By Casey Neill
community to the people of Chibobo. 20587
Picture: Casey Neill
TWO Upwey High School students will hand out donated bikes, beds, blankets and more to villagers in Africa.
A shipping container filled with toys, sewing machines, clothes, stationery and tools collected from the Upwey community began its six-week journey to the Zambian village of Chibobo on 28 May.
Year 11 students Tim Whitelaw and Toby McMillan were due to leave Melbourne last Sunday (20 July) for the Zambian capital, Lusaka.
Chibobo Container Project organiser Margaret Collette said Toby and Tim had shown interest in accompanying the container from the beginning and wrote essays to demonstrate their commitment.
Upwey High School students have been instrumental in collecting goods and raising almost $20,000 for the project, $8000 of which was set aside for the trip.
Toby’s mum, Sue McMillan, said the decision to let her son travel to Africa was easy.
“They’ve worked really hard and they’re so passionate about it,” she said.
“I’m really proud of their sense of community.”
Tim said it was hard to believe the project was finally nearing its end.
“I’m very excited. It’s pretty surreal, actually,” he said.
Ms Collette’s daughter in law and Zambian native Veronica Buckley will also make the trip to Chibobo.
“She’s been able to use her local knowledge to help us organise everything,” Ms Collette said.
The Upwey group plan to arrive in Chibobo in time to welcome the container.
Ms Collette recently received word that the goods had reached Tanzania’s Port of Dar es Salaam and begun the final leg of the journey to the village.
“It was a relief seeing the container off. That was amazing,” Ms Collette said.
“The next relief will be hearing that the container’s arrived in Chibobo.”
The group will fly home on 3 August.
“No doubt we will bring back lots great memories, exciting stories as well as photos and films of the villagers and the container to share with the school and community,” Ms Collette said.
Ms Collette first learnt of the plight of the Chibobo villagers when she visited the area in November 1999.
The village is home to 4000 people, including 85 orphans.
“I feel very proud to have witnessed such a generous commitment to the people of Chibobo,” she said.
