About Us

CWU Humanitarian Aid WHO ARE WE? Communication Workers Union Humanitarian Aid is a response to the plight of vulnerable children in other countries and the UK & Ireland from trade unionists, families and friends, who work in Britain’s and Ireland’s postal, telecom & financial industries. HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN? CWUHA was set up in 1995 in response to an appeal from trade unionists living in War torn Bosnia, in particular the town of Tuzla.  The first convoy arrived in Tuzla in July 1995. The determination to deliver the aid direct to those who needed it most, cutting out the risk of it falling into the hands of self-interest middlemen, set the agenda for every CWUHA convoy that was to follow. WHAT MAKES US SO SPECIAL? Of course, there are other charities, which collect medical equipment, food, clothing, toys, and other forms of aid for needy children. What makes CWUHA unique, however, is our cardinal principle – our volunteers actually deliver the aid to the places where it is needed most. This way, Donors can therefore be confident that their generosity will be translated in to aid at the point of need!  We are also unique in that we pay no wages or honoraria. The CWUHA office is also run at virtually no cost because thanks to the CWU and BT we pay no rent, no phone/email bills. All this keeps our office admin costs below 5%.

NEW CHALLENGES With the support of CWU, BT and Royal Mail (Royal Mail & BT loan us vehicles & supply fuel) CWUHA developed new aid routes to Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine, Moldova, Transnistria and Albania.  CWUHA has delivered thousands of tonnes of aid to hundreds of orphanages, hospitals, schools and direct to vulnerable families. To build on our successes CWUHA has over the last few years sought new supporters like AnPost, Eircom (Irish based companies), Communication Workers Union (Ireland), Simpson Millar, MPH, UIA and Walker Smith Way. There involvement guarantees that we can continue in our work to help needy children. Many of the children residing in orphanages are not orphans, but are placed there by families who confronted with overwhelming financial problems believe that their children will be better cared for in these institutions. Working closely with other charities in these countries we can target and help the most vulnerable families, and assist local fostering and adoption schemes. Hopefully this ensures that these children grow up in a loving family environment. Thanks mainly to CWU Ireland we have also delivered life saving medical equipment i.e. incubators, scanners to rundown children hospitals in Eastern Europe. NOT JUST CONVOYS In addition to convoys CWUHA has funded renovations including Social Assistance and Foster & Adoption centres, playground area at hospital that cares for children with disabilities and a Centre for Street Children in Moldova. All these projects will help keep children off the streets and away from harm. We have funded school projects in Tanzania, East Africa. Kilima Hewa School is run out of the home of one of the locals as is for children that cannot afford to go to a local primary and where payment is in firewood and maize. We gave them the money so that they could build three classrooms, toilets and supplied electricity. St Andrews School is run in a disused church by a local pastor for children that didn't get through the education system, usually because they couldn't afford the school fees. CWUHA agreed to sponsor some of these children. CWUHA donated thousands of pounds towards the Tsunami and Haiti Appeals and to the families affected by earthquakes in India and Pakistan we also delivered via a third party tons of clothing to street children in Mongolia. Though the majority of our work is focused on other countries CWUHA has raised a nd dona ted thousands of pounds to many good causes in the UK, including hospices, a holiday home for children with life threatening illnesses. CWUHA has also helped fund specialised operations and equipment for children in the UK and with your support CWUHA can continue in its efforts “to deliver a smile to needy children”.