Berrima Banter - 18th October 2018 (Oct 18, 2018)

HandUp Congo (HUC)

MAFO’s air freight consignment has now been distributed in DR Congo and the visiting team has arrived there. Emergency medicine training will take place at Kinshasa General Hospital and Bolenge Hospital in Equateur Province, as well as further development of other capacity-building projects that HUC has established over the years, particularly in Lotumbe village at the end of a 15-hour, 300-kilometre canoe trip. Some of the projects will be filmed in action for further training and educational purposes. The full team, comprising visitors and locals, includes team leader Lucy Hobgood-Brown, emergency medicine specialists Dr Vera Sistenich and Dr Muller Mundenga, photographer/film maker Emeritus Professor Ken Kobre, and translator Dr Nadine Shema.

Clockwise from top left: Dr Vera Sistenich (left) and Lucy Hobgood-Brown, Prof Ken Kobre interviews Dr Muller Mundenga, a new x-ray machine being delivered to Bolenge Hospital, Dr Nadine Shema.

Rotary Club of Berrima District is acknowledged and thanked in all HandUp Congo newsletters, social media and website for the services provided by MAFO.

Ramsay Health Care

With a new corporate contact at Ramsay, much of the month was spent bringing her up to speed with how MAFO operates. Project Manager John Macpherson took the time to demonstrate how requests for equipment are circulated, how donations are collected and consolidated and what the process is for determining the suitability and condition of equipment. Options for streamlining the way Ramsay’s annual contribution is paid were also explored.

MedEarth

MAFO supplied a quote for shipment of 2 x 40-foot containers of hospital beds and mixed medical equipment from Sydney to Colombo, Sri Lanka, for one of MedEarth’s clients. Additional equipment is being sought from Ramsay. If the quote is accepted particular attention must be given to export documentation, and under no circumstances must the shipment be on a ‘freight collect’ basis, as a number of such consignments shipped under the auspices of other RAWCS projects have recently been rejected on arrival at Colombo. MedEarth also supplied the ECG machine mentioned on page 1 and packed it ready for collection at their Lane Cove warehouse.

Aussie Books for Zim

Will launch a crowdfunding campaign on 18 October ( https://startsomegood.com/help-us-get-over-60-000-books-to-zimbabwe?fbclid=IwAR0-vBxCpn8XhkT2TkI4EJKdmOGxJyAyScGliNKaAi6z7klIoXbwjE-uq3Y) designed to raise $16,000 to ship two full containers of books to Zimbabwe by the end of 2018 and set up over 30 libraries in Zimbabwe. Aussie Books claims this will directly benefit between 6,000-15,000 children, depending on the size of the schools. CEO Alfred Chidembo is looking for support from the Club and has suggested a number of options in an email, which has been forwarded separately for the Board’s information. It is not clear whether he wants MAFO to organise the shipping.

Barry Barford

International Director