Vesnova Children's Mental Asylum, Belarus

From early morning until I go to bed and in all situations

of life, I always try to check my motivation and be

mindful and present in the moment.

— The Dalai Lama in The World of Tibetan Buddhism

Six full days spent in Vesnova with these children has taught me some important lessons.

As the days go by, you enter into this amazing world from which there is really no escape. From the time you get up in the morning until you lay your head down at night, these children are with you.

Walking to your breakfast from Unit 5, you may meet one of the older children waiting to greet you, or waiting to go into the Dining Room for his or her own breakfast.

You may meet the entire group from Unit 7 being brought for their meal, and suddenly you are being hugged, your hands are clasped......you are Momma or Poppa for that moment, able to dole out the hugs and kisses, and just that little bit of affection in that moment....This is the story of the day...of the week.

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These kids live life on a "one week on / three weeks off" pattern..... the "week on" being the time the Irish volunteers are in the orphanage. They then have three weeks of down time.

This means that when you arrive in Vesnova, the kids unleash themselves on you, concentrating all their energies into one week, getting all they can from you, in anticipation of the quiet three weeks to come.

The CCI T shirt means so much to these kids;

when it arrives one week every month it means smiles, affection, hugs, good times, maybe some sweets or new shoes or clothes.

It may also mean a change of nappy outside the allotted time, a walk outside, time on the see-saw, a football match.

Mainly it means what most kids crave for....attention from someone who loves them...

All you can do is to be with them and bring a little happiness in that moment,

Helping with feeding in Unit 7 will certainly teach you a thing or two.

These two lads are fascinated by the building work going on outside

Gradually throughout the week I find that I have to work in the here and now, there is no other way. There can be no real plan except to live in the moment. The children are living with you in the moment. However, they have no choice over this, as none of the 162, from 6 years to those in their 30's, are in a position to plan for the future. The future is now for them. All I can do is do my best to bring some happiness in my short time with them.

This requires drawing on reserves - emotional, physical and mental - which you don't realise you have.

However, at the end of each day, as the team meets for dinner, you regain your strength from the group.

The food comes in buckets!!

Mmmmmmmm...

Many children need help eating

Which to eat....the bread or the shoe...????

Many of the children are bright, intelligent, funny, cheeky.......

Not twice this day
Inch time foot gem.
This day will not come again.
Each minute is worth a priceless gem.
— Zen Master Takuan quoted in Simple Zen by C. Alexander and Annellen Simpkins

They spend all their time together, and look after each other. This is their world.

No-one comes to visit, except the volunteers from Ireland. The orphanage is about 12 miles from Glusk, the nearest town.

It's in the middle of a very rural area ; the orphanage is the only building on the road.

The only people travelling to and from Vesnova are the workers....every day...and every month - the volunteers.

Each child has a story....abandoned by parents......removed from the home by social services....too disabled for parents or grandparents to handle.....alcoholism, marriage break-up etc etc.

Each child brings his or her own difficulties and problems...some have been there since they were very young, some are recent arrivals. Some have not settled in, even after a number of years.

Some, still miss their families....many never have a visit from anyone...and never will......

If we can do our duty here, the beyond will take care of itself.
— Mohandas K. Gandhi quoted in The Way to God edited by M. S. Desphande

Breakfast in Unit 5 - High Dependency

The very special children of Unit 5 are at the very heart of Vesnova Orphanage in more ways than one. Here,at the end of the corridor on the ground floor, are 24 wonderful boys and girls aged from 7 to 19 who have stolen the hearts of many people in Ireland and around the world.

This is Unit 5, the High Dependency Unit.

I am in this unit 5 or 6 hours a day.
My bedroom is quite near this Unit, and every morning just before 8am I can hear the rumble of the trolley carrying the buckets of porridge, bowls, bottles and plastic spoons.

The carers and volunteers arrive before 8 and spend the next hour or more feeding the children. Every child has different needs and therefore some may take quite a while. Amazingly, unless they are sick, they all seem to be able to devour a huge bowl of porridge, and maybe also take a bottle. Of course, the last time they were fed was 6 pm the previous evening, so this may explain their appetite.

This will be their only food or drink until 1pm.

Breakfast begins at 8am. The children are fed in bed in the morning. Breakfast is largely a quiet affair. The carers are very business-like, and can feed the children very quickly. The volunteers prefer to give the kids a bit more time, to talk to them and have some fun. Like all children, they are not on top form having just woken up. Also they may have wet or dirty nappies, which have not been changed since 10pm the night before, and will not be changed until 10.30am. Only 2 nappy changes per day.

With all children fed, it's time for our own breakfast.

Then it's back to the Unit to change all the nappies, dress the kids, change whatever sheets etc need changing, and bring the children to the Day Room, where they will spend the rest of the day, unless they are lucky enough to be brought out for a walk.

Everything is generally quiet, the silence being broken sometimes by a child crying or groaning. There is no music playing, just the low sounds from a TV which no-one looks at, except the carers from time to time.

The volunteers bring an air of fun and optimism to the room, and sometimes you can hear a child laugh in response.

In many cases the children are uncomfortable, because their wheelchairs ( if they have one), do not fit them, they have grown out of them, or they are just plain wrong for them. However, the CCI Board and Medical Staff under the careful and caring eye of Marie Cox have created a very safe space for these children with funds from Ireland and abroad, and the monthly assistance of volunteers. It's hard to keep up with the needs of these growing children, and funds are always needed for new supplies, equipment etc. A nurse is always on duty ( funded by CCI) to assist with the medical care of the Unit 5 children.

Nurses and Carers in Unit 5

Julie with Lena

Triona, Tatiana, Ann and Michelle feeding in Unit 5 with the Boys' Houses being rebuilt in the background

Unit 5 Walk in the grounds

By 11.15 or so, everyone is out in the Day Room. The weather, thankfully is sunny and mild, and children can be taken out for a walk. For some children, getting coats, hats and shoes on can be a little traumatic but they love the fresh air, the change of scenery and the one-to-one attention.

Every day, Nina, an 18 year old girl who lives in the Girls' House in the grounds, comes to help with feeding in Unit 5, and to take the children for walks in the company of the volunteers.

Meet Nina: “I’m very sure my parents want me to come home. They don’t say so. But they write letters and say they will visit someday. They haven’t yet. They’ve been very busy.”

Nina is 18 years old. She has been in institutional care since she was 8 years old. She escaped the fate of lifelong institutionalization when she came to live in an independent living home for mentally and physically disabled young adults, set up by Chernobyl Children International. It is the first of its kind in Belarus.

“I remember the last time I saw my home, but just a little. It was summer. A woman came to the house. She said she was a psychologist. She took me to a van. I was crying. I didn’t want to go. I remember my parents, standing there. A man drove us to the child home, and left me.”

“Can I tell you something that happened to me at the child home? Me and a boy were sent to the roof to clear off the snow. He pushed me off the roof. Both my arms and legs were broken. I had to stay in the hospital for a long time. I don’t know why he did that.”

“One of things I like to do here is work in the workshop the volunteers built for us. I love making things. I made some stools. The boys don’t think I made them very well, and they don’t like it when I go to the workshop. But I still go!”

“I have a job here that I really like. Three times a day, I go to the Vesnova orphanage and feed the children that have to stay in bed. They take a long time to swallow. I am very patient. I love them. I love feeding them.”

“There’s a woman from my old baby home who keeps asking me to go live there to help take care of the children. But I refuse. I love living here. I love having my own home.”

Feeding starts again at 1pm in the Day Room. At some point after we try to get together for some lunch.

Some afternoons we bring in Petits Filous as a treat, the children may doze after lunch, there might be another walk.

Yana in the Ball Pool

CCI has paid for the provision of a Sensory Room - specially designed with a music system, a hammock, soft furnishings, a ball pool etc. the children love to be brought here and it's used a lot by the volunteers during the week.

Natasha in the hammock

Roma in the Ball Pool

All the children in Unit 5 are high dependency in many ways - photos will lead many to believe (rightly) that physical needs are the first priority to be addressed - feeding, clothing, changing nappies etc.Emotionally and socially these children are also very highly dependent. A few minutes with a child in this unit is not enough. Each child requires HOURS every day, and you are not in a position to give this.

5 Critical Emotional Needs of Children

Michelle and Yana (9 yrs old)

To give attention, you may have to stay exactly in that child's line of sight all the time, as he may not be able to turn his head.

Michelle with Vasa (12 years old)

The sound of your voice and your physical touch is very important. A hug goes a long way!!The response may only be a twitch of the eye, a smile, or if you are lucky, a laugh.

All of these are worth it. You have changed that child's day in that moment or those few minutes.

Vlad giving the "High Five"

There are so many children looking for your attention, you have to make choices. But how do you choose?

It's a happy place........and a sad place ; these children make you laugh.....and cry

Roma (15 years old)

Marina (19 years old)

Vlad

Carina

Lena ( 16 years old)

Dima ( 19 years old)

Ann and Vlad enjoying the "High Fives"

This is Kolya (9 years old). he spends all of his day in his wheelchair or in bed with his

hands tied so he cannot harm himself. He is blind and cannot walk.

This is the same Kolya.......!!

Nessa and Rosie spending quality time with the Unit 5 children in the Sensory Room

Maeve and Vlad out for a walk (photo by Rosie Nixon)

This is Natasha ( 13 years old), who spends her entire day in this position in a wheelchair that was not designed for her

Or on this beanbag

This is also Natasha after some quality time....

Masha (6 yrs old)...our "Polly Pocket"

Andrea and Maryna (12 yrs old) having quality time

Michelle with Yana

Roma (15 yrs old) gives Frank the High Five

Michelle takes a breath between bubbles...

Click here to meet little Marina in Unit 5 (7 years old)

Victor (14 yrs), Sergei (12 yrs) and Stas (12 yrs old)

The children are all back in their beds by 5pm, so that the carers and the nurses can get ready for the evening - feeding at 6pm and getting the children settled for the night. Nappies are changed ( and clothes if necessary) for the second time in 24 hours at 10pm. If a child is lucky, a volunteer may spot a wet or smelly child during feeding, and then take it upon themselves to make sure the child has a comfortable evening!!

Luckily, some very much needed help has arrived. The CCI Truck has arrived from Ireland driven by Jim Kavanagh and Pierce Cullen with nappies and other supplies for Institutions in Belarus supported by CCI, including Soltanovka Adult Mental Asylum. , the baby hospice in Minsk, and Vesnova, amongst others.