Humanitarian aid container from Essex dispatched to Lebanon

An organization dedicated to providing reusable sanitary pads globally to combat period poverty has dispatched a container filled with humanitarian assistance to Lebanon. Ella Lambert, a resident of Chelmsford, stated that individuals throughout the United Kingdom contributed sufficient goods to occupy a 40ft (12m) container. The shipment comprises 75,000 articles, such as clothing for children and infants, blankets, footwear, and reusable sanitary pads. This week, Miss Lambert, aged 24, was honored with a Diana Award in recognition of her contributions to The Pachamama Project. This charitable organization engages 2,500 volunteers in 13 nations who produce reusable period pads distributed globally. Since its establishment in 2020, the charity has supplied pads to refugees and vulnerable populations in various locations, among them Greece, Pakistan, and the United States. According to Miss Lambert, the Pachamama team amassed “well over 1,000 boxes of aid” during the summer months. She further noted that businesses, nurseries, educational institutions, mosques, and church organizations provided assistance, with one mosque contributing enough supplies to fill seven camper vans. Miss Lambert stated that the contributed goods are expected to “8,000 people over the next six months and support another 4,000 people out of period poverty for at least the next five years”. “We normally get some good responses from the local community because we have relationships with them, but what was amazing was people from all over the country were shipping thousands of hijabs to our home in Essex. “We had a whole truckload of hijabs and abayas from Bolton – that’s insane.” “This will make a massive difference to people who are still in those shelters and to people who are experiencing the ongoing refugee crisis, both from Palestine and Syria, in Lebanon.” She further commented: “There are so many terrible things happening right now.” “But what we were seeing every single day was incredible – lovely people who just wanted to help.” “I think there is power in action, and I think we’ve seen with this effort that it is very easy to see what is going on in the world and despair.” “It actually makes you feel a lot better when you are doing something about it.” The Diana Award was presented to Miss Lambert on Thursday. Miss Lambert remarked: “It is the most prestigious award a young person can win, so it is a complete honour.” “It is a massive surprise and it is really exciting. Everyone remembers Diana as someone who shone a light on stigmatised issues.” “In keeping with that it is really amazing that they are now spotlighting our work after her passing.” For updates on Essex news, refer to BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.