The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles

Tears and smiles are common to us all. As we share the tears of our suffering human family, we strive together to transform these tears into smiles.

The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles relies on the goodwill and heart-power of schoolchildren, families, community groups, service clubs, companies, hospitals and corporations for the resources needed for our programs. Emergency services focus on the supply of food, clothing, medical supplies and shelter. Ongoing programs provide equipment and supplies to schools, hospitals and community groups, and medical and educational training.

Each program is carefully tailored to suit local conditions. The service has no political, religious or corporate affiliation. All participants are volunteers who coordinate the donation, collection, storage, transport and distribution of essential supplies and services. There are no paid or full-time positions, with volunteers offering their hearts’ service for one reward - a broadening smile on the face of humanity.

From Australia The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles is most active in the South Pacific, but has also coordinated large shipments of medical supplies into southern Africa and Asia. Below is a brief summary of our activities.

Vanuatu

In October 2004 members of The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles journeyed to Vanuatu with the objective of further expanding our activities in the nation. Our 6 days abroad provided us with some invaluable and memorable insights into the lives of people in the South Pacific.

In partnership with medical agencies and hospitals in Australia The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles has supplied the people of Vanuatu with much needed medical supplies and equipment including ambulances, defibrillators, ECG machines and patient monitors as well as necessary consumables.

In addition, the "Kids to Kids" Sister School Program has been initiated at 3 schools on the main island of Efate. The "Kids to Kids" Program is an opportunity for children to improve their understanding of the life of children in other countries by creating friendships with them. The program involves children from Australia assembling "Kids to Kids" packs for children in Vanuatu.

Sri Lanka

In response to the devastating effects of the tsunami in Sri Lanka, The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles Australia made arrangements to air freight 500kg of surgical gloves to combat the spread of infection. This program has now further expanded to encompass many other areas of service.

Angola

In 2002 and 2003 The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles forwarded a 20 foot and a 40 foot sea container to Luanda, Angola from Australia. These shipments included 130,000 packages of protein powder, weighing 2.3 tons, hospital beds and medical and surgical supplies.

We are working to provide much needed surgical gloves to combat the transmission of the deadly Marburg virus in Angola.

The Solomon Islands

In partnership with the Solomon Island community in Australia, The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles has been able to donate several pallets of requested medical items to hospitals in Malaita.

In addition a pilot school for the "Kids to Kids" Sister School Program has been established at a school on the outskirts of Honiara. The school caters for 400 students and was used as a refuge camp during the recent unrest and has only very basic facilities and no electricity. The teachers are ecouraging the students to practise their English and write to their pen friends in Australia.

East Timor

In 2004 members of The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles visited East Timor and donated 50 boxes of medical consumables to the Timor-Leste Government. This was then followed by an additional sea shipment of requested ECG machines, patient monitors and endoscopes.

Samoa

In November 2004 The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles was able to facilitate the delivery and transport of 2 radiographic cameras worth AUS$40,000 each from Sydney to the Apia Hospital in Samoa.

Zambia

From Perth The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles has collected medical supplies from donor hospitals for Australian doctors running outpatient clinics in Zambia.

For further information please visit The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles international website.