Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Notice:

Not Just Tourists is 100% a voluntary humanitarian organization. Since the vast majority of medicines and medical supplies are donated, we do not solicit money for the organization.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Welcome - Who We Are

Dear Fellow Travellers ,
We have travelled to Cuba many times. On our first trip we were struck with the fact that there was extremely little medicine available. Each time we have gone since then, we have taken medicine with us and distributed it to doctor's offices- some of these doctors have not had any antibiotics for their patients for over two years.

We have been actively soliciting medicine and medical supplies from many sources with great success. These sources include doctors, pharmacies, drug representatives and humanitarian aid agencies. The volume being donated has reached the size that we can no longer take all of the medicine and supplies ourselves and we have, therefore, been relying on other travellers to assist us by transporting these items too.

Our request to you is that you consider taking some of this medicine and/or supplies with you. Allow me to give you more detail. Each visitor to Cuba is allowed to take up to 10kilos (22 pounds) of humanitarian aid into the country. I provide a covering letter on my letterhead in which I identify that the items have been provided to you as a gift from myself to you and that it is freely being given by you as a gift to the people of Cuba.

The types of medicine which have the highest priority to be transported are antibiotics and other prescription drugs. Absolutely no narcotics are ever sent! Although antibiotics are the priority item, we could alternatively provide medical supplies for you to take such as bandages, crutches, splints etc. if you would prefer.

The amount which we send with individuals varies from a large suitcase full to a half-full plastic grocery bag weighing approximately 2.5, 5kilos (5-10 pounds). Prior to your departure you would be able to incorporate it in either your carry on luggage or your major suitcase if you wish, or, in the case of a suitcase full of medicine, it could remain in the suitcase which we provide. There is no need to return the suitcase, we have plenty which have been donated.

Every person who has taken medicine for us has found it to be a rewarding experience. No one has had a problem when arriving with it in Cuba. I quote one of the people who recently returned from Cuba after delivering a suitcase of medicine for us "Taking medical supplies to the people of Cuba enriched a very enjoyable vacation for Diane and I. We would do it again in a heartbeat."

For additional information about this humanitarian project contact us at

NotJustTourists@yahoo.ca

Have a wonderful trip!