Containers for Timor Project - Update

At its meeting on 25 October 2016, the Committee decided to grant $4,000 to the Containers for Timor Project (CFTP) in support of their ongoing work.  Members of the Project team attended the Commemoration Ceremony last November and have written thanking the Association for the grant.

Margaret Scott of the Containers for Timor Project has provided the following progress report:

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The grant money ($4,000) from the 2/2 will be used to freight the project's 34th sea container (C34) to Dili - quite soon we hope.  It's currently being packed and should be filled next Saturday [25 March].  It will probably weigh in at around 23 tonnes when full, and contains quite a range of items including 2 hospital beds, 1 ambulance stretcher, 50 walkers and also walking frames, bundles of crutches, 10 work stations, lots of school desks and chairs, filing cabinets & storage cupboards, several pallets of new school uniforms and sports shirts, many bags of linen and sewing fabrics, cricket gear, 15 bicycles, basketball goal posts and 2 electronic smart board systems complete with monitors, projectors, cabling etc.  Much of what is donated is new but there are also quite a few ex-display home items such as range hoods, stove tops & decorating items that will go to orphanages, disability centres and clinics.

C34 was purchased with donations from the newly formed Kalamunda Rotoract Club - their young members are working with the Friends once a month from now on - and from other smaller donations that steadily add up.  The balance of the freight funds will come from donations from Warriapendi Primary School, Balga Senior High School and Timor Leste Vision.  Freight to Kent St first, and then to Fremantle was included in the purchase price of $2800.

Timorese Customs Officers recently discovered a container listed as 'charitable aid', but containing items intended for sale. This has put all charitable imports on hold while the issue is resolved, and our containers are caught in this delay. We hope to hear a positive report soon.

Further information about the Containers for Timor Project can be found at https://www.timorcontainers.com/