Reunion in Korosten

Published: 25.05.12

With the help of Christmas contributions from the Omega team, 15 previously-homeless children moved into a navbar-brand new children’s’ home in northern Ukraine six years ago. Now, 12 members of our team are travelling to the city of Korosten to meet some of the children who started a new life in Omega’s Ukrainian children’s’ home – our first community project.

“It will be a very special experience for all of us, and I believe it is important to see what we contributed to for these children,” says Kjetil Espeland, a member of Omega’s Administration team and one of the organizers of the teambuilding heading for Ukraine on 25 May.

Four of the Omega team members visiting Korosten; Lars Dalen (f.v), Kjetil Espeland, Erich Monteiro and Sølvi Grindheim Stople.

The Chernobyl Legacy

The destination is Korosten, a city with almost 70 000 inhabitants which was badly hit by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. Since then, Korosten has struggled with the repercussions of the disaster, enduring both social and economic decline.

“Korosten is still very much affected by the catastrophe as it was one of the cities closest to Chernobyl. Social divides are enormous, and many live in poverty. This has especially affected the children of Korosten,” Espeland says.

The children growing up in Korosten today did not experience the tragedy, but live with its consequences every day; unemployment is high, and many families struggle with alcohol and drug abuse. Education is not a given, and many children grow up on the street.

In 2006 some of these children were offered a second chance in life as a strange company from a strange country chose to give their Christmas gifts to the children of Korosten.

Christmas present from Omega

In 2003 Omega decided to support community projects every year, instead of giving Christmas presents to employees. For nine years now, we have contributed by giving our holiday gift to someone who needs it more. Whilst in the process of choosing our first community project, some of our colleagues became familiar with the plight of

Korosten’s children and concluded that the project deserved our support from 2003 – 2006. Omega would build them a children’s home.

Late in the Ukrainian summer of 2006 we opened the doors to the home for 15 homeless children. For six years now, the home has welcomed children from age 5 to 17 who are without home or family.

A model for others

Kjetil Espeland visited Korosten in 2008, and looks forward to seeing the city and children again.

“Feedback from our cooperating partner in Korosten, the Norwegian THK foundation, suggests that Omega children’s home has been of great importance for many people in Korosten. The children finally have a place they can call home, and can grow up in a safe and caring environment. It has become an exemplary home in the area, and other institutions have followed the model, building and running children’s’ homes like ours,” says Espeland, who has had close contact with partner THK in Korosten since the project began.

Espeland and the rest of the Omega group are spending the weekend of 25 – 28 May in Ukraine, where they will also visit Kiev and Chernobyl.

“Korosten is our main destination. This will be a very different teambuilding for us. We have always been proud knowing our Christmas gifts are going to someone in need. Now we really get to see what this has meant for them,” he says.