<p>A group from our church is traveling to the Congo and they are taking some extra suitcases. I have the task of filling one suitcase. The only “wants” mentioned were toothbrushes, toothpaste, and school supplies. I was thinking that some individual chalkboards and chalk might be useful, but I have no idea where to purchase them. What other ideas do you have? I can always count on this board for great ideas. </p>
<p>I sent you a PM.</p>
<p>A member of my church was a Peace Corps teacher trainer in South Africa. There was a list of stuff they needed. I recall ruled writing paper, multi-colored construction paper, crayons, pencils and erasers, and possibly small scissors and glue. I’m sure there was more…</p>
<p><a href=“UMCOR - Global Ministries”>UMCOR - Global Ministries;
<p>Ball point pens in a variety of colors, markers, crayons, colored pencils and manual sharpeners, chalk (the classrooms have chalkboards), colored chalk, pencils, stickers.</p>
<p>Above list given by my daughter who is a returned Peace Corps volunteer.</p>
<p>We send school items in suitcases when church members visit our sister church in Zambia. Supposedly they break the pencils in half to stretch the supply. We also include deflated soccer balls. One time a local sporting goods store gave me 10% discount AND did the deflating for me. </p>
<p>It seems like we used to put solar calculators in Good Samaritan “Operation Christmas” boxes. </p>
<p>I was going to suggest soccer balls and hand pumps!</p>
<p>My parents have been missionaries in several African countries. Most used: pencils, erasers, sharpeners, solar calculators, metric rulers, spiral notebooks, chalk, coloured pencils, ballpoint pens (for the teachers). </p>
<p>Ah, soccer ball pump is a good idea. We knew that our school already had pumps and just needed the balls replaced, but that would not always be the case. </p>
<p>I spent the afternoon shopping. Thanks for the good ideas. I got colored pencils, pencil bags, sharpeners, erasers, blunt scissors, notebooks, glue sticks, construction paper, rulers (with metric), ballpoint pens in green, red, blue, and black, markers in various colors, watercolors (hadn’t thought about those in years), math flash cards, an alphabet puzzle, a numbers puzzle, a large Disney sticker book (character is an African-American girl/ woman doctor?!!), French stickers, and 3 French motivational posters(one features a soccer player). If I have room for soccer balls and a pump, I’ll definitely add them, as that is a great idea.</p>
<p>Batteries, rope, matches</p>
<p>You can’t ship batteries or matches. </p>
<p>I was going to also suggest, just for fun, some stickers. Not as “needy” as pens and pencils but sure to be a treat and bring a smile! (Bet your sticker book is Doc McStuffins !) </p>
<p>ANY type of balls would be great fun. Maybe you could find some beach balls (unfilled) this time of year. Cheap to purchase, easy to use. Balls are a kids best friend. 
As a house that stills seems to have balls galore, this video brought me to tears:
<a href=“Video Couple Helps Kids Get Indestructible Soccer Balls so They Can Play - ABC News”>http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/couple-helps-kids-indestructable-soccer-balls-play-24117501</a></p>
<p>Frisbee are fun too. </p>
<p>My daughter loved receiving little reinforcement things…stickers or any other small thing she could give to the students. </p>
<p>Maybe I’m just being an idiot here but… books? </p>
<p>The problem with books sometimes is the weight, the appropriate language (unless it’s wordless books), etc. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The official language there is French, I don’t see how much of a barrier that should be. Maybe you don’t take 3 suitcases full of books, but you could take a couple dozen. </p>
<p>Most schools would rather have money so that they can buy the curriculum books that their education department requires. In many rural schools, they often only have one battered copy of text books and the students “share” it or the teacher just teaches directly from it. Also, for economic reasons, it is better to buy products in the country than import from abroad. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Obviously money is easier to handle. I think the worry is about the teacher or whoever just stealing it or otherwise wasting it on something other than what you wish the money to be spent on. </p>
<p>megpmom, agree, but sometimes, simple things that we think would be available are impossible to buy in such impoverished places, even if you have the money.</p>
<p>Here is an interesting read:</p>
<p><a href=“Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo: Congolese Schools”>Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo;