We sent off 5 suitcases full of donated medical supplies to Ethiopia today with 10 volunteers that will be there for 2 weeks. We ran into a serious problem with customs at the airport. Surgeons that travel to our hospital frequently are having their suitcases full of supplies detained and held up for randsom. The custom officials are trying to extort money from wealthy American surgeons basically and the hospital has had to simply let some of the suitcases go. They cant pay the super high extortion fees that the customs officials are slapping them with.
So, we had to repack all 10 suitcase down into 5-super high value suitcases such that the hospital would be willing to pay the extortion fee if they get stopped. It sucks, but we have to think this way as American foreigners going into another country. Everyone see us as super rich and we are not, most of the volunteers are just middle class that are going this time, there is one dentist. My parents are both going and taking cheap new laptops and cameras that they are going to donate to hospital that they asked for. I donated a great digital camera to use in the surgery dept.
The dentist that is going is bringing 4-high value suitcases full of surgical supplies that the hospital surgeons definitely want.
I am trying to find a way to send thing cheaply and without extortion hassles by the Ethiopian custom agents.....just sucks !!
A Kenyan friend recommended sending our things in shipping crates with her things, which are the size of 40 foot semi trucks. This is cheapest way to go and her friend is a full time import specialist and recieves the crate in Kenya and hand delivers everything personally driving each item to its destination all over the country. No B/S at all. Sounds like a good plan.
All for now.
Prices of Everyday Items in the capital city of Addis Abbaba
http://everythingaddis.com/price-of-goods-addis/
So, we had to repack all 10 suitcase down into 5-super high value suitcases such that the hospital would be willing to pay the extortion fee if they get stopped. It sucks, but we have to think this way as American foreigners going into another country. Everyone see us as super rich and we are not, most of the volunteers are just middle class that are going this time, there is one dentist. My parents are both going and taking cheap new laptops and cameras that they are going to donate to hospital that they asked for. I donated a great digital camera to use in the surgery dept.
The dentist that is going is bringing 4-high value suitcases full of surgical supplies that the hospital surgeons definitely want.
I am trying to find a way to send thing cheaply and without extortion hassles by the Ethiopian custom agents.....just sucks !!
A Kenyan friend recommended sending our things in shipping crates with her things, which are the size of 40 foot semi trucks. This is cheapest way to go and her friend is a full time import specialist and recieves the crate in Kenya and hand delivers everything personally driving each item to its destination all over the country. No B/S at all. Sounds like a good plan.
All for now.
Prices of Everyday Items in the capital city of Addis Abbaba
http://everythingaddis.com/price-of-goods-addis/
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