CURRENT PROJECTS
Below you will find a group of 20 our core, constantly ongoing, projects. These are a selection of the most needed areas that SHIP work and strive towards achieving.
WHEELCHAIRS
We supply wheelchairs for injured people or those who are disabled. We have a stock of wheelchairs we lend for short term needs and donate to others regularly.
WELLS & WATER
A generous donation made it possible to drill our own well. We are delighted to provide water to the infirm and elderly in the community. The water also enables us to grow vegetables for distribution. We also deliver to orphan check points for drinking and washing purpose.
TOYS
Thanks to the many knitters in the UK we are able to supply the children's ward at Good Shepherd Hospital with teddies. As we are receiving a regular supply the much loved teddies are also given to the children in the community. In most cases this is the only toy they will ever receive. We feel, it is also a great support to orphans.
ESSENTIALS
We help by supplying daily essentials i.e. food, water, soap, clothing, shoes, fuel, candles, matches, salt, sugar, books, building material and also ensure medical aid is ongoing, at all times.
SCHOOL FEES
For many years we have supported children with their education.We are paying school fees and fees for further education in addition to help with school uniforms and material.
We also support adults in their endeavour to learn or brush up their English.
MATERNITY
Maternity packs are provided to new mothers and babies, provided by donations and the many knitters in the UK. There are no funds available to most local mothers to clothe their new born babies.
Projects are personally implemented and supervised from beginning to end by SHIP. Sustainability is our aim and humanitarian ethos is to the fore.
VOLUNTEERS
Introducing volunteers to help in the community is invaluable. Volunteers have a choice of tasks. The list can be perused under volunteering. We are actively looking for more volunteers to join for a short or long stay. Widows are as grateful for the help given in the field as are local schools for the support they receive, this is just to mention a few.
TRANSPORTATION
Local transport is very sporadic and expensive. Our assistance to drive people to the nearest hospital (approx 100km away) is greatly appreciated and needed in cases of broken limps etc.
SEEDS
Supplying seeds for vegetable gardens has become a regular occurrence. We also teach the community how to harvest seeds for the next year. This is not always possible, hence our continuation to supply. The recipients are increasing from year to year too.
SCHOOL MATERIALS
We have provided blackboards, books and school material for the local community. We also continue to support young vulnerable children and orphans age 2-7 with educational material and toys.
BLANKETS
Blankets are distributed throughout the local community regularly. The need is great for the very young and the elderly alike. Most blankets need to be replaced as they are used for shrouds. The nights during the winter months are very cold and one blanket to keep warm is simply not enough.
MAINTENANCE
Funding to repair houses is in many cases not available to many members of the community, neither is essential equipment. Or the inhabitants are simply to frail to undertake any repairs themselves. Ship does, whenever possible, assist in the manifold of occurring tasks.
FUEL BRICK MACHINES
Most homes are still cooking outside on a three legged pot with wood gathered from the country side. We have a fuel brick making machine to make bricks from newspaper. The bricks can be used instead of wood.
FRUIT TREES
On the land bestowed we planted many fruit trees with various success. The banana and Guava trees are plentiful and the others are coming along year by year like avocado, pawpaw, oranges, grapefruit and lemon.
FOOD FOR ORPHANS
We started very small by providing just a handful of food and continue to feed over 200 orphans and the elderly during the years of drought. This project has scaled down now, but food and essentials are still provided on a more individual and need guided basis.
FARMING
We are paying for the ploughing of various sizes of plots to enable, especially widows and the elderly of the community, to grow their own crop. We also assist with planting, weeding and harvesting with the help of volunteers.
COWS
A local farmer decided to start a dairy project as there are no dairy cows (no milk) within the community. Ship supported him by purchasing two Jersey cows with the view to supply the schools with milk. This project is monitored closely.
CLINIC
Medical aid was given to the sick and dying members of the community, since 2000,
especially the orphans, and it very quickly expanded to regular outreach clinics providing isolated members of the community with help.
In 2003 we built a clinic on land bestowed by the local Chief and we have been treating the local community ever since.
We also provide transport to the nearest hospital if required.
CHICKENS
A flock of free range chickens provide eggs and meat for the community. The chickens are given or sold, sometimes even bartered for maize, which is used to feed the chickens or given back to the community. Overall a very successful endeavour.
BRICKS
We make bricks out of soil with our own brick making machine. The bricks are donated for buildings, to build toilets etc. In addition to we donate cement for building purposes too. The machine is in great demand at all times.