Monday 28th October 2013 Glusk, Mogilev Region
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| First morning |
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| In the bank |
Early on Monday, we take the Orphanage bus to the local town Glusk, about 15 km. Our main task is to register our Visa with the local police - to be done within 24 hours of arrival.
Vesnova Orphanage is an important part of the local economy, being one of the biggest employers in the area. Every morning for an 8pm start arrive cooks, boilermen, nurses, carers, gardeners, teachers of crafts ( woodwork, knitting, pottery), office workers etc. They walk, cycle or arrive by bus. The average wage of these workers is not more than €200 per month.
The bank is a busy spot, and foreigners with valuable Euros are a curiosity.
Click here for today's exchange rate
The town is a listless, wistful, empty place. The supermarket is on one street, the pharmacy on another, the department store on another, the police station on yet another. there is no "shopping centre", or Main Street as such. the schools are on mid-term break, but there are no people around town. there is no money to spend, except for the odd trip for necessities.
A tub of SudoCreme?
€5 equivalent.
Impossible for the average Byelorussian.
Good quality disposable Nappies, nappy powder etc, are all outside the average family's budget.
A CCI truck driven by Jim Kavanagh and Pierce Cullen from Kilkenny Outreach Group is due to arrive later today with supplies of nappies for Vesnova, donated from all over Ireland.
In the supermarket, we buy items which have not been grown in the area, due to the dangers of radiation contamination. These include bananas, imported yoghurt, oranges, tea. Otherwise, all our supplies ( food, bottled water etc) are arriving from Minsk on Wednesday. In the meantime we will survive on our shopping and items left behind a month ago by the last medical team.
Advice on living conditions in Chernobyl affected zones
Video Link
Radiation Refugees of Belarus
Life in rural Belarus today
Daily Life in Belarus - some photos
On a happy note, just outside the bank, Trina Gilchriest met a little girl who had been to Ireland to stay with her
"It was great to see Vika when I was in Belarus. She lives in the town nearest to Vesnova in Glusk and we bumped into her and her Mam accidentally on the Monday morning while at the bank! Such a lovely surprise. At the end of the week we were able to visit the family briefly and deliver her new bike brought all the from Ireland thanks to Jim Kavanagh & Pierce Cullen transporting it all the way over in the truck. "
+Trina Gilchriest
The orphanage bus has followed us on our walk from shop to shop, and finally we head back to Vesnova
Post No 3 - The Children of Vesnova Orphanage Part I
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