International SOCMED Program
From 23 to 30 April 2013, Maria Vitagliano, International Program Director of Social and Medical care made her field trip to Ukraine.
During her stay, in association with GCU Team she visited Slavutych, where she participated in commemoration ceremony devoted to the 27th anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Maria Vitagliano together with Maksym Tymoshenko, GCU President and Yuriy Sapiga, GCU Executive Director, as well as GCU Team laid flowers at the memorial to the Heroes of Chernobyl.
SOCMED Program Director took the floor at the VIIІ International Youth Environmental Forum with her speech and presentation of the International SOCMED Program, held the discussion with the participants, youth and organizers, she gave an interview to the local television. In addition, as part of Mother and Child Club she visited the orphanage in Slavutych and met with veterans and liquidators of the Chernobyl accident. She made visit to the exclusion zone, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and to the town of Pripyat and Chernobyl. Also in the framework of Mother and Child Club she visited the family of Larissa Yakubets, Pakul village (the third zone), which receives the social and medical assistance from Green Cross SOCMED Program.
According to the agenda Maria Vitagliano visited the city of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky, where she met with GCU Coordinator Lubov Onoprienko, negotiated important aspects of activity and development of projects in the future. SOCMED Program Director had the opportunity to visit the family of Anna Sydorenko, who takes part in Social Cooperatives project, and evaluate the success of the mother in the development of the project and running the household to create well-being of her family.
In Kyiv Maria Vitagliano visited the museum of Chernobyl. Some days later, there was the meeting with the leadership of the Italian company ISAIA Napoli, who made a charitable initiative in favor of support for SOCMED program in Ukraine.
In Nevgody village, Ovruch district, Maria Vitagliano met with the local administration of Ovruch district, the head of the village council and the principal of the local school. Together with GCU Team she presented gifts to the children of the village school, i.e. the pottery items, paint and brushes provided by Sergey and Tatiana Mantulin from the Studio School of pottery "Time of Ceramics". The family of Oksana Zhurba, who is a member of Mother and Child club and involved in Social Cooperatives project had the honor to host Maria Vitagliano, who gladly shared her thoughts and ideas. Oksana thanked Maria Vitagliano for the assistance her family has received and continues to receive from GREEN CROSS. Maria also visited the family of Valentina Grynik, who has been involved in the SOCMED project for more than 3 years. During the meeting, Maria provided to Valentina the financial assistance from one Swiss family, which helps this Ukrainian family for more than a year.
One of the main objectives of Maria Vitagliano’s visit to Ukraine was the presentation of a new minibus, which was purchased thanks to the financial support of GCCH, sponsorship of Rotary Club, D?bendorf and assistance provided by the leadership of Winner Automotive in Ukraine. This vehicle will serve to strengthen and develop the medical module of SOCMED program in Ukraine. In the city of Zhytomyr Maria Vitagliano met with, Nelia Palamarchuk GCU Coordinator, Viktor Marchenko Chief Doctor of Zhytomyr Oblast Children's Hospital and mobile team of doctors who take part in Health for the Future and Dracula projects. There was official presentation of the new minivan, as well as interviews to the press and television.
"We do not eliminate the problem, but promote the decision-making process to find solutions and make our own contribution, thus showing a gesture of our solidarity," said Maria Vitagliano.
Green Cross Ukraine expresses sincere gratitude to the Board and the Team of GCCH for close cooperation for over 12 years, and thanks all the donors and sponsors for such a generous gift due to which medical and social module of SOCMED program will be developing more fruitfully in Ukraine.
GCU Team
