Projects: Donations in Kind

 

A Brief History / Outline of Donations in Kind
Since acquiring the 2000 square metre warehouse next to Building 54 at Edinburgh Parks early in January Donations in Kind Central Region has made a significant organisational change. Goods that we had to leave outside are now all under cover, we have been able to support Shoeboxes of Love with around 50 000 stored, rooms in Building 54 have been re-organised and SWSL will be moving into space in Building 54 where their solar water purifiers will be constructed.

There have been a number of Clubs out to Edinburgh Parks on our Sunday working bees including Brownhill Creek, Brighton, Burnside and Stirling. These Clubs enjoyed seeing the potential that DIK has, had a BBQ and put some order into the goods that we have.

In 2004-2005 four containers were sent overseas with a total value of $282 000 at a freight cost of $16 000. All of the goods are in place and the communities have expressed their thanks to us for this support.

The most significant project was that to the Rotary Club of Port Moresby where the Dental School at the University of Port Moresby was established. 15 dental chairs, a large amount of dental equipment and X-ray machines were all set up by Bannah Esse an Indigenous Papua New Guinean who had been brought to South Australia and trained at the Dental School. While in Adelaide he was supported by the RC Coromandel Valley. The first class of Indigenous dental students is now being trained and will make a significant impact on the dental health in Papua New Guinea.

The latest container sent out was to Tonga and was personally funded by Dr John Willoughby of the Barossa Valley. The value of medical equipment in this container was $220 000 and contained major items for ear nose and throat work in the hospital.

A stillage of exercise of exercise books, pens, pencils, calculators and other materials for students has been sent free of freight charge to Chubjkopi Village on Uepi Island in the Solomons. The Primary School with one teacher is dilapidated with a dirt floor and these materials will have a significant effect on the education of the children.

We are now working on the following projects:

• 12/05 to the Rotary Club of Port Moresby – 8 dental chairs, dental materials, X-ray machine computers to complete the previous project, 50 sewing machines from 50 RC Brighton for a micro business, text books to Kafuri Village. This is being funded by RC Victor Harbor $2000, Brighton $950 and Enfield $500.

• 13/05 to the Pitlands – 40 computers for Indigenous students along with another 20 computers for an IT course. This has been funded by RC Mitcham $200, Mildura $280 and Unley $500. We still need $400 to complete this project.

• 14/05 to the RC Gingoog in the Philippines. The RC of Gingoog has just renovated a run down hospital and now needs the equipment to ensure the facility is properly set up. Barry Hicks is in Gingoog at present and they are thrilled that we will send them a 40-foot container of equipment. In reality they need two containers. We have no funding for this but the first container will go on the 4^th of October. (This is the container that Marion assisted with by lending a hand both physically and financially).

We have another 10 containers on our books and we desperately need funds for freight. If every Club in Districts 9500 and 9520 was prepared to contribute $500 a year to DIK we could send out at least 16 containers.

Also if Clubs in close proximity to Edinburgh Parks were prepared to commit one or two Sundays as a working bee at your site we would have an organisation that makes a significant effect on countries that need our help.

Donations in Kind is your International Service delivering hope in the areas of health and education.

Theo Ruckert
Chair Donations in Kind Central Region 
October 2005