Containers of Resources

The idea was born for Uganda 2000 when Chris Wilkinson suggested 10 projects each being supplied with a container of resources. Hoever, it has its real origins in Books for All. The ambitious project by Surrey Scouts to equip Iganga Schools and Scouts with libraries of books.

Those at the meeting well remember Eric Goulding, the leader of Books for All warning of the Customs Clearance difficulties of taking a container into the country.

He was ignored and went on to be the Leader of Uganda 2000 taking responsibility for the shipment of several containers and a visit by over 150 Scouts from the UK to Uganda.

We all well remember the difficulties faced then of the failure to get the sponsorship needed, the lateness of the fund raising and finally the difficulty of Customs Clearance which in the end was dealt with in the President's Office when he agreed to pay the tax out of Presidential Funding.

Where the resources went, we are unsure because instead of the containers going into the Districts they were handled centrally by the Uganda Scouts Association. We know that some who had expected boxes received nothing whilst others got unpected surprises.

The one left over container was still in Avon County waiting to be shipped. Sufficient goods to fill it had been collected, sorted and packed. Eventually Berkshire Scout Enterprises Ltd took on the task of shipping and Customs Clearance.

Eventually it was scheduled to ship to arrive in Jinja at the beginning of November. Berkshire despatched Chris Wilkinson to be in Jinja for its arrival.

Chris's report is lengthy as he encountered several hurdles, not the last of which was an error in the shipping instructions which left the container in Mombassa. This held matters up more than 5 weeks whilst the agents in Uganda, SDV Trans-Ami, negotiated its release and routing.

Most of the other difficulties encountered were associated with the value of the goods in the container, their description and the packing list.

Some considerable lessons to be learnt from which some will say Never Again!

But Chris thinks that that would be a mistake but single type loads, recognition of tax laws and accurate descriptions and values would make life easier.

on its way from the depot in Jinja
and stuck in a garden at Buwenda

a team of Scouts was needed
to empty the container ready for customs clearance
and examination in great detail

even the sheets of paper were counted and pencils and pens