Australia's Science Forum

Hi All,
Does anyone have any contacts for sending excess equipment/books etc. to underpriviledged schools, either in Australia, or overseas.
I'm due for a 'reno' next year, and have started the purging process. Of course, I have offered my 'excess' stuff around, but I am finding others in the same boat.
We have, through our local Laboratory Hub Group, already have one contact that takes things overseas, but it is intermittent, and he can only take so much.
It breaks my heart to throw out things when there must be a way to pass it on those less fortunate, or in remote areas.
If anyone can help, it would be appreciated. I don't want to throw it away
Cheers,
Lisa

A few years ago I gave away quite a few microscopes to a science teacher from my school who was opening a school in Africa's poor remote area.She was associated with the Anglican Church.So maybe you could get in touch with them or other churches in your area.
Hope this give you a start anyway.
Cheers
Mother

Try the local service organisations like Rotary and Lions. Someone's sure to know of something happening in your area.

I have heard that Rotary is the way to go. I know of some people who have donated text books via Rotary, but have never done it myself.

J

Your local Catholic High school will always have a RE department who is usually doing charity work for schools in the outback or OS. Ring their reception and they will point you in the right direction.

I also so an add in the local paper, collecting books for Rowanda. Drop off was a local Church.

Great way to recycle those unwanted books.

there are a few schools in QLD that were using
www.african-equity.com

if that is any help
apparently they are wiling tolook at gathering items from all over australia

You may like to contact someone from each of the church denominations.
I remember donating yrs ago... to start up schools in the Solomons, another to Vanuatu, but each from different denominations.

Here is an email that was sent to us QLD labbies, its a great idea.

Just on this subject my very good friend lives in Samoa and they (the Samoans) are doing it really tough over there, maybe your local rotary/lions club can organise to get the stuff over there as well.

Good luck

Someone I recently heard of was GEMMA SISIA from Guyra, NSW. She apparently runs the school in Tanzania and has collection people and they do all the shipping.

Other than that, if you give the stuff to Rotary, please check that they do not include the textbooks in an annual ROTARY BOOK SALE at your local club - I seemed to get all my donated books back (with extras) every couple of years. Then I found they were not shipping them overseas, just putting them in book sales. A couple of my teachers bought them back 'cos they looked so OLD and great!!!

Hi All

Can I just make a quick comment about sending things overseas, especially to Pacific Island Countries?

Can I please just ask that anyone that is thinking of sending things overseas to be very discerning in just what you send! Sadly the Pacific Islands have become a bit of a dumping ground for old “stuff” that we in our more affluent counties no longer want! If you are going to try and give things away can I please ask that you only send good stuff that is in working order and that will be of some benefit to those that receive it?

I have seen first hand in a lot of schools in PNG and Tonga rooms and rooms of books and equipment that has been shipped over, all with the greatest of intensions, but that are not suitable for them or their needs, eg I have seen a box of microscopes without any eye pieces, universty level books given to a primary schhool!! Sadly this just ends up as big bile of rat invested junk that they are very reluctant to throw away as it has been given to them!

Don’t get me wrong these schools are in desperate need! Our school has a “sister school” arrangement with a school in Tonga, so we go by the rule that if we would not use it, that they probably wouldn’t either. If we can we now prefer to send new stuff!

Thanks

John

Hear hear John. Just bcause it makes us feel good to send "stuff, it doesn't always follow the "stuff" is any good to the recipients. I had a problem here when we renovated 4 years ago - one teacher wanted to send the old Messel "big blue science books" to a school charity!!
Gemma Sisia's school, St Jude's, is in Tanzania and because she's a local here we've always been very involved in her project. Currently, the senior science classes here are fund raising to send class sets of (new)prac. equipment such as multi-meters, electrical leads, power packs etc.
Liz

I agree with the previous replies; also was told by Rotary that they don't accept any textbooks older than 10 years. Some of the ones I want to dispose of include a final print date of earlier than 1975!! Of course, we do still have some blue "Messel" texts. Could any Science faculty work without them, even though nobody has opened one in over 9 years!!

Good food for thought, thanks for these comments.

I am lucky that our deputy here has affiliations with a remote school in New Guinea, and was very happy to take many many boxes of obsolete books from both my school, as well as glassware. However, I understand and support your views, as it did often cross my mind just how much use they would be up there.
At the time I just wanted them OUT of my space, and didn't want to throw them away, but gee, that's pretty precious of me, as how much harder is it to dispose of them up there?

Ellice, is this the thread you're looking for?