Castlebar woman named International Development Volunteer of the Year
CASTLEBAR native and Chernobyl Children International (CCI) volunteer Ann Coleman was last night awarded the International Development Volunteer of the Year Award at the Volunteer Ireland awards in Dublin.
“There are no ordinary volunteers, volunteers by their definition are extraordinary selfless people, but Ann Coleman’s work with CCl has shown her to be a volunteer of uncommon compassion, kindness and generosity,” Adi Roche, voluntary CEO and founder of CCI, said about Ann’s win.
Ann, who is a retired mental health nurse, has been working with children in the Vesnova Children's Mental Asylum for over 10 years and has alleviated the suffering of thousands of children and young adults languishing in forgotten institutions and mental asylums across Belarus and Western Russia.
Ann goes to Vesnova as part of a medical volunteer team up to four times a year. She is also Castlebar outreach group leader and helps organise rest and recuperation trips for children into her area. She has been group leader since 2012 and hosting children herself since 2008.
Ten years ago when Ann first began visiting Vesnova the conditions in the institution were as bad as possible. The children suffered from lice and scabies and Ann was at the forefront of changing conditions in the institution.
She was also at the forefront of transitioning children from the asylum into the community through the CCI independent living programme.
Ann has been an advocate for the mental disabled children in Vesnova for over a decade. Known affectionately by the children as Mama Ann, she has fought for the children’s rights to be accepted members of the community and has pulled down the barrier of discrimination the children face by encouraging them to become active members of the community.
Ann has helped these children escape a future of adult institutions, turning a disaster into a bright future for these extraordinary young adults. Her spirit to endeavour to change the worlds of these children truly knows no bounds.