Next month thousands of first-year students in Irish colleges and universities will take part in a sponsored walk in aid of the Chernobyl Children's Project. The Freshers 10K Walk will be the largest student charity event of its kind. Two children who have been brought to Ireland by the project, Marguireta Marozava (5) and Antonina Ryan (3), were at St Stephen's Green, Dublin, to help launch the event. when Adi Roche paid tribute to the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). She said: "There are thousands of children, like Marguireta and Antonia, who were unknown to the project. The money raised by the Freshers 10K Walk will mean that the Chernobyl Children's Project will be in a position to reach many other children and make a difference to their lives.

"Marguireta and Antonia are two of the project's many success stories. The generosity of the Irish people has resulted in the Chernobyl Children's Project saving the lives of countless children in Belarus, the Ukraine and Western Russia.

"However, scientists predict that the worst effects of Chernobyl will not be felt for another 20 years. The support of USI and Bank of Ireland gives us a much needed boost at a time when the world's attention needs to be focused on the ongoing devastation in Chernobyl," Roche said.

Julian de Spainn, president of USI, said: "We want the Freshers 10K Walk to be the largest student charity event ever. We will get as many as possible of the 30,000 first year students in Irish colleges to take part in the event. The response so far has been excellent. But this can only be built upon by students raising the money needed to help this stricken area of the world."