18 July 2018
Donations to good causes in the Solomon Islands
Last month I wrote in letters to the local media how my partner charity organization in New Zealand, ‘Take My Hands,’ (TMH) had donated and delivered some ninety packets of assorted clothing to the Malaita based Hearts of Hope Charity working to aid over 1300 young children and elderly widows.
A subsequent article in the media later featured how more than forty tiny babies had been given sets of clothing, including shirts and caps from that initial delivery from TMH.
The first supply of clothing to HOH was facilitated by the very kind donation of money by the Solomon Forest Association (SFA) which covered the container freight from New Zealand.
The work of the dedicated team of volunteer workers of HOH, led by Ms. Janet Aihari, continues to reach out to many orphans and elderly people throughout Malaita Province.
To provide the assistance that is increasingly needed across the province, HOH needs more help by way of clothing and donations to acquire mattresses, blankets, towels, soap, school exercise books, pens, pencils, colouring materials and footwear for women and boys and girls of all ages.
A Singapore second-hand clothing trader has been in touch with me offering to send HOH all they need by regular supplies of clothing but at “competitive prices” which, of course, is a drawback given HOH is a charity essentially providing help without any funding, other than what is given locally, albeit still insufficient to meet the needs of the poor and needy HOH works to help.
If anyone is able and willing to donate funds to continue to get more clothing collected and freighted from TMH or to help pay for at least and initial supply of clothing from the Singapore trader, please write to me via the link on my website www.solomonislandsinfocus.com.
In terms of offering donations, let me end by reporting that a private donor from Australia has written to me offering to help the SI MOHMS with ‘dressing materials’ and ‘over the counter first aid supplies.’ This offer has been made known to the Medical Superintendent of the NRH and the assistance is now under consideration by the potential donor.
Also, finally, I extend my personal thanks to the Taiwanese Government for the medical supplies most recently donated to the NRH as a result of the current shortages.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
