can help:

Blogger? Post our PSAs -- email me and I'll send them to you.

Radio station or media company contacts?   Ask them to run the PSAs.

None of the above?  Click on "email this link" at the bottom of this post and spread the word.  As Perry says -- "being heard is the most important task."  And the children affected by Chernobyl are well overdue to be heard.  This post is in memory of Aaron Casari.

photo essay: chernobyl seen by children

In March 2006 Unicef organized a photography workshop for children who live in Chernobyl affected communities in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia.  Each of the kids, aged 12 to 17, was born after the Chernobyl disaster of 1986.  Each was asked to go back to their home country and take photographs to capture their personal experience of Chernobyl.  I first saw the photos in Minsk in 2006. 

Here is Unicef's online photo essay, Chernobyl Seen by Children.

Last month the photos were exhibited again at the United Nations in New York city.  The UN General Assembly convened a meeting called "A World Fit for Children +5."  At this meeting, world leaders reviewed progress against international initiatives to improve the health and well being of children.  It was a fitting venue to revisit how the Chernobyl disaster has affected a new generation.

In November, I posted my observation that many of the most popular "genre" of Chernobyl photographs are taken by outsiders, and thus have a voyeuristic quality.  I find these photos refreshing in contrast because they reflect each child's personal and ordinary experience. As the exhibition materials point out, "for these children Chernobyl is not statistics, it is daily life."  For more on how children artistically address Chernobyl, click here to see the Chernobyl Child Artists photo gallery on this blog.

It would be an affront to minimize how Chernobyl affects children and families today.  At the same time, these photographs underscore how important it is for organizations such as CCPI to help families focus on the future.  Realistically, but with hope.  As do these young photographers.

The photo of the baby (who has cancer) admiring the camera was taken by Anton Gordeichik of Belarus.  Vitaliy Sigaev, age 13, of the Russian Federation took picture of the boy his age in the hospital.  Both pictures are from the Unicef exhibit "Chernobyl Seen by Children."