Children in Veznova Institution - Chernobyl Victims Documentation (Ukraine and Belarus)

Svetlana Rachkovskaja (17) was born with Down’s syndrome in the Mogilov region. Since Chernobyl there is an increase of children with physical or mental handicaps, especially in Belarus, which was more heavily contaminated. Socially and economically isolated, many parents are unable to take care of their children. State institutions often take them in. This institution in Veznova, in the contaminated region of Mogilov, is supported by the Irish Chernobyl Children’s Project. Chernobyl in the Ukraine became the site of the most infamous nuclear disaster accident of all. In 1986 the explosion of the nuclear reactor affected the lives of millions in Western Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine. Both countries have plans to build new reactors to export energy to Europe.