Sister Donna lives in a rural area a couple hours outside of Awassa, Ethiopia. We had the honor of meeting her at her home during our trip, and brought her back up to Awassa for a couple of days. I cannot express in words what a beautiful woman she is.
Sister Donna fascinated by Paul’s piercings and tattoos.
We were able to speak to the sister at length about her experiences living in a very rural area of Ethiopia where malaria rates are the highest in the country (she has had malaria over 20 times!) 
Sister Donna spoke about famine and how she was able to bring in mini potatoes (about the size of a half-dollar) and ration those out for a year.
Dr. Jay Gordon working on a boy with a badly cut finger at Sister Donna’s.
Lori Dorman and I were taken aback by the sister telling us about her homemade remedy for certain breastfeeding complications and other issues in mothers who come to her for help- it was a makeshift SNS system! She had no idea that a device like an SNS system was available to mothers in the US, which made it even more interesting that she came up with the idea completely on her own.
Lori Dorman and Sister Donna
There have been horror stories the sister personally had to face living in this area, but I think we need to focus more on the positive and where the need is.
As of right now the sister is asking for one thing that she said would dramatically impact the health of the village- cloth diapers.
Children are not diapered, which poses less of a problem during the day when they are outside. However, the infants and unpotty-trained children are sharing a bed with their parents (and often other family members) on one thin pad used as a mattress. The children will urinate and defecate on the mattress. It is not cleaned properly and never replaced, which is where the health issues start to arise. Cloth diapers can dramatically reduce the ocurrence of upper respiratory issues in the people of the village as well as a host of other hygiene related illnesses.
Knowing the AP crowd seems to like to cloth diaper (I definitely did!) I think this is a need that can be met by this community. If anyone wants to start a cloth diaper drive for the sister or just send in your new or gently used cloth diapers (any kind of cloth diaper is welcome) send to the address below, or contact me if you have more questions!
Let’s do this!
If you are interested in donating your used cloth diapers, or would like to send new cloth diapers to the sister please sent via this address:
(mention to the postal worker this is a diplomatic pouch)*
Co. Kirk Nothelfer
USMC, CJTF HOA
2030
addis Ababd Pl.
Dulles Va. 20189-2030
Attention:
Sr Donna Frances
Heartland
*The name originally given to me for the address was Eric Nothelfer. If you sent by this name it WILL still arrive to the proper location. However, I’ve amended it for future packages.
What a great idea! I will be definitely sending some cloth diapers along! I have also shared this post with a couple groups I am in locally here in Newfoundland, Canada on facebook.
Jen! Awesome! Since they will be mailed directly to her, let me know if you hear any boxes were sent!
Hey! I’m a Newfoundlander too!!! I just found this blog on a web forum and I’m going to send a package soon.
Love this idea, love this post, and you did a great job with the titletag/description stuff – looks perfect.
Aw, thanks! And thank you for the tagging compliment! You know I’m awful at it, so it means a lot to know I did it correctly!
what a great idea! would there be a need for diaper pins too?
I’m sure there would, but I am hoping to send down some with snaps, too!
great, thanks!
Thank you!
I want to suggest that anyone who sends cloth diapers to send diapers like flats and covers. Fancy pockets are wonderful but they’re not the best for this situation, I think. Plus, you can buy 12-24 flats for the same price as one or two pockets.
Actually, we’ve found the pockets with snaps have been working like magic. However, ANYTHING is a huge help and welcomed. Send whatever your heart desires (or is in your closest!
)
I am SO on board with this! Two questions:
I use Greenline diapers( cover and soakers are seperate)- would they be happy with those?
Or are you thinking more pocket style?
Please let me know as I will let the FB groups that I am a part of in Chicago, and also in USA and Canada wide to help collect and send!
Thank you for doing this for them!
You are a wonderful and beautiful woman and mother!
YES, and YES. Please share!
Thank you for the wonderful compliment, but I’m hoping to be a refection of this community, which is an amazing group of women, yourself included!
What a great cause to donate towards. The IE CD/ BW group is having our semi-annual yard sale sale so I’ll post for anyone who wants to donate unsold items to be given to the sister. Thanks Jamie!
YAY! Thanks Toni!!!
Hi, did you know, that Nothelfer means emergency helper oder a helper when you are in need in german? Seems fitting doesnt it?
LOL there is a reason for that! I actually think the address is German diplomatic address in Ethiopia that allows the sister to be shipped things at little cost to the person sending the package (us!)
It would be a good idea to petition kids stores / diaper services, too.
Thanks! I am planning on it, but if anyone else wants to also try, feel free!
Oh, what a great idea!! I will post this wherever I can and send whatever I can!
Thank you!!
Great idea. I’ll definitely do this when we’re finished with our nappies. Won’t be for a few months yet, but I guess this will be an ongoing thing…?
Definitely will always be a need in the community as long as their are babies being born!
Hi Jamie – it seems like UPS is having trouble delivering to the address, are there special instructions or something? thanks!
Becky! Thanks for the heads up. It is a diplomatic pouch. I’m not sure if that will help UPS. I emailed the contact who gave me the address. I’ll give you more info when I know!
Jamie, I think it was delivered on the 9th, UPS tracking info says “shipping dock” so I’m hoping it made it to the right place! It was a bunch of Gerbers and diaper pins sent through Amazon. thanks again for sharing this opportunity!
What a fantastic idea. I have been considering doing similar with some of the gypsy villages we have links with in Romania, but I will definitely share this post on my own blog.
I’d also like to share this with you http://themommyhoodmemos.com/2012/10/umis-story-project-baby-bilum/ It is from a different blog I read but although it has a different aim it is a similar idea and I thought you might be interested.
Will these be welcomed on an ongoing basis? Say for years to come? We are not finished cloth diapering, but when I am I would like to send my entire stash at that point as well as some new ones now. Should this address always be a current one to contact Sister Donna?
Thanks!
LOVE this! I saw similar problems when I was young and serving in Central America and Asia, but wasn’t a mommy yet and didn’t make the connection in my mind to think of ways to meet the need. We taught classes on hygiene and properly cleaning clothes/mats, but never thought to do diapers! Will definitely be sending some diapys their way, and can’t wait to hear about other ways to serve!
I am in Ireland and have some used cloth nappies, can I send them? Would it cost a lot to post? They were only used for a month or two, I gave up :s !!!
I’m confused about the address. Should it read “Addis Ababa Pl.”?
Is there a dead line to send them? I will have some available in a couple weeks.
Any chance we can get a letter/receipt so we can write off the donation on our taxes? I have a bunch of fuzzibunz that we’re done with that still have a ton of life in them and I’d much rather donate them to a need like this instead of holding on to them for the fall consignment sale.