麻豆传媒AV

Massive support has equalled a shipping container for Humboldt to fill for a community in Tanzania.
On March 1, representatives of SaskTel's We See You program were in Humboldt to gauge community support for involvement in the program.
And they found enough to guarantee they will be working with Humboldt and area this year.
The We See You program team partners with local organizations to fill shipping containers to send to people in need around the world. SaskTel provides the container and covers shipping costs, while an organization or community fills it with things needed by another community on the far side of the world.
Program coordinator Kevan McBeth had been approached about getting Humboldt on the list for a container by Norman Duerr of Humboldt. Duerr has been raising funds and equipment for a village called Ussongo in Tanzania for years. The two met when Duerr had items to add to another container SaskTel was putting together.
Three representatives of the program then came to Humboldt last week to ensure that the entire community was behind filling a container for Ussongo, not just one man.
They had hoped, McBeth noted, to meet around half a dozen individuals. Instead, they were met by a room filled with 50 people, all representative of different parts of the Humboldt and area community, from youth to municipal council members, to volunteer group leaders.
"It's a little bit more than what I expected," McBeth told the crowd.
"It's impressive to see this kind of support from the community at large," Duerr added.
Humboldt Mayor Malcolm Eaton was one of those in attendance at the luncheon hosted by Duerr and Arlene Jul茅, who has partnered with Duerr to help Ussongo for the past few years.
Eaton said he was impressed with this program of SaskTel's after having a chance to research it.
"It made sense why Norman invited you here," he told McBeth.
The We See You program began about five years ago as a one-off, McBeth explained. They were running a program to engage youth and the youth involved were inspired by a conversation with former U.S. president Bill Clinton to do what they could to help the world.
So, with the involvement of a University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing professor who was sending medical equipment no longer in use in this province to poorer parts of the world, they filled a container with that equipment and donated clothing, school supplies and sports equipment and sent it away.
The youth enjoyed doing this so much, they wanted to do it again. Five years later, this is what the We See You program is all about.
They've sent away two containers a year, McBeth said, except for last year, when they sent three, including two to Haiti. Other containers have gone to Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Bangladesh and Uganda.
"We've had fantastic success because we've engaged students and the community to make a difference and gather supplies to go into the container," he said.
Unlike those filled in Saskatoon and Regina, Humboldt's container will involve the entire city and surrounding area instead of one or two organizations. A similar container was put together by the community of Eston a few years ago.
"This... could pull the community of Humboldt together to do something special," McBeth said, to help another place in need.
This program, he said, is a conduit "between a group of people who really want to make something happen and a community that needs it."
"Really all we're looking for is a community partner or one community to partner to help us fill the container with supplies and donated goods," he explained.
Just what is sent is very flexible, and depends a lot on a wish list provided by the recipient community.
Often, McBeth noted, useful extras are added in as well, things a community may believe are beyond their means.
Having resources like Duerr and Jul茅, local people who have been to Ussongo and know what they need, will help in Humboldt's case, McBeth indicated.
"It gives us a better sense of what's possible," he said.
Clothing, they were told, will not be a need for the people of Ussongo, but educational and medical supplies will be.
"I think Humboldt would be a fantastic community to work with," McBeth noted, adding that Humboldt's container will be sent in the fall. The other container sent in 2011 will go on its way in the spring, from Regina.
Space will be needed to gather and organize the donated items, McBeth noted, and the support of city council is also important.
They will not need much of a local organizing committee, McBeth indicated, but they will need many volunteers to gather items and to come and help sort donations when it comes time to load the container.
"We want everyone to have the experience," he said.
"I know there's a lot of energy, creative energy in this room," Duerr stated. There is no doubt in his mind, he added, that Humboldt would be able to fill a container.
This is a community builder, he added, and not just for the city of Humboldt, but for the whole region.
McBeth had committed to working with Humboldt by the end of the luncheon.
"We're more than happy to be involved with the community of Humboldt, and any other (place in) Saskatchewan that has the passion and willingness to do something like this," he said.
The next step is to talk to Ussongo to see what they need.
The We See You team will also be coming out to do community and school presentations, to make more people aware of what is happening in Tanzania and in the program in Humboldt, and get them involved.
"It is going to be some work," McBeth said. "There are things that need to be done and it takes some effort."
Coming to Humboldt, he added, they just wanted to make sure they had a group of people as passionate and committed to helping Ussongo as Duerr is.
"I think we found that in spades today," he smiled.
Duerr was very satisfied by the response from the community and the commitment from SaskTel.
"I think it's wonderful," he smiled.
This project will increase everyone's global awareness.
"For me, community is always broader than geographical confines," he said.
Duerr has been commended by a Tanzanian aid organization for the work being done in Ussongo.
"You have no idea of the profound impact this can have on my people, my country," was what he was told.
"For me, that was an affirmation," Duerr said.