What a container brings to the local community

Containers are tangible proof for the Congolese people that there are Australians who care about them. The benefits go beyond the individual items. Containers bring health resources for local clinics and the hospital such as vinyl covered hospital mattresses, medical resources, blankets, clean second hand clothes and shoes. Women who have never had a sanitary pad will finally have reusable, washable Days 4 Girls sanitary packs. The community also receives sports clothes and shoes, computers for students at trade school, sewing machines for the tailoring school and to give the women who graduate, solar panels for power generation throughout the hospital and community, birthing kits for the birth attendants, school tables and chairs for the schools and clothes for the orphans plus writing books and pencils and so much more. Containers cost up to $13,000 to transport, however, one surgical operating table would cost $10,000 and one of our high quality is not able to be bought in DR Congo. It is a similar story to all the resources that are sent like hospital beds.

What do we need for the next container

On September 26th we packed our container. It now has a 3 month journey to arrive at the hospital in DR Congo. What we need for the next container We plan to pack and send another container next year.

Each container provides:

  • clothing,
  • shoes,
  • linen,
  • computers,
  • sewing machines,
  • hospital beds and equipment,
  • birthing kits,
  • Days4Girls packs,
  • school chairs and desks,
  • and many other items.

As we have just sent a container we mainly need help collecting goods for the next container. We are collecting:

  • clothing,
  • shoes,
  • towels,
  • backpacks,
  • handbags,
  • mobile phones (with charger),
  • laptop and tablet computers,
  • solar panels,
  • sewing machines,
  • fabric, haberdashery,
  • educational resources (such as pens, exercise books, pencils, white boards),
  • school desks and chairs,
  • office chairs and desks,
  • any tools and old spectacles.
  • Everything in working order and clean.

Please let us know if you can help us with ongoing storage space in a clean accessible container/shed/warehouse/shop.

Please let us know if you can donate a container If you wish to donate the $13,000 for the transport of the container it can be named in your honour. E.g. Sharon Geue Container of Hope.

Register your interest to help

The people of DR Congo wish to thank the many donors, including:

SA Health

For 22 beds and mattresses, beside tables, 11 boxes of medical consumables, ultrasounds, oxygen pulsometers, electrocardioraphs, student chairs and much more from the closer of the old RAH. Special thanks to David Cockshell from Rotary Donations in Kind for his coordination over many months.

Streaky Bay Hospital

For a surgical operating bed, birthing bed, patient chairs, kermodes, walkers and walking frames, medical trolleys and many more valuable resources and equipment. Special thanks to Alicia Carcuro for coordinating the collection and storage. Thanks also to McEvoys Transport for their generosity in transporting the goods at no cost.

Hackham Sports and Social Club

For $2000 towards the container transport and the additional donation of stainless steel sinks, toilet bowls, melamine and plumbing goods.

James & Janine Eckermann

For donating space in a container for storage of goods. This storage space enables the process of gathering goods to commence. It was very much appreciated.

Days for Girls

For donating 1000 D4G washable sanitary packs. Special thanks to Susanne Harris for her enthusiasm and continued support.

Spotless Linens

For hundreds of clean sheets.

Souls for Souls

For 2000 new t-shirts and polo shirts and 3000 caps. Special thanks to Dellice Kennedy.

Computers for Congo

For 62 computers. Thanks to Tom Cecil for his commitment to Dr Congo.

Equinox Clothing

For many boxes of new pants and shirts and their ongoing commitment to help.

13 Huge Bags of Shoes

Estimated 60 pairs in each bag

32 Sewing Machines

Special thanks to Anne Miller for coordinating collection of these from various generous donors.

Clothing for adults and childrens

There were hundreds of items from babies to adults all clean and folded. We thank the many supporters who diligently work away gathering goods and washing them then packing into labelled bags. Every items is precious to a person in DR Congo.

& all the generous donations of all items - they are so valued by the people of DR Congo.

Container with Ambulance and Four Wheel Drive

St. Johns Ambulance group in Perth donated an ambulance and this was loaded into a container together with a 4WD Ford truck that has been donated and driven from Mittagong in NSW. The ambulance has helped save the lives many people in Uvira District.

It can reach remote areas to transport the sick people. In many villages this is the first time that they have seen an ambulance. For two days every week the ambulance serves as a mobile clinic for consultations and treatments in the villages. There has been a noticeable reduction in mortality rates and a significant improvement in general health.