The Friends of St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli, is a charity that was set up 21 years ago to support the work of and send donated goods to a hospital in a remote area of Tanzania.
In that time 20 containers have been packed and dispatched from Chandler’s Ford via Southampton Docks.
In addition to medical supplies for the hospital, hand sewing machines, fabric, haberdashery and cooking utensils are sent to women’s groups along Lake Nyasa.
Gardening, carpentry and mechanics tools go to Trade Schools and self-help groups in this desperately poor part of Tanzania.
Boxes of books, stationery, school-uniforms and sports equipment are sent to over 60 schools and two universities, as well as school chairs, desks and bookcases. Everything that is sent has been donated.
The Charity pays for the training of medical staff.
With the help of two sizable legacies and many donations work has been undertaken to update the hospital building as it had failed a Government Inspection. Its closure would have meant 200,000 people on a narrow strip of land along Lake Nyasa being left with little medical care. The local population are fishermen and subsistence farmers and the alternative would be long expensive journeys by bus or on foot or canoe to the nearest hospital.
As fuel for generators is so expensive the Friends have installed solar panels to provide lighting through out the hospital and a solar pump to run alongside the existing diesel pump for the water supply. A Land cruiser Ambulance and lorry have also been supplied.
When Dr Sam Ndimbo visited the U.K. in 1993, he brought news of drug shortages and of the desperate plight of the hospital. After his talk to the congregation at St. Boniface Church a quantity of household linen and bedding was collected from large hotels in London. This along with a supply of drugs became the first shipment sent to St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli.
The donations arrive from areas around the country to be sorted and packed by a small group of volunteers in an office building in Bishopstoke. Scouts and Youth groups come along occasionally to assist with wrapping the boxes in plastic to protect the contents on their long dusty journey overland from Dar-es-Salaam to Liuli.
If you would like more information on the Friends of St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli, if you are clearing a house or have any items, which you would like to donate, please contact Mrs. Judith James – chairman on 023 8061 8184.
Credit: Article and images are from The Friends of St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli.
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The new website for St Anne’s Hospital Liuli can now be located at http://www.friends-of-st-annes.com/