Have a boat or a car taking up space on your front lawn? A teacher at H.D. Stafford Middle School will gladly take it off your hands.
PE and French teacher Djiba Camara, a native of Conakry, Guinea in West Africa, is hosting Drop Off For Africa, a fundraising BBQ, silent auction and garage sale at the school on Saturday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Camara is hoping the community will donate items to help out the people in his impoverished home town.
He is looking for older cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, electronics, sporting equipment, construction supplies, educational supplies, generators, bread makers and more.
The idea is Langley residents can unload unwanted items at the school for one big garage sale for people to find that hidden treasure. Some of the goods brought in, those that fit on Camara’s list, he will be send to Africa via a shipping container that he personally will meet there.
“I plan to make another trip to Conakry with these new items. There is such a great need there. They have nothing,” said Camara.
Even though he is battling some health issues himself, Camara is determined to do this.
“I have to do this for Africa,” he said.
In 2012, Camara made his first trip back to Conakry in 30 years to visit his ailing mother. The sight of school children playing soccer with rolled up plastic bags was life-changing .
He came back to Langley determined to make a difference and help. He returned last year with a shipping container full of donated items, from Langley, and from Coquitlam, where he coaches soccer. Sports equipment, bicycles and clothing were delivered to people there.
But while he was there, he assessed what the people also need and that’s where the idea for this Drop Off For Africa event originated, he said.
Camara is looking for volunteers to help, and for donations.
For information on donations, call Shannon at 604-312-9931. To volunteering, contact dropoff4africa@gmail.com.