Hi
I am from Kenya.Sanitary towel has been a problem to many poor gals ,to the extend that at that particular time of the month it affects most of their day to day activities..especially those from slum areas and other poor families,sometimes even their parents cant afford the pads.it will be so kind of you to donate such to these ladies in desperate need.you would have touched a soul.
Most organizations that i have dealt with mostly bring school books..unfortunately they sometimes fall on wrong hands and get sold.But the ones that reach the targeted destinations always help the children.Above all a child in need wont refuse anything useful and harmless...

Thanks 123vigael!

Hmm... the TSA will probably think that a duffle bag full of pads, coloring books, crayons, etc is quite a strange thing but it's good to keep them on their toes!

Check with your outfitter and see if they are planning a visit to a village, school or orphanage. If so, see what they suggest. The issue of sanitary napkins is interesting, but if you make a visit somewhere, you'll need to have a female contact there to which you'll give those items. A male teacher, headmaster, etc. would probably have issues with accepting those, no matter how useful they may be to the young women.

Pens, pencils, writing tablets... all are useful for students. You'll probably be asked for pens even by adults you'll meet. Having extras to give out is helpful. Toothbrushes are a good idea. Soccer balls (deflated as you say) and pumps will be popular. The used clothing industry is big in Africa, so taking new clothes might actually harm a local industry. Still, I've taken a new t-shirt or two to a young boy I sponsor in a Tanzanian orphanage. Don't bother with hair clips, brushes, etc. because even the young girls usually shave their heads.

i recently went to a dollar store and stocked up on bouncy balls, pens, pencils, notepaper, crayons to take on my trip.
this is stuff i always carry on trips to non-western countries.
i also leave behind the t-shirts i have worn on the trip.

i hadn't thought of toothbrushes but that is a great idea to propose to my dentist and his suppliers.
contacting my outfitter is another great idea.

Hi IR!

I am considering same. It might be cheaper to buy cases of pads in Africa, if you have access to a mega store there (we are stopping in one on our first day for supplies). I don't know about cost differences, but I'll let you know - we'll be in SA in June. We are going to spend 10% of our trip cost on donations - we just have to figure out how. With 10%, we might be able to buy an entire computer set-up for a school, which would have to be bought locally (different electric plug). I'd also love to donate school uniforms as they are out of reach for many families.

I wonder if we could place an order with the equivalent of Staples, and have school supplies delivered, through an outfitter (or directly), to a local school?

I have left clothes behind, as well as sanitary items, with a note for housekeeping staff.

Maybe something unavailable at all?

Hi Iowa-Redhead
You might like to try this link
http://www.packforapurpose.org/
I will be taking some recommended items on my trip to Zambia next week
Cheers
Elaine

Money to a reputable organization, while maybe not as immediately gratifying, is the most practical--and probably the least sticky/tricky/problematic.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer on this one. I have been told by Kenyans, Tanzanians and Rwandans that they would prefer that tourists not give out things indiscriminately to people we do not know, to children especially. It creates, or in any case exacerbates and reinforces, a pretty bad situation.

Bringing gifts to people you know or that a group you sponsor has requested is of course a different matter.

Have a great trip!

Good point, Leely2! Any donated items would need to be coordinated ahead of time, not just handed out without a plan. At schools, the headmaster usually takes the donations and hands them out to students as needed. When I was preparing to visit the Sheldrick Center near Nairobi, I asked Kennedy what I should bring to the guys that worked there. I had read that socks, blankets, etc. would be good. He looked at me and said, "Do you really want to know? Cash would be the best gift!"

thanks for the info leely.

it is interesting that kenyas, tanzanians and rwandas prefer not to not have gifts distributed randomly by tourists. i had no idea it was a faux pas.

the first time i took pens, pencils etc to a non-western country was when i went to south america. the company that organized the trip suggested it to us.
since then, i have continued taking such things to other south american and asian countries and also to south africa.
i had never heard otherwise and so i have continued with the practice.

besides addressing a need, one of the reasons i was told the locals appreciated this gesture was because it was from america!

i will ask my outfitters to connect me with an organization to see if they could use what i have already purchased. if not, i know of plenty of other places that could use them.

Cash is King!

And know that most all of what you schlep from your home country can be found in-country, but often too expensive for those who might need the items.

Purchased in-country and have distributed accordingly.

For sure, no candy for children, not even sugarless. And, don't be tossing anything from a vehicle. Children know there are "wealthy" tourists in those and it can be dangerous for them to be on the roads when they should be in school or at home... they should not be begging.

Thanks for the ideas and thoughts!

I mainly thought to take things to give to someone in charge of a shelter that they could distribute to their charges. I can get a hold of some things, like a case of tooth brushes, for extremely cheap or even free here. I thought to stay away from cash for two reason. A client at the food bank once told me that it's easier on the pride to accept items than to accept money and I can do more with a couple dollars and donations of items than I can afford to give as cash.

I had no intention of tossing candy from a vehicle. Yikes! I would think that in addition to a safety issue of teaching kids to run towards vehicles, that it just seems rude.

Yes, many supplies like pens and pencils are available in country. It is really a matter of efficiency. If you can get supplies cheap or free in the US, and have the space, take them. Otherwise you are better off buying things in Africa or donating the money to a reputable agency which directly works with people in need.

We often gave away even surplus food items from our boxed lunches like fruits and unopened containers. One easy way to give things away is through your guide/driver/tour operator. They know who to give it to and how to give it in a way that is not offensive.

Will you be in Arusha? If so I can give you the name of an orphange there that I personally went to and donated some money for them to build a well a couple of years ago. SInce then they have sent me newsletters a couple times a year and are doing amazing things. I would be happy to give you the contact info if Arusha is on your list.

Live42day,

I'll actually be starting in Arusha so that would work out perfectly. If you want to send me the contact info at redhead_1984 @ hot mail. com (without the spaces) I'd appreciate it. I don't know what my plan is for sure yet, but that way I'll have the contact info once I get my plans figured out.

Thanks!

I will email you the link. Thats what we did, start in Arusha so it was perfect.

Did you declare these items on arrival in Africa? I want to take school supplies donated by children at my grandsons' elementary school to a non-profit sister-school in South Africa. I do not know if the donated items fall into the Duty-Free category as they are not my personal effects and will remain in South Africa. I would really hate to undergo a Customs inspection and be fined, denied entry, or be stuck having to pay duty on the donated items. I suppose I will call the SA Embassy and see if they can provide answers. Any other suggestions from fellow Fodorites?

Tamtalb- When going through Customs in South Africa it's basically on a voluntary basis. They have a line "to declare" and "nothing to declare". I know some people who have been pulled over randomly and charged fees but I think if you're donating goods it's not a big issue. It's an issue if you're bringing a bunch of clothes with tags on them (they're trying to encourage their own clothing industry here), electronics (they'll kill you with fees) and photography equipment (the prices here are outrageous because it's all imported so they don't want individuals "importing" things like that). Even if you call the SA Embassy you may/may not get the right answer, it's a government entity after all. I've always received a mixed bag of information from the SA Embassy.

If you're stopped the worst that would happen would be that they'd charge you fees. When you tell the customs officers (ONLY if you get stopped) make it crystal clear that you are donating your goods to the local community and you should be fine.

We were in Tanzania and connected with the Tanzanian Childrens Fund. We brought 100 pounds in two bags of over the counter medicine. That is what we were told that they needed the most. I did collections from all my friends and it was a highlight to be able to visit the orphanage. The organization will also give you a letter so that you have no problems carrying the supplies. They have a website as well as a contact person in the US that I was able to speak to directly. Hope this helps.

Thanks Kits and lhgreenacres,

That is exactly the info I needed. I got a lukewarm response from the SA Embassy, but no concrete info. I will definitely use the idea of getting a letter from the school. Thanks again.

I second Lhgreenacres suggestion of Tanzanian Childrens Fund and their Rift Valley Children's Village. Not only do they care for orphans, but they now run the local primary school as a charter school and provide a lot of help for the local community. I sponsor a young boy there and have visited several times. In 2005, my group planted trees there, before the current buildings were even built. If you decide to go, you need to let them know in advance. You could also see what they may need, supply-wise, although cash is always appreciated. They don't give the kids anything other than on their birthday and at Christmas, to avoid problems. School supplies are used by the primary school and the medicines, at their clinic.