Our History

This desperate appeal, made by Belarusian and Ukrainian doctors, was sent by fax and received by Adi Roche, then a volunteer with a nuclear disarmament group, in January 1991. The message was simple and to the point, begging someone—anyone—to take the children away from Chernobyl’s radioactive environment so that their bodies had some chance of recovery.

By the time this fax was sent, five years had passed since the nuclear disaster. The world had already started to forget about the millions of adults and children forced to live with its toxic after-effects. Many people believed that the danger was over, that the threat had been contained. In fact, the effects of intense radiation, mass displacement, poverty and lack of medical treatment continued to create intolerable conditions for the inhabitants of Belarus, Western Russia and the Ukraine.

Many recipients of this message would have been overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem. What could one person possibly do in the face of such insurmountable challenges, such widespread misery and hopelessness?

But Adi Roche chose not to ignore the cry for help, a decision that set her life on a new course and sparked the beginnings of a worldwide humanitarian movement.

That first year, Roche worked alone, setting up a small workspace in the spare bedroom of her own home. That summer, she organised “rest and recuperation” holidays for a few Chernobyl children, recruiting Irish families willing to host them and give them warm and loving homes in a healthy environment. 

Her tenacity and commitment to these forgotten children inspired others and encouraged them to give their time, their talents and their donations to the cause. Over the course of 21 years, the organisation has grown in strength and numbers to become the largest global contributor to Belarus. Now internationally renowned for its charitable endeavours, CCI works closely with the Belarusian government, the United Nations and many thousands of volunteers in Ireland, Belarus and worldwide to deliver a broad range of supports to the children and the wider community. CCI also acts as an advocate for the rights of those affected by the Chernobyl explosion, and engages in research and outreach activities to encourage the rest of the world to remember the victims and understand the long-term impact on their lives.