We've joined the Board of Donations In Kind!
Keith Roffey, Donations in Kind National Manager, tells us more about DIK....
The Donations in Kind activity of Rotary Australia World Community Service Limited (RAWCS) manages the collection and distribution of valuable and useable goods with a focus on health and education equipment, as well as providing goods in the aftermath of national disasters.
In addition to being a resource for Rotary Clubs and other not for profit organisations for providing humanitarian aid to developing countries for their local and off shore projects there is added value by a saving to our own nation, the alternative being the local disposal and landfill costs.
With the continuation of the strategic consolidation process of Donations in Kind across all regions, including the restructuring of committees and streamlining of operations, there is now a greater unified approach to management policies, safety of volunteers, OH&S and risk management and online standard documentation, warehousing facilities, stock listings, funding, corporate partnerships and legal responsibilities.
The activity has also benefited with increased awareness and opportunities being afforded to the program by major Health and Education Institutions across our nation working effectively with Donations in Kind to recycle and distribute valuable goods to areas of need. This includes projects such as 700 Hospital Beds being collected from the Sydney Local Health District with assistance from the Hospitals and corporate entities and being distributed to off shore projects by Rotary Clubs and other philanthropic organisations. The Royal Adelaide Hospital which is relocating to new premises is working with Donations in Kind to distribute valuable but unwanted medical equipment to developing nations and across National Australia institutes are looking to Donations in Kind as a vehicle to satisfy their corporate responsibilities.
The outputs of the distribution centres this year has again recorded an average of 200 containers being loaded and shipped to nations including Cambodia, Congo, Fiji, Honiara, India, Lao, Mombasa, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, The Solomon’s, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Tonga, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
The estimated national value of this activity equates to $12 million, being 30,000 volunteer hours averaging $1 million, $10 million value in donated goods and $1 million in freight and shipping costs.
Providing humanitarian aid through the provision of well managed donated goods is effective for the long term, sustainable and enhances the lives of less fortunate people.
If you want to be inspired, click on the link to see the great work that Rotary is achieving through RAWCS