Volunteers packed 172,000 gift shoeboxes
Team Hope received 172,000 gift-filled shoeboxes from Irish people this year, dispatched in 23 container trucks on their way to children in eastern Europe and Africa. The first Team Hope trip has returned from distributing 22,000 Christmas shoebox gifts to western Romania. When these trucks from Kerry and Dublin drove into the village of Saravale, the children lined the village square, and there was a buzz of excitement.
The mayor of Saravale even came out to lend a hand distributing the boxes to the delighted children, who could not wait to get their Christmas presents.
While in Romania, a Team Hope coordinator visited 11-year-old Emma’s house with her shoebox. Her Dad passed away many years ago, her mum left the village to try and find work, leaving Emma with her gran, her two uncles, their wives and children. Life is hard for Emma, but her Team Hope shoebox has transformed her Christmas.
Distribution trips will continue across eastern Europe and Africa over the coming weeks, until every brightly-coloured shoebox has been put into the hands of a needy child.
