Arkangelo Lohine, James Leime Lothitai, Miguel Cabral, and Father Lift Savarinayagam Jacob are appealing for donations. 88136 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
By CASEY NEILL
DANDENONG’S Lopit community is appealing for help to rebuild a village in South Sudan.
Wildfire destroyed Locaruk, in the Lopit Mountains, on 21 February, leaving 5000 people without shelter, clothing or food.
So St Gerard’s Primary School in Dandenong North donated a 40-foot shipping container to the Hidong na Holong Lopit Community Development project to transport urgently-needed supplies to the villagers.
The Lopit people and wider community will paint the container as a symbol of hope and good wishes, and it will be used as a shelter once the goods are distributed.
The Locaruk people recently appealed to family and friends overseas for urgent help following the disaster, and Melbourne’s Lopit community answered the call.
They connected with Pauline Crosbie from Bumblebee Global Renewal Projects/Koala Spirit and Hidong na Holong was born.
The phrase means ‘sunrise’ in the Lopit language and captures the project’s aim to bring a ‘new day’ to Locaruk.
The most urgent items are clothing for children and adults in a mild, temperate climate; shoes, boots and sandals; food items including rice, lentils, milk powder, beans, tuna, oil, sugar, and other non-perishable items; medical supplies, kitchenware; bedding; cloth or fabric that can be made into clothing; treadle sewing machines; organic seed for grain and vegetable crops; hand tools for agriculture and building; and soap.
Other items needed include writing, reading and arts materials for education; classroom equipment; educational toys; books for primary school students; bicycles; construction materials for a school and a church; a water tank; a generator; and a tractor.
Goods must be clean, dry, and intact and packed into a bag that can be closed, like an old school bag, sports bag, or suitcase. Plastic bags and cardboard boxes will create unnecessary rubbish.
An item list including quantity, weight and estimated value must accompany each bag so organisers can document the container’s entire contents for customs officials.
Hidong na Holong also aims to develop sustainable industries like craft or cooking to provide long-term support to the Lopit communities in South Sudan and Melbourne.
The industries will draw on the Lopit people’s skills and raise funds to support the initial relief effort. They’ll also provide continued support and empower the communities involved.
Goods can be dropped off at the St Gerard’s Primary School office, 71 Gladstone Road, Dandenong North during school hours, or to the project team at other times by emailing hidongnaholong@gmail.com.
