We are pleased to report that our 20th container has reached its final destination at Dilchora Referral Hospital in Dire Dawa City Administration, Ethiopia. The container was loaded on 18 November 2025 and unloaded on 9 February 2026, in a ceremony attended by Dire Dawa City Administration Mayor Kedir Juhar, Deputy Mayor Harbi Bouh Warsame, Health Bureau Head Dr Tsigerda Kifle Wolde, Dilchora Referral Hospital Principal Mrs Muna Ibrahim Mohamed, and many members of the Dire Dawa City community.
The idea to send a container to Dilchora Referral Hospital was brought to us on 26 August 2025 by the former Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ambassador to Australia — and current Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign Affairs — Ambassador H.E. Hadera Abera, who connected us with Deputy Mayor Harbi Bouh Warsame after learning of the hospital’s dire need for medical equipment.
This project was made possible by the sustained support of the Rotary Club of Footscray, the Rotary Foundation District 9800, Donations in Kind and its volunteers, and generous equipment donations from Western Health, Austin Health and The Royal Children’s Hospital. The Footscray Rotary Aged and Community Service Fund also made a significant financial contribution to the project.
We remain deeply grateful to the many government officials, agencies and partner organisations — in Australia, Ethiopia and Djibouti — whose support made this shipment possible, including the Ethiopian Revenues & Customs Authority, ATSD Trading PLC, and A.A.A International Transport SARL Logistics, who facilitated customs clearance and transport free of charge.
With 20 containers now delivered across Ethiopia, Somaliland, Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya and Sudan, we are already identifying the destination for our next shipment.
— Jama Farah, International Chair, Rotary Club of Footscray
