CyBC campaign helps raise orphaned sisters from poverty

TWIN sisters with disability problems are now living in a house bought with the proceeds from a special Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) campaign and the ‘Association of the friends of the sisters Erato and Marilena Theofanous’ and the contribution of many other people to help the girls after their mother died in 1998.

Erato and Marilena Theophanous, 19, who suffer from serious physical and mental disabilities, came to the island’s attention 10 years ago after their mother, Irini, was sent to prison after accumulating massive debts in hospital fees and medicines.

Then President Glafcos Clerides intervened in the case, helping Irini out of jail, while her debts were mostly paid by the association.

When CyBC heard about the case, they set up a special radio programme on their third programme and raised money to help the family through the contributions of listeners to the show, called Open Line.

The funds raised were used to buy a plot of land and build and equip a house in Makedonitissa, in Nicosia, which is specially equipped with facilities for the disabled, such as ramps for wheelchair access and modified bathrooms.

Money was also raised by the association, which was set up by the ex-president of the Cyprus Bar Association and lawyer Xenios Xenopoulos and Antonis Nicolaou of the Social Welfare Department.

Other radio stations such as Logos Radio, Radio Athens and Radio Top FM in Limassol also helped to raise money, totalling £119,405.

Irini died of breast and liver cancer in 1998, leaving the twins in a desperate situation.

Today, the money raised has helped them to live a better life and they have been living with their father, brother and another sister in the house since April 2003, when the house was finished.
Erato is currently studying social studies in a Nicosia college, with Marilena unable, at the moment, to attend due to ill health.

She is hoping to receive a scholarship to become an artist.