Long-awaited ‘container of hope’ lands in Tanzania

Scroll down for Video

After 16 long weeks, a container brimming with donations has finally arrived at its destination in Tanzania.

After a long journey which included several delays, the container, shipped out by local charity Reuse Littleborough, touched down at the Forever Angels Baby Home on Saturday (26 May).

Boxes upon boxes of baby clothes and toys, plus a myriad of other goods and essentials, were unloaded on Monday (28 May) under the hot African sun, weeks after being loaded during the cold British rain.

Messages to the children at the baby home were posted on stickers on the inside of the doors of the container before it left on its journey.

On the last leg of the journey from Dar Es Salaam to Mwanza, the container was carried in a truck originally from Blackburn, an old Fagan and Whaley unit with a cracked windscreen and no side windows.

Michael Bamford, who set up the group, flew out to last month to help sort and unload the donations. Since his arrival, he has been making the baby home a brighter place for the children by painting old and tired outdoor furniture, plus nurturing some of the new arrivals.

He said: “After all the problems we have had with every department you could think of, I’m so glad that all our fantastic donations are here being unpacked and used to make the kids laugh.

"Unpacking is ongoing and I have so much to do, and although it will be sad to leave the staff, kids and babies, after 60 days I’m so looking forward to reuniting with my family.”

This is the second container sent to the baby home by the group. In 2016, Reuse Littleborough donated similar goods, and helped change so many children’s lives in the process. 

Reuse Littleborough chose to support Forever Angels again, due to an upcoming ban on imports of used clothing entering Tanzania by 2019. New clothes have already been banned in Tanzania as part of the East African Community’s plan to boost regional trade of their diminishing textile industry. 

The group, which aims to reuse many everyday items that would otherwise end up in the bin, has continued to supply goods to people in need from their premises at Stevenson Square, Smallbridge.