Firestone Natural Rubber Extends Donation Cargo Scheme

Liberia’s rubber industry is often shrouded in controversy, with various parties claiming the use of child labour and a workforce trapped in a cycle of poverty. Numerous charitable organisations are working to improve conditions for Liberians working on the nation’s lucrative rubber plantations, however, and Firestone Natural Rubber Company (FSNR) reports its intention to extend its partnership with these charities – its Donation Cargo Program – through 2010. This year’s efforts mark to ocean freight programme’s fifth year in operation.

“Over the past four years we’ve seen Donation Cargo Program participants complete an array of humanitarian projects in Liberia,” said Dan Adomitis, president of FSNR. “While the country’s need for humanitarian work is great, the generous spirit of these organisations and their volunteers is far greater. By extending this programme for a fifth year, we can continue to help those who are having such a positive impact on the lives of Liberians.”

FSNR provides space on its ships for relief goods and other donated cargo from US based charitable organisations to help rebuild Liberia after its 14-year civil war. Since 2006, when the cargo donation program was formalised, more than 75 shipments have fulfilled the programme’s approval requirements and been scheduled for shipping to the port of Monrovia. Estimates provided by the humanitarian organisations put the value of this donated cargo at more than US$2.5 million.

Cargo space is available to qualified charitable organisations with the ocean freight expense covered by FSNR. Under the programme, each company ship en route from Baltimore to the port of Monrovia will reserve several containers’ worth of space for relief goods and other donated cargo. FSNR accepts containers of non-perishable foods, medical supplies, new and used clothing, school books and other relief goods and delivers them to Liberia on behalf of the donor charity.