Your old vest could save more than one life
PFDs for Vaccinations in the Congo Basin
Vaccination against 5 diseases (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio and measles) reaches more than 100 million children every year, in every corner of the world, rich and poor, urban and rural. But more than 20 million children a year do not receive all of their basic immunizations and 1,500,000 children died in 2010 due to vaccine preventable diseases. There are many challenges in reaching children with life-saving vaccines and other health services. In many places, the major one is simple logistics. Remote areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo have no electricity, no phones, no TV, and the roads are in such pitiful condition, cars cannot use them and it can take 12 hours to go 50 miles by motorcycle.
In the Equateur Region of DRC health workers can only supervise and deliver supplies by boat. But many are uncomfortable going by boat because they can’t swim and have no life jackets. The donation of a life jacket would make it possible for supervisors and others to travel safely by boat to deliver vaccines and other life-saving health interventions.
If you would like to donate a new or gently used PFD, please drop it off at Outside World, 471 Quill Drive, Dawsonville, GA 30534 or 1025 Broadway, Columbus, GA 31901.
If you would like more information, feel free to contact Karen at kxw232@gmail.com.
The July general meeting program for July is the NASA mission which will land “Curiosity” on the surface of Mars. We are probably familiar with previous Mars rover missions that landed a skate board size probe on the surface of Mars. Curiosity is nothing like previous missions to Mars.
