Firestone and School Supplies
This weekend I got a behind-the-scene tour of Firestone, including a demonstration of a rubber tree being tapped. I have mixed feelings about Firestone that I will not go into now, but I learned a fun fact on the tour: Charles Stewart, an American who heads Firestone in Liberia, speaks Liberian English.
And thanks to Beth and everyone else at Liberia Orphanage Education Project (LOEP) for donating a huge tub of school supplies to Concerned Women, a powerful network of women in Nimba County.
LOEP used a great shipping company called Garbla Shipping. Mr. Garbla brings stuff over by boat from the US. The service is inexpensive ($75 to ship a large tub, $150 to ship a barrel, prices vary based on size). Compared to DHL or FedEx this is a steal. And this company is very reliable–Mr. Garbla personally travels with the shipments and facilitates getting everything out of the port here. Mr. Garbla’s number is: +231 (0)6 519 854.
Good to see you posting again (although I’m really not one to talk). Anyway, reading your post about Firestone and recalling your previous post about the company, I’m actually a little surprised they still leave their corporate brand attached to the less glitzy sourcing of raw materials. It seems like most corporations these days have a different name for the outlet that does the dirty work so that their brand name remains untarnished in the eyes of the consumer. Anyway, interesting. And I hope I never mistake a rubber tree for a maple tree.
Good point. I wonder why Firestone (or ArcelorSteel for that matter) use their real names here. Anyone know why they do this?
-Shelby
I just chanced upon your blog; i find your experiences in Sierra Leone quite interesting. Incidentally, How de body? ‘ope to visit here often again!
Shelby,
Thanks for Mr. Garbla’s info. Some of us in RI have been looking for feasible ways for shipment.
Cheers,
Sam in RI
Shelby
It was interesting reading of your watching how rubber trees are tapped. In approximately 1978, Ellie and I were invited to the Goodrich rubber plantation in Malaysia and we were shown the process. When I see you, I hope soon, I will describe how they went about the demonstration. the week before Queen Elizabeth of England went through the same process.
grandpa