Take My Hands is a charitable organisation that connects those that have, with those that need it. The majority of our current work is aimed at collecting medical equipment and resources that can no longer be used in New Zealand and redistributing them to organisations that work with those in need in the Asia Pacific Region.
How They Operate
Take My Hands is the connector and facilitator. We find those that have and match them with those that need it, then organise and facilitate the process of getting it from A to B.
Our Projects, So Far
We’ve collected medical equipment and resources from across New Zealand, sending over 15,000kg of to 5 different countries, helping more than 1000 people. The value of the impact this work has on those helped is estimated at over $5 million. We’ve been able to do that with under $10,000.
Important Things To Know About How We Operate
1 – We work organisation to organisation. So our equipment is collected from hospitals, clinics and health providers and sent to organisations that work with those in need, after all, they are the ones with the cultural and medical expertise to work with those we want to help.
2 – Where possible we utilize spare capacity in the transport and logistics chain. This allows us to minimise waste across the board and keeps the cost down for those in need.
3 – We ensure all equipment and resources sent are in good working order and meets the need of the people we are working to help.
4 – All equipment is gifted to the recipient organisations, we’re not in the business of selling and neither are our recipient organisations.
We’d Like To Introduce Our Partners
We consider our partners part of the TMH whanau. Where possible we use the spare capacity that exists within their business. So, for example NZ Post Global Logistics supply spare warehouse space in Wiri and space for our containers, Sofrana Shipping are providing space on their ships up to the Solomon Islands and PBT Transport have been transporting equipment from our providers to our warehouse for the last four years using spare space on their trucks and vans. Where spare capacity can’t be used our partners have been generous in providing every cost effective option, which allows us to do more with just a little. We believe in partnerships that have mutual benefit and we endeavor to give as good as we get from our partners. We provide stories for their internal and external communications, provide testimonials and promote their work as much as we can. As a result our partnerships have been growing in strength and commitment.
Our Stories
We believe in the power of good stories, so we capture as many as we can as frequently as we can. We track all of the equipment we get, from the moment we get it to the moment its used, and we’re able to tell some really great stories as a result. The picture on the right is Ashen, a 12 year old boy from Pakistan who as a result of losing his leg was unable to go to school and his prospects were looking grim. A leg we sent to the Hope Rehabilitation Society was fitted on Ashen, which enabled him to go back to school and live a normal life. Thanks to the spare capacity of our partners we worked out that it actually only cost us 30 cents to get that leg to him, which we thought was pretty fantastic.
If you want to know more or lend a hand, please contact us on:
info@takemyhands.org
www.takemyhands.org
