#BloggingForSouthAfrica

OK so here's the idea...

There are hundreds of bloggers out there doing sponsored posts and product reviews.

I'm looking for bloggers to approach organisations, companies etc to make donations to Children in South Africa in exchange for blogging about it.

If we all club together think of the advertising they could benefit from. Then think about the numbers of children reached and provided with much needed educational supplies, blankets and clothing.

I've been visiting townships and informal settlements, helping to identify needy children for a Christmas gift project.

These children in the schools and day care facilities have NOTHING...their parents pay on average between R70-R200 (Rand) a month per child to have their children looked after while they go to work to earn R150 per day. The children are fed and educated out of this money, with often 60-150 children in the facility. (Current exchange rate R100 = £9)

The facilities have no running water and infact the whole settlement relies on government trucks twice a week to refill the tanks, there is no medical aid or even electricity.

The conditions are appalling, there is no respite from the cold in winter where temperatures drop below freezing and no respite from the heat in the summer. In fact I visited 2 facilities today where the children were sat on the dirt floor, eating pap. These children are suffering with heavy colds, their eyes are streaming and most have sinus problems and their parents do not have the money for simple medications to alleviate the symptons. A lot of these children are HIV positive or have AIDS.

I'd like to be able to donate actual goods to these facilities. Money donations to these facilities is a no go. I don't want your money, I want your time, your blog, your cast off clothing and blankets and educational supplies to distribute. The postal system here is not reliable and the costs for secure posting from other countries is high (twice as much as the contents of the parcel)

Please can you help with the following:

Ideally I'd like to find a company that will pay for a container to be shipped here, a place where donations can be sent to and a team of volunteers to sort the donations to ensure the contents are suitable for customs.

Maybe you help out with a scout group, a school, you work for a shipping company, the post office or a courier firm? or you're based in South Africa and your company has a Social responsibility. Can you organise donations, funding for postage/transportation costs?

On a smaller scale how about finding a sponsor to pay the secure postage costs for you to send a parcel to South Africa.

I will organise the distribution this end, I promise to take photos of the donations, provide storage and deliver them to the facilities. I will blog about the individual and/or comapny involved. I will promote your blog post for your sponsor ie 'donation for..... donation of.....(insert individual/company name) (no links please)

I will give my time in exchange for your help.

Please help with #BloggingForSouthAfrica anything you can do will be welcomed.

To make postal donations please contact me on twitter as @chickenruby if you would like my Post Box address.

If you can offer help please leave a comment below or you can email me on thechickendoesjoburg@gmail.co.uk

Lets spread the word as far as we can in #BloggingForSouthAfrica