In answer to your questions about Underthesame Sun and Tanzania concerning Volunteering
Photo show the albino children
As more people like you show interest in the
UTSS cause by visiting our website, a few key themes have evolved. Our
automated email response is an attempt to answer common questions as
quickly and clearly as possible.
Although this may seem impersonal, please be assured that we take your
request for information very seriously. Staff at our Canadian office is
committed to reading all queries coming from the UTSS website. We will
reply to any email questions not addressed by this automated response.
If the information below does not provide an adequate response and you
do not hear from us within the next 5 business days, please let us know
by requesting a personal response through another email. We appreciate
your understanding and are very thankful for your shared interest in
this very significant cause.
QUESTION
NUMBER 1: Which items can be shipped to
Tanzania?
The following list of items are those
things which can be accepted by UTSS
for shipment to Tanzania (PLEASE NOTE THAT CLOTHING, HATS AND SUNSCREENS MUST
BE NEW):
WIDE-BRIMMED HATS - children's/youth
sizes are needed most. (Unfortunately,
baseball caps cannot be accepted
as they do not provide adequate
sun protection.)
SUNGLASSES -
can be "used",
but must be clean and in good condition.
SUNSCREEN LOTION -
must have a minimum Sun Protection
Factor of 35 - the higher the SPF,
the better. All bottles must be
new and unopened. Please place
each bottle in a zip-lock bag and
seal it before it is mailed/shipped
(this reduces chance of leakage
during transport).
LONG-SLEEVED SHIRTS -
must be light-weight and definitely
LONG-SLEEVED. No T-shirts or short-sleeved
shirts can be accepted. Light colours
are best as they reflect the sun.
SCHOOL
SUPPLIES of any kind will
not be accepted as we prefer
to purchase them in Tanzania
for several reasons:
They are easily purchased in
Tanzania while supporting the
local economy.
Out of respect to the schools
who tend to know what is needed
but lack funds.
Shipping costs are higher than
the value of these goods.
MAGNIFIERS -
small, hand-held magnifiers are
accepted. PLEASE
NOTE that UTSS does not accept
battery-operated "flashlight" magnifiers
or stand-alone desk magnifiers. UTSS
is also unable to accept prescription
lenses/glasses/spectacles of any
kind for delivery to Tanzania.
QUESTION
NUMBER 2: To where
do I ship the above items?
US mailing address:
Under The Same Sun
c/o Mike's Parcel Pickup
183 W. Stutsman Street
Pembina, ND 58271-4100
Canadian mailing address:
Under The Same Sun
c/o Multicultural Family Centre
51 Morrow Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R2M 1A5
Once goods arrive at either of the
above addresses, they will be shipped
via secure transport to the UTSS
office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,
for distribution to people with albinism.
QUESTION
NUMBER 3: Is Under The Same Sun a “legitimate” charity
and are my donations being used honestly?
At UTSS, we understand in today's
world why people ask this question.
Please be assured that Under The
Same Sun is a Canadian federally-registered
charity and is in accordance with
The Income Tax Act of Canada. We
also have a 501(c)(3) exempt organization
in the US known as “Under the Same
Sun Foundation (USA)” for our US donors. Furthermore,
UTSS is also registered and recognized
under The Non-Governmental Organizations
Act, 2002 of the United Republic
of Tanzania. All funds donated go
directly to assist persons with albinism
in Tanzania - they are not used for
administrative purposes.
QUESTION NUMBER 4: How do I contact schools in Tanzania?
Under The Same Sun works with a few
schools in Tanzania which are currently
assisting children with albinism
to remain safe and to receive an
education.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide
mailing addresses for these schools.
They are located in extremely remote
areas with limited, if any, mail
service.
Furthermore, any mailed parcels are
highly unlikely to arrive at these
schools
due to unreliable delivery systems.
Such items are often lost, delayed
or stolen
unless they are delivered directly
by established, reliable contacts.
Therefore, it is best to send any
of the above items listed in Question
Number
1 to the US and Canadian addresses
listed in Question Number 2. From
there,
items will be shipped directly to
the UTSS office in Dar es Salaam
from where
they will be transported directly
to the individual schools.
QUESTION NUMBER 5: How do I send monetary donations to UTSS?
Cheques can be mailed to the Under
The Same Sun office at Suite #400,
15225 – 104 Avenue, Surrey,
BC CANADA, V3R 6Y8. Cheques can be
in US or CDN dollars. Cheques should
be made payable to: Under
The Same Sun
QUESTION NUMBER 6: How do I adopt a child with albinism from Tanzania?
Under The Same Sun is not involved
in or with any adoption procedures
or agencies in Tanzania. As a result,
we cannot offer any advice or information
on this subject.
QUESTION NUMBER 7: Can I write to and be a pen-pal with adults/children
with albinism in Tanzania?
Please be aware that the vast majority
of Tanzanians do not speak or read
the English language. Although English
is spoken more frequently in business,
governmental and tourism realms,
the official language of Tanzania
is Kiswahili. Furthermore, due
to security concerns, we are not
able to release the contact details
of individual Tanzanians.
QUESTION
NUMBER 8: Can I sponsor an individual child
with albinism in Tanzania?
At this time, all donations
will go directly to sponsoring education for
persons with albinism in Tanzania as
a general donation. Due to
the urgency of the situation as well
as security precautions, we are not
able to assign donors to a student
with whom they can be in personal
contact. Their identity and location
are frequently hidden to prevent
further risk.
QUESTION
NUMBER 9: How can I get involved ( partner)
with UTSS?
We admire your passion and desire
to join UTSS in this very significant cause.
UTSS does not have a volunteer program at this
time nor do we have job positions available in
our Tanzanian office. We employ only Tanzanian
citizens with a preference given to persons with
albinism. I'm sure you will understand our reasoning
for this. As for our Canadian office, we are very
small and fully staffed
One thing you may want to consider is initiating
a fund raiser(see FAQ # 5) as a way to
increase awareness. Feel free to use any of the
information on our website. If you plan on
collecting physical items other than financial
donations please see FAQ #1 & #2. Thanks for
your shared concern
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