The movement consists of a congregation of 28 different churches in the area of the Lutheran Church of Hanover, the largest Lutheran church in Germany. Each church in the movement has its own actions and focus but the general aim for all is to help the children in the area of Gomel and cure as much as possible the impact of high radiation levels on their bodies and minds.
Actions are refined to the oblast of Gomel in Belarus and focus especially on children. The most important tasks are
– Organisation and facilitation of four-week stays for vacation of 9 to 13 year old boys and girls and mothers with infants in host families in one of the congregations of the church in Hanover
– Medical aid for the hospitals in the oblast of Gomel and training of Belarusian doctors. Transports of goods for humanitarian aid for hospitals, schools, kindergardens, orphanages and other social facilities
– Encouragement for and help with contacts from the churches in Hanover to partners in the oblast of Gomel
– Informing people about the impact of the Chernobyl-Catastrophe
The movement was founded through a private initiative of the Stoevesandt family in Neuenkirchen in 1990. Within a short period of time and through many volunteers support stretched over the whole Lutheran Church of Hanover. A one-time action of having people from Gomel come to Germany to recover in Hanover during their vacation turned into a yearly event. From 1991 to 2005 more than 1600 children, 1200 mothers and fathers and more than 900 translators have found their way to Germany.
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