At least 15 Durban-based medical specialists have offered their services to a local welfare group, the Gift of the Givers Foundation, as it prepares for a mercy flight to tsunami victims in Somalia.
The foundation’s director, Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman, said Gift of the Givers will be ready to leave with 40 tonnes of food, medical supplies and water as soon as it gets the green light from the United Nations.
He said it will take three days to unload the plane, giving the doctors time to assist Somalis medically.
Sooliman, who gave up his medical career to work full-time at the foundation, said although it would have liked to go to Somalia earlier, it was difficult to find partners in that country to help distribute the aid.
”There’s no government in Somalia and if food gets into the wrong hands it could lead to conflict,” he said.
The Gift of the Givers Foundation has also committed $500 000 (about R3-million) to Indonesia and is in the process of finding partners to take over the running of two hospitals in that country.
Sooliman said food and medical supplies will be bought over there because it will be cheaper, and there is too much ”red tape” to bring in supplies by air.
Meanwhile, $500 000 has also been committed to Sri Lanka where the foundation is looking for free land to build a village. Sooliman said the foundation has also set up its first office outside South Africa in Sri Lanka.
He said until recently all the foundation’s money had come from Muslims, but after the tsunami people from all backgrounds were donating generously.
”People are beginning to realise that although we are a Muslim organisation, we are not a religious organisation,” said Sooliman.
He said it is important to help the tsunami-affected countries because South Africa is part of the global community.
Gift of the Givers Foundation is involved in 20 different projects and has also raised a R2-million aid package for victims of the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal. — Sapa
On the net:
Giftofthegivers.co.za
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