How is S.H.I.P. Aid different from many leading charities?

The general public often would like to help people in poor communities; however, they are often unsure of where their money and contributions will end up.  S.H.I.P. Aid guarantees that 100% of donated goods will go directly to our adopted communities, and 100% of monetary donations will be used to cover basic shipping costs and operational expenses.  In addition, no member of S.H.I.P. Aid will accept any form of compensation for their efforts.  S.H.I.P. Aid is purely a volunteer non profit organization. 

Additionally, through research and analysis of many charitable organizations, we have found that a gap exists between donors and charities.  Many people are tremendously generous and want to help those less fortune in other parts of the world.  Each of us is moved anytime we see or hear about children dying from disease, hunger and poverty.  However, many people feel overwhelmed with such images in the news and simply do not know what to do.  Although we often have surplus goods and items that we’d like to provide to those in need, there is no reasonable method to provide it to poverty-stricken communities in Africa.  The high costs of shipping goods, along with international restrictions of imported items, make it very difficult for the concerned citizen to make a contribution.  S.H.I.P. Aid makes it possible for individuals and corporations to connect with communities abroad and witness the outcome of their generosity.

How does S.H.I.P. Aid achieve its Goal?

S.H.I.P. Aid works with international government officials and community leaders in Africa to identify poverty-stricken villages and communities.  S.H.I.P. Aid is currently working with the government of Lesotho to  “adopt” specific villages and regions  In essence, S.H.I.P. Aid focuses on providing goods and supplies of the adopted village to help the village become self-sufficient.  The intention of this project is to establish a long-term relationship with the citizens of Lesoho and evaluate and quantify the support program.  Our programs focus on two specific areas to help improve the adopted village: books/school supplies and medical supplies.

Books and School Supplies:  No community can uplift itself without proper education of its youth.  S.H.I.P. Aid sends books to its adopted communities and will establish libraries for the members of the community to learn in a safe environment.  The particular focus of these libraries will be children, as we provide a plethora of children’s books and school supplies for the children to learn.  This program is most often a combined effort with the local school/educational institution.

Medical Supplies:  Medical supplies in 3rd world countries are at a premium.  There simply aren’t enough supplies to treat the members of a poverty and disease-stricken community.   Due to inefficiencies and liability issues, the US medical industry often throws away millions of dollars of medical supplies every year.  S.H.I.P. Aid works with local hospitals as well as medical “recovery” programs to obtain supplies that would otherwise be thrown away.  These supplies are collected and shipped to our adopted community, and we identify the most appropriate medical personnel to disseminate the donated supplies.  

It must be noted that the relationship established with an “adopted” village is not an “authority figure to child mentality,” rather, a “friend to friend” relationship.  The ultimate goal is to bring lasting friendship and development to the village and ultimately the country.  Assistance will be provided without regard to race, ethnicity, political or religious background.

S.H.I.P. Aid aims to keep operational costs at the lowest possible level.  The collected books and medical supplies are held in a storage facility donated by Santa Clara Self Storage.  For cost efficiency, either a 20 or 40 foot cargo container is used to ship the items.  We have also secured the pro-bono services of BKA Logistics to handle all of the necessary logistical issues in the US and the destination port of Durban (South Africa).  BKA Logistics works with us to seek the lowest possible rates of the shipping companies.  Additionally, our contact in Lesotho, Honorable Dr. Motloheloa Phooko ensures that all of the local tariffs and fees for the goods are waived.

How does S.H.I.P. Aid receive the required donations to fill a 40-foot container?

We are constantly collecting items to fill the 40-foot shipping container:

Medical Supplies: We work with hospitals in the San Francisco Bay area and a national non-profit organization (REMEDY) to obtain donated medical supplies and equipment.

+ Donations and contributions are tax deductible

+ Eliminate disposal costs

+ Public Relations/Community Image

+ Provide assistance to individuals in less fortunate parts of the world/global charity

+ Be a part of building a global community

Foreign Country Focus and Country Contact:

Lesotho (Southern Africa)

Honorable Dr. Motloheloa Phooko
Minister of Health & Social Welfare

S.H.I.P. Aid has agreed in principle with the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Honorable Dr. Motloheloa Phooko, to establish a partnership for the purposes of assisting the residents of Lesotho with the necessary items to ensure a more healthy and functional lifestyle.  The Government of Lesotho will process all customs issues to ensure prompt delivery of goods to those most in need.