The ship with 180 children’s wheelchairs for RICD（Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development）, our second partner in Thailand, left Tokyo port on July 19, expected to reach Bangkok around August 1.
As for transporting this time, it took quite a long time from preparing wheelchairs to driving them to Tokyo port. It was on March 22 that we made a request for shipping in the end of April, but there was no progress during the time between April 12, when all 180 wheelchairs were packed and stored at Tama Packing Industry, and July. There seems to have been misunderstanding among the people concerned. It was July 6 that we were able to load wheelchairs into the container. It’s also a pity that taking as long as five months means paying the storage fee for the same period. Moreover the container had to wait almost two weeks before departing due to the global disorder in marine transport.
RICD is the only organization that bears the shipping charges and they have ability of refurbishing wheelchairs completely. We are also sure that they are perfect in supporting recipient children. We’d like to accept the delay in transport this time.
We hope the 180 wheelchairs will reach RICD without delay or problems, be cleaned and refurbished, and be delivered to children in Thailand as soon as possible.
The total number of wheelchairs donated to Thailand so far is 960. The whole number we have donated to overseas countries so far is 9,282. The donation graph is from here.
July 20, 2022 Secretariat
Loading wheelchairs into the container.
Ahead of departing from Tokyo port, we loaded the wheelchairs stored at Tama Packing Industry into the 40-foot container.
(Left)The container pulled up in front of the warehouse.
(Right) Packed wheelchairs ready for loading.
Loading by using a fork-lift. Is it possible to put in as many as 180 wheelchairs?
Putting in bigger-sized wheelchairs at the back.
Fixing a wooden cover after about 70% are loaded so as to make it easier to put in much more and to prevent collapsing when opened. and loading again over the cover.
(Left) All 180 wheelchairs loaded successfully. There’s even room to put in more. What a relief!
(Right) Adding one more wooden cover so that wheelchairs won’t collapse when the container is opened.
(Left) President Morita has sealed the container.
(Right) The container leaving for Tokyo port.