by Helen Kirkland
| DIK in Action |
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| Sorting and Packing |
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| The Lads have filled a container |
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| Unpacking a container |
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| A grateful community |
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| Recognition of help |
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| Look at our new school desks |
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Usually one thinks a Donations In Kind project as procuring some wish list items for a destination far away to help people we don't actually know. That is pretty much true, but there are hidden rewards when one gets to see what those items actually "do" for the people they are intended for. Better still are the unexpected moments that linger in your heart and mind for years to come.
Several years ago I had the great privilege to help deliver a container of school and medical equipment to Nauru. This project was born out of wishes of one our club members, Richard who had lived on Nauru in the past and a medical
technician who wanted to do more for the dialysis unit on Nauru.
This was a key project for our Rotary Club, which at the time only had 8 active members. We had been given enormous support from other clubs with our fund raising and in the September following my year as President, Richard and I went to Nauru to distribute the goods, which had been shipped a few weeks before.
The main items we had were hospital beds, walking frames, wheel chairs, a
washing machine, basic medical nstruments such as clamps and scissors, school books, paper and pens. We had also stuffed all sorts of items to fill the nooks and crannies between the equipment. That container was fit to burst.
Our first surprise was the government giving us the use of their warehouse for unloading and the help of the arehousing staff to distribute the goods. The second surprise was the "opening" of the container being recorded for the television news. In attendance were the Ministers for Education, Health and Infrastructure as well as the hospitals Medical Director and the Secretary of Education. The Minister for Education was stunned at the number of boxes of schoolbooks that came out of that container. His annual budget had allowed only enough funds for less than one carton of books and over 35 boxes appeared.
While we were unpacking, one of the local men commented on a wheelchair and who it would be perfect for. We got to deliver that wheelchair personally. Jim had been a fit sporting man when he had a motorbike accident that left him a quadriplegic. When Jim saw that chair, his whole face lit up. He pronounced that we had bought him a new car, in fact a black Mercedes. A few days later his son came to see us and said we had given his dad his life back.
We delivered a walking frame to one lady. She already had a walking frame, but the one we gave her was a lot lighter and easier to use. Another walking frame we gave to a man who no longer had use of his hands. This frame was built around using his arms instead of hands. I still smile when I think of seeing through the window of his house, the glee he had showing his family how he could now get around by himself.
When delivering wheelchairs and a tool trolley which was to double as a medicine cart to the dialysis unit, the staff were running around trying to find scissors to cut the boxes open and couldn't find a pair. We pulled out another box and opened it and it had several hundred scissors and clamps.
They laughed saying that they wouldn't run out again.
The Director of Nursing had been reluctant to take the beds we bought until she discovered they weren't regular beds, but real hospital beds with mattresses with proper covers. She also cried when presented with 50 pairs of bras for mastectomy patients. She had been trying for years to get them with no success.
Every little thing we had included in that container was appreciated. I was overwhelmed by the emotional response of the people on Nauru. It was so amazing to see that this "Stuff " we had packed in a shed on a cold winter's day in Pakenham, had such an impact on the lives of these people. I came home to Australia with a new appreciation of how much we have here and how lucky we are. It was one of the best weeks of my life. I have memories that make me smile, memories that make me appreciate what we have and memories that have given me resolve to give back more to people who have less than us.
Since then I have helped to pack containers for New Guinea, Sri Lanka and more for Nauru. We were even able to pack a container for Nauru full of library shelving, school desks and chairs within 10 days of one of the two Primary schools on Nauru burning down. Rotary clubs in Brisbane sent books and other school consumables to Nauru after the fire.
The most amazing thing? That after our efforts and the efforts from the clubs in Brisbane, Nauru now has a Rotary Club of their own.
"Donations In Kind - a pretty cool project that gives."
Helen Kirkland PP
Rotary Club of Langwarrin and D9820
Donations in Kind Committee.
courtesy:
"Latitude 38"
District 9820 Newsletter
August 2011
| PP David Meller (Denise) Rotary Club of Strathmore Chair District Donations in Kind (DIK) (H) (03) 9379 3577 (M) 0409 165 553 Email: dik@rotary9790.org.au |
