At Postcrossing HQ we are always looking for ways to do good through postcards. Today we are happy to share with you a simple but very powerful way to ignite big smiles.
Hearts in Unity is an organization working towards improving the life of orphan and at-risk children in Tanzania. Through several projects, they aim to feed, clothe and give access to education to Tanzanian children as well as tell the world more about this African country, one of the worlds’ poorest with over 2 million orphans.
One of Hearts in Unity projects is Messages from the Heart which consists in bringing heart-felt messages of greetings, friendship and encouragement to Tanzanian children. And what better medium for that than a postcard?
The Hearts in Unity representatives in Tanzania hand-delivers those messages to those who need them most, many in remote villages where there isn’t even postal delivery services. This is the only way for some of those children to have contact with postcards and receive greetings from somewhere else in the world.
We believe this is a great match for Postcrossers, who understand what a postcard can do to lift our spirits and bring some encouragement.
If you wish to participate in this cause, this is the address where you can send postcards to:
Hearts in Unity P.O. Box 6497 Moshi, Kilimanjaro TANZANIA
For sending anything other than postcards such as parcels, donations or enquiries, please use this address instead:
Hearts in Unity “Messages from the Heart” P.O. Box 41 Germantown, WI 53022 USA
You can use this address as well if you are in U.S.A. and wish to save some postage. The correspondence will be forwarded to Hearts Tanzanian representatives as well.
If you need ideas about what to write, or even how to write a message in Swahili, check Messages from the heart project page.
Please note, that Tanzanian children don’t have a way to send postcards back – an international stamp can cost more than half of a family’s average daily wage in Tanzania. However, Hearts in Unity also has a penpal project. In fact, they have many other projects, so be sure to check their website: http://www.heartsinunity.org/.
41 comments so far
wow!! This is a very good and sweet idea!!! i'll write soon and post a few cards :D maybe we could do like a mass post card each month :D that would be really cool too :D I hope soon I can help in other ways as well :D
Thanks for letting us know about this :D
I certainly will send off a pile of postcards. I am impressed with the post, and the Hearts in Unity project. Too bad we didnt have it for Valentines day...it would have been fitting (hearts) and Canada hosted the Olympics, with a "With Glowing Hearts" theme.
TAM
Love this idea will send small parcles of course some postcard.
What a good idea to give encouragement and let the people in this project know that they are thought of.
Sanidara
Normally we are just asked for donations of money or goods. This is a brilliant idea: to give love, to share attention and care, to bring hope and encouragement.
Congratulations to organozers and to postcrossing by letting us know the project.
Thank you for sharing this with us! It is so nice that you encourage good things through postcards ♥ It is an easy but very important way to spread peace and love to these people through something as simple as a postcard.
I think it is just a great project and a wonderfull and easy way to help one of the poorest countries in the world!!
I have already joined this project by sending old Christmas card (just cut the front part of the card and you have a new postcard) to Tanzania. Also I have a penpal in Kilimanjaro! It's a great feeling to help and encourage someone, with just a small note or letter.
So postcards go to the kids, but items that they can use, such as parcels and money go to a PO box in Wisconsin? Maybe it's just me, but something just doesn't sound right about that. I'll send a postcard for sure though.
I understand that a kid will love his or her personal card. and I am going to send one!
But there should be more to it, and it is not quite clear to me how the organisation works and how sustainable the projects are.
Personally I would have prefered if Postcrossing would have chosen a non-religious/non-christian organisation!
Great idea! I'll send a card, of course.
@9teen87: This is so due to logistics issues. For one, the PoBox in Tanzania is not large enough to hold parcels and the Tanzanian postoffice charges heavy fees for storing large items. The representatives in the U.S.A. will dispatch such items through other more efficient routes that ensure items do get to it's destination.
If you wish to send a parcel or do a donation, you are encouraged to contact Hearts in Unity in advance to learn more about their organization and how they work.
But mind that all we are asking here is postcards. :)
Me and my family will also send cards to them :D
Sent!
:-)
Thanks Paulo, that makes sense. My cards are going out today.
I'd love to participate, but there's one thing I don't understand clearly. If I'm going to send one postcard, I can send it directly to Tanzania, but if I send multiple cards in an envelope, I have to send that to USA. Did I get this right? Sounds kinda funny that I need to send them to USA first, but I understand this situation.
But this is a really great project, it's awesome to have a chance to help these children by not just donating money! Receiving postcards brings lots of light to my life, I can just imagine what it can do for these people. :)
hey, thats a great idea, postcrossing rulez!!!! we think we will send a postcard there^^
Cool! I'll take a look into their website and most definitely will send a few postcards :)
@Dubbis: sending several postcards in an envelope is also acceptable to be sent directly to Tanzania, as well as letters. That will fit fine in their PoBox.
Anything large or that might not be considered correspondence and go through customs (such as parcels or objects inside envelopes) are candidates for postal fees or custom taxes, thus it's better to route them through the U.S.A. address.
my postcard on the way.
Sent:)
with love and hope
Thanks Paulo, that sounds great! I will send some postcards tomorrow.
What fun it will be to pick out special cards for them. Years ago, I knew a PhD candidate who was from Tanzania; his field was zoology and he did the most beautiful black and white line drawings, I remember one of a zebra and I still have a print of his on my wall of an old guy who walked the streets of Madison, Wi, washing windows. I will send some cards soon.
What a beautiful idea. Have sent some cards today and will do some more tomorrow. Thanks for the opportunity to do so by bringing such a lovely and inspiring project to our attention!
It's an awesome idea and the post is written with warmth, i don't know how to explain, it's not plain "send money" thing. I'll gladly send something, i'll try to look for some clothing maybe and hopefully this will get to right hands, to those who really need that stuff. And of course postcards will be on the way too - giving happiness is worthless. I'm touched, really. Thank you Paulo for putting this here.
wow, what an awesome idea! I will send something in a while. thanks for sharing this site, paulo!
Great idea Paulo, I send also something with al smile.
What a sweet project. I will send a card, and try to send more from time to time. Thanks for sharing this! :)
I'll send a postcard too! I hope I'll be able to write in Swahili a friendly message :D
thanks for sharing =)
one postcard gone to tanzania from italy with love!
I love this idea and will definitely participate right now.
Thanks for sharing.
postcard send
send^^
sent 4 to the USA --- addressed before I realized it would have been more efficient to stick a few in an envelope and address it to either place. Duh. Hopefully the folks in Tanzania will enjoy them.
sent some postcards to Tanzania
I sent a postcard to Tanzania. It turned me off that this is a Christian organization, that is what I like about Postcrossing- no religion, no politics.
I absolutely love this idea! I sent 4 postcards today! :D
They will get two more from Lithuania:)
Great idea, a postcard will be sent to Tanzania from Indonesia!
It's so great to have the chance to put a smile on somebody's face in Tanzania. Cards are coming from my girls and myself :-) Happy Easter!
Sent two postcards around two weeks ago. I hope they'll like it. =)
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