Adi Roche - Founder of Chernobyl Children International

Love and Courage

Adi Roche is the Founder and voluntary CEO of Chernobyl Children International (CCI). Adi is a globally recognized humanitarian and activist who has dedicated nearly 50 years of her life to advocating for peace, social justice, and environmental causes. A native of Clonmel, County Tipperary, Adi’s commitment to helping others was ignited at a young age, inspired by her family's dedication to social justice.

She began her journey as a passionate advocate for nuclear disarmament in the 1970s, leaving her job at Aer Lingus to work full-time with the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Her activism took a transformative turn in 1986, following the catastrophic Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Moved by the plight of the children suffering from the aftermath, she went on to found Chernobyl Children International. Under her leadership, CCI has delivered over €108 million in aid and imacted the lives of thousands across Belarus, Ukraine, and Western Russia. This work has included innovative programs like the Rest and Recuperation Program, which has provided sanctuary to over 26,500 children,

In addition to her humanitarian work, Adi is a prolific writer and documentary producer. She’s written 2 books and worked on numerous documentaries including working on the Chernobyl Heart documentary and consulting on the acclaimed HBO/Sky Chernobyl series .

Her advocacy has also reached the halls of the United Nations, where she has addressed the General Assembly and played a pivotal role in establishing the United Nations International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates, including Irish Person of the Year and European Person of the Year.

Subscribe, share, rate, review and donate to support this podcast. Thanks to patrons who chip in at www.loveandcourage.org Host Ruairí McKiernan is a well-known social innovator, charity founder, campaigner, counsellor, consultant, and author. Find out more via: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn and check out his book Hitching for Hope. He also has another podcast called Creative Souls of Clare.