Other countries to which Peppercorn has sent computers

Cameroon

Uganda

Ghana

Tanzania

Jamaica

Zambia

Western Sahara

Two computers donated by north Staffs businesses were sent to Belarus in May 2004 via the charity Heart, Hope  and Help. Six further computers were sent in October 2004, with two batches of six following in March 2005 and October 2005.

Heart, Hope & Help - the 3 H's - was set up in March 2004, to provide humanitarian aid convoys to specific projects in Belarus.

Belarus received 70% (about 1900 tonnes) of the fallout of the Chernobyl explosion of 26^th April 1986. This resulted in a dramatic increase in the incidences of cancer, leukemia, respiratory diseases, and birth defects.

In addition Belarus has trading difficulties with other countries because of the radiation and is a country of great poverty.

Aims
To provide aid from the U.K. for:

1. the only children's hospice in Belarus, in Minsk, which depends entirely on charitable support, and
2. the regional hospital of Uzda, in the rural area of Losha. The hospital burnt down in 2003 and is in the process of being rebuilt. General equipment e.g. hospital beds, wheelchairs etc are being sent along with specialist equipment to establish a blood transfusion unit. The hospital will have 30 beds and perform minor operations, midwifery, and dentistry and will provide respite for the elderly in the extreme of the winter months. Without this facility most of the local population cannot afford the travelling costs to main town hospitals, and do without treatment.

Benefits

• Direct aid can be directed to specific needs.
• The aid enables a poverty stricken population to have treatment that they would otherwise go without.
• The aid provides a basis for longer term planning in an uncertain political situation.
• Valuable use is made of equipment in Belarus, which is surplus to requirements in the U.K.

The Children's Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Bobriusk, Belarus.	Laboratory at the Children's Hospital.
Children's Ward.	Rudimentary toilet facilities.
Bathroom at the Children's Hospital.	"Boiled water station"
Nurses' uniforms.	Computer supplied by Peppercorn about to be used in the records office.
Children at the Minsk Children's Hospice.
Water supply "Summer House" for Minsk Children's Hospice in the Belarus Countryside.

Some more pictures of Belarus and of institutions to which we have sent computers were received in September 2006.