November 2017, Olomouc – Four TATRA-car toys will be send with the humanitarian aids in the container for Haiti, which is being prepared for its journey in these days to the Caribbean by Archdiocese Caritas Olomouc. The plastic toys will entertain children from the north-western part of the country where ACHO helps for years. The loading of 40 feet long container starts this Thursday on 29^th November 2017 in the morning in the Caritas warehouse in Holice, Olomouc. Fiberglass plates for the construction of shelters, 28 sewing machines, sewing equipment, tools, clothes, medical and school supplies and desks, chairs and sports equipment for the children will arrive to Haiti on January 2018.

The preparation of the humanitarian collection “The Container for Haiti” took ACHO workers and volunteers almost half a year of work. “We announced the collection in June 2017 and in August 2017 we were capable to fill a container one times as big. Then it was necessary to sort, clean and repair all things. After that we had to spray it against mites and put on the palettes,“ adds the supervisor of the Collection the ACHO humanitarian worker Klára Lőffelmannová.

On chilly days, there were around twenty volunteers to help the Caritas. The school desks which bottom plates were soiled with chewing gums or dozens of crutches that had to be disinfected and reduced to the smallest size by our volunteers. Also Denisa from Olomouc has volunteered for the job in the storehouse in Olomouc: „I met people from the Caritas at the Summer School of Development Cooperation and they told me about their activities in Haiti. I always enjoyed helping people, so I decided to get involved. Sorting of clothes is going well and quite fast, so I had a good feeling about it,“ says Denisa. Humanitarian collection is ready on 19 pallets. ACHO loads the things into the container this Thursday morning. Then it will begin its month long sail. Renee Quadros, who runs the school, nutrition centre and sewing workshop in Gonaïves at Haiti, will take care over the nearly eleven ton shipment. “Furniture from the collection will serve to children in our school. Fabrics, tailoring tools and sewing machines will help in sewing workshop, where the poor women learn the craft. Although sewing machines can be bought to Haiti, they don‘t last for a long time. So this collection is a great help for us. We thank to the Caritas and all of the Czech donors,“ finishes Sister Renee of the Order of St. Joseph. The collection will help even in the Baie de Henne.

Interesting bonuses the donors added to the collection:

Wooden hair curlers, an ironing board for sleeves ironing or a jersey with a bottle of plum brandy with a simple note: “Cheers!”

We thank to both individual and company donors (Koutný, Tempish, PAMA and TRADIX UH), who joined “The Container for Haiti“ collection.

Karolína Opatřilová, ACHO