Bill and Lynda Charlton from Garden Bay recently travelled to South Africa to deliver some hope from the Sunshine Coast.
The couple read an article in the June 16 edition of Coast Reporter asking for someone who was planning to visit the area to bring gifts from Coast residents to needy babies in South Africa.
"Since we were returning to Durban, South Africa in October we offered our help in transporting the items," said Lynda in an email.
Coaster Nicola Blakey had been gathering donations of knitted hats, booties, teddy bears and blankets from locals to aid a baby pack project being overseen by volunteer Gill Richardson in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.
The items were to be included in packages given to needy mothers throughout the lower south coast of Kwa Zulu Natal as babies in that area had previously been going home from hospital with nothing more than newspaper to cover them.
Blakey read about the tragedy and looked for a way to help. That's when she found the baby pack project and got in touch with Richardson.
"In the area in which I live, AIDS and unemployment are major problems, and consequently there is much poverty," she said, explaining the need for the project.
Each baby pack included a diaper and pins, a waterproof pair of rubber pants, a sweater, a long sleeved and short sleeved sleeper, a bib, a vest, booties or socks, a small blanket, a towel, a bar of soap and a knitted bear.
Blakey asked people locally to knit hats, booties and bears to be included in the packages and said she had a good response. But sending the items proved to be very expensive.
That's where the Charltons came in. After reading the Coast Reporter article, they quickly offered their assistance to transport the donations.
"As the word spread to family and friends, we collected two huge bags from Canada along with used children's clothing we purchased at a local market in Durban, South Africa. "We rented a car and met up with Gill and husband Grant [Richardson] who started the baby pack project in Port Shepstone. Our first stop was the Murchison Hospital maternity ward where I assisted Gill in giving out the baby packs," Lynda said.Ten complete baby packs were given out at the hospital as well as several "mini packs" with the bare essentials in them.
The moms were very appreciative and Lynda was too, noting it was a moving experience to hold all the newborns and welcome them into the world.
From Murchison Hospital they proceeded to the Rehoboth Orphanage, established to care for children living with HIV. "The missionaries who own and operate the orphanage are truly caring and dedicated to their vision of creating a loving home for these abandoned, orphaned little ones," Lynda said.
Some of the clothing the Charltons brought with them went to the orphanage as well as many diapers. More baby packs were delivered to Child Welfare to be distributed to needy mothers and babies.
"Our visit to the hospital and orphanage was a very rewarding experience. Upon reflection, we realize that each contribution no matter how great or small can make an enormous difference in the lives of those who are truly in the greatest need," Lynda said.
Gill Richardson of the baby pack project was very excited to get the donations from the Coast brought by the Charltons."They brought two huge parcels of diapers from Nicola Blakey, as well as a large parcel of knitted booties and hats and knitted bears. They also brought some clothing for older children we are so grateful for all of these donations," she said.
The baby pack project has been up and running for about a year now and to date 137 baby packs as well as six large bags of clothing for older children have been delivered.
"We are at present supplying 20 packs per month on average to the Margate Child Welfare that distributes the packs to those moms who most need them, mainly in the rural areas inland of Margate. We also deliver a bag of baby clothes each month to the outreach committee of the Margate Anglican Church, that delivers them to the Ntabeni Clinic," Richardson said.Locally Blakey is still gathering donations for the project and asks anyone interested in knitting items or giving money for postage to send items to South Africa to contact her at 604-885-7503.
"It is a very important cause and I'm glad people on the Sunshine Coast have been supporting it," she said.
Blakey said another woman is planning on visiting South Africa in January and has volunteered to bring another batch of donations to the area, so getting donations in before that deadline would be helpful.
For more about the baby pack project go to www.baby-pack-project.blogspot.com.
