American Belarussian Relief Organization
Encyclopedia
The American Belarussian Relief Organization (ABRO) is an American
non-profit organization
dedicated to improving the lives of children located in areas of Belarus
affected by the Chernobyl disaster
of April 26, 1986. The main focus of ABRO is to provide children with time away from the contaminated areas of Belarus.
The organization’s American headquarters is located in Zebulon, NC.
lowers the level of radiation in their bodies and helps to restore their immune system
.
is most prevalent. Families may request to host the same child in subsequent years. The visiting groups may participate in social activities and recreational trips to see and learn more about America. Host families are able to support their sponsored children financially and communicate with them through ABRO once they return to Belarus.
time, ABRO organizes a group trip from the United States to Belarus. The group is able to see Belarus first hand and learn more about what it’s like to live in Belarus. Americans who participated in the summer program may have the chance to visit the homes of the children they sponsored.
nuclear reactor when it exploded in 1986, leading to mass evacuations and serious health consequences for those in the contaminated
areas. The radiation leads to a higher occurrence of cancer
, birth defects, and a weakened immune system.
ABRO began taking shape in 1991, when families at Connecticut River Valley Fellowship Church in South Windsor, Connecticut
took in the first group of 13 children and two adult chaperons for a six week period in the summer. Those involved in the outreach traveled to the Mogilev
area of Belarus in 1993 and met with Belarussian community leaders to discuss their concerns. ABRO was created as a partnership between the American and Belarussian leaders in order to give a brighter hope to Belarus’ children.
From 1991 to 2004, 3100 children have journeyed to the United States and another 400 have attended summer camps in uncontaminated regions of Belarus. In 2004, 37 groups totaling 540 children came to America along with their interpreters.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
dedicated to improving the lives of children located in areas of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
affected by the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
of April 26, 1986. The main focus of ABRO is to provide children with time away from the contaminated areas of Belarus.
The organization’s American headquarters is located in Zebulon, NC.
Summer program
The summer program is the heart of the ABRO mission. Every year, ABRO leaders in Belarus and various American states work together to orchestrate a six week summer trip to America. Groups of children ranging in age from about 7 to 16 years old travel to various parts of America along with an interpreter. These children are from very needy locations in Belarus, and many will come with just the clothes on their back. The time spent in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lowers the level of radiation in their bodies and helps to restore their immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
.
Costs
The American families and/or the local church are required to raise the money to actually bring the child they desire to America. As of 2008, this amount was around $1,850. The participating families raise the money by many means. Typically this comes from family members, their workplace, church support, etc.Who participates?
The families who take in the children are typically members of a local church that participates in the program. The churches involved can be of several denominations, although Southern BaptistSouthern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
is most prevalent. Families may request to host the same child in subsequent years. The visiting groups may participate in social activities and recreational trips to see and learn more about America. Host families are able to support their sponsored children financially and communicate with them through ABRO once they return to Belarus.
While in America
While in the U.S., the children receive medical attention that is often donated free of charge by medical professionals in the community. Dental work is typically the most in-demand, as the children come with many cavities. On a first trip to America, they may need to make several trips to the dentist to get caught up on their fillings. The children also attend different social events planned by the group's coordinator.Summer camp in Belarus
ABRO also offers a summer camp program in the uncontaminated areas of Belarus to provide relief from radiation.Christmas program
Every winter near ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
time, ABRO organizes a group trip from the United States to Belarus. The group is able to see Belarus first hand and learn more about what it’s like to live in Belarus. Americans who participated in the summer program may have the chance to visit the homes of the children they sponsored.
History
Belarus absorbed about 70% of the radiation released by the ChernobylChernobyl
Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932....
nuclear reactor when it exploded in 1986, leading to mass evacuations and serious health consequences for those in the contaminated
Radioactive contamination
Radioactive contamination, also called radiological contamination, is radioactive substances on surfaces, or within solids, liquids or gases , where their presence is unintended or undesirable, or the process giving rise to their presence in such places...
areas. The radiation leads to a higher occurrence of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, birth defects, and a weakened immune system.
ABRO began taking shape in 1991, when families at Connecticut River Valley Fellowship Church in South Windsor, Connecticut
South Windsor, Connecticut
-History:In 1659, Thomas Burnham purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, chief sachem of the Podunk Indians. Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children...
took in the first group of 13 children and two adult chaperons for a six week period in the summer. Those involved in the outreach traveled to the Mogilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
area of Belarus in 1993 and met with Belarussian community leaders to discuss their concerns. ABRO was created as a partnership between the American and Belarussian leaders in order to give a brighter hope to Belarus’ children.
From 1991 to 2004, 3100 children have journeyed to the United States and another 400 have attended summer camps in uncontaminated regions of Belarus. In 2004, 37 groups totaling 540 children came to America along with their interpreters.