Has anyone shipped goods to Kenya?
 

I have recently returned from a wonderful trip to Kenya and Tanzania (a trip report will follow as soon as I get organized...) We visited a school in Naivasha, and the need for school supplies was quite obvious. Unfortunately, we had no time to buy any supplies while we were there, and our guide said it was best not to give/send money (I think he was worried it would not be spent on school supplies).

So now I am looking into how to send some supplies to the school. Has anyone else done something like this, and if so, how did you do it? Online price for mailing 50 pounds is $750 - yikes!

Any suggestions for helping this school would be welcome.

Thanks,
Kathy

Shipping is cost prohibitive

and no assurance it will make

it to your school...might find out what

charities your school works with and make a donation.

Years ago there donated a plane I had

and flew supplies to kids with

www.WorldVision.org

www.samaritanspurse.org

another good one I have worked with in the past.

charitynavigator.org many other reputable charities.

Might find specifically who the school works with

and work with them...personally stick with reputable

organizations only charity scammers abound.

Best of luck!

We sent a box of items to a guide who'd worked hard to give us a great trip experience. The owner of the camp had advised us in advance that it would be unlikely to make it if sent directly. So we sent it to the camp's head office in Nairobi and they arranged for the parcel to be transferred to the camp alongside other camp stock. This worked fine.

From the UK, postage wasn't prohibitive but the box didn't weigh a tonne or anything. It was just a few items of clothing and toys for his daughter and some photos and so on.

How Kavey handled her shipment is spot-on.

May I ask who your outfitter was in Kenya? It's possible they can accept such package in Nairobi and when next time one of their driver/guides is heading up to Naivasha make the delivery to the school. However, if sending a package weighing in at 50/lbs... it's going to cost you and $750 is steep, very very steep. Sunch a package will probably have to go thru Customs, with documentation and then you have to hope some creep there doesn't simply steel the stuff.

While your guide said not to give money, this is actually the best way for visitors to show support. Then the school can purchase what's needed locally as this put the funds back into the local economy.

Thanks everyone, for your replies. Sandi, we used WildTrek, in Kenya (through Africa Serendipity - you just don't know my screen name!)

I've since gone directly to my local post office. It seems smaller packages can be sent much more reasonably. So I'll contact the guide (very reputable - his father was on the board of directors of the school years ago)and see if there are charities that work with the school, or what his suggestions might be.

Best of luck, Kathy!

I recognized "Kathy" :)
Suggestions only.
Check out the option/s to find what would work best, as I'm sure the school will appreciate however your contribution arrives.

i come from kenya now in germany.a teacher in my daughters school collets used schoolbags and then they are forwarded to a certain organisation which later disposes to needy kids in any part of the world may be if you wish i can find out more about them could be they can assist you in getting your help safely delivered.

I had a similar dilemma ( i live in the Bay rea too, kathy--so pricing for you I know is outrageous!) outrageous)

Was told by people in Africa that the ONLY safe way to send pkg with DSL. I had one bad experience using the US Post Office (to India) pkg never arrived (although the prob was on the receiving end)

DHL for a onepound weight box, it was going to cost $130!!

My suggestion: use Moneygram. Available at any CVS pharmacy. Check their website for nearest town for someone you trust to pick up money!!!!! It's amazingly easy. The receiving person shows up at any Moneygram place (most banks, e.g. Stanbic) in Kenya with ID, and ...voila! All my African friends use Moneygram when sending $ to family, and never have a problem.
There are 8 Moneygram pickup locations listed in Naivasha.Now to find someone yo trust!!!

Kathy, was this Loldia School at Lake Naivasha? We visited the school last year, taking along a couple of duffels of school supplies. If this is the school, the trustees are in England. They may be able to help you, perhaps translating a donation from you into supplies, as they do travel to the school regularly I believe. They also have a student or teacher sponsorship programme. The amount of $750. would cover almost a full year's wages for one teacher! Our visit to Loldia school was a moving but very delightful experience.We even taught an eighth grade class!

I have been sending clothes from TX to my family back in Kenya and use USPS. A 48lbs box is charged around $270, you get a tracking number starting with 'LC' and ends with 'US' and u can track your percel all the way to Nbi. Best thing to do is send the box to an address in Nairobi and somebody go there pick it up as opposed to having the box sent to the little towns outside the city-that is when they get stolen.
Money works best if sent to a group instead of an individual.

You might get the best "bang for your buck" by just sending the funds for the purchase of the school supplies. If the guide is concerned that the school headmaster won't properly use the funds, would the outfitter or guide be willing to do it? Another way might be to find someone headed to Kenya and ask them to take along a case with the supplies. Even if you pay for the extra case, it's cheaper than shipping it.

I use "Kentex Cargo" and they have always delivered to our office. Their website is http://kentexcargo.com. Phone is +1-469-307-6571. I always talk to Regina

Hi Kathy;
I just ran into your posting about the shipping to Kenya. First, Gold Bless you with your humanitarian and your big heart. I myself I am a tiny tiny tiny philanthropist and like to donate and give a lot to African Kids.
But I always ship to Kenya some stuff I donate and collect from churches. I don't know where in the States you are, but there are much smaller mom&pop kind of companies and totally unknown to the mass Americans. Your cost of $750 for 50Lb is an astronomical and totally unrealistic.
My way the way I do it with a small company out of Houston charges me per KG, not per Lb. In other ways for example your total weight of 50Lb convert to KG and that will be 23Kg then multiply that $8/Kg. That will be about $184.

So do the math and this is totally within under control for shipping.
Good luck and God Bless