DHL Express delivers lanterns, water filtration systems to Puerto Rico
DHL Express shipped 4,950 solar lanterns collected by international humanitarian aid organization iAID.
DHL Express, a logistics and express delivery firm, completed the delivery of 45 cartons of solar light, each with about 110 solar lanterns, from Japan to Puerto Rico in an effort to provide aid to the island weeks after Hurricane María devastated the Caribbean, the company confirmed.
“Puerto Rico has been facing a humanitarian crisis for the last two months, and as a global company, it’s important for us to help support relief efforts that are coming from every part of the world,” said Edgar Rodriguez, DHL Express Puerto Rico area operations manager.
“Critical situations like the one Puerto Rico faces today require efficient handling of incoming aid, and DHL Express doesn’t hesitate to facilitate the logistics for these much-needed relief goods,” he said.
Israel-based iAID, an international nonprofit organization focused on providing emergency relief through innovation, technology and sustainable development programs around the globe, in partnership with United Way of Puerto Rico, DHL Express U.S., Japan and the Asia Pacific coordinated the shipment from Japan to Puerto Rico. DHL Express donated its shipping services for the delivery.
“None of this could’ve happened if DHL didn’t step in to help,” said Alethea Gold, iAID global ambassador. “Everyone is so stretched with finances to send teams to the ground and purchases of relief items that the money to ship the lights to Puerto Rico just wasn’t coming in. People were getting desperate.”
One solar lantern could help a family of six. The lanterns arrived on the island Nov. 8, where United Way, together with some other local NGO’s and iAID, will distribute them to families in the island.
Earlier this month, DHL Express also delivered water filtration systems provided by Planet Water Foundation, a nonprofit focused on bringing clean water to the world’s most impoverished communities.
DHL delivered the 12 AquaTower water filtration systems to Puerto Rico from the Asia-Pacific region. Each AquaTower system produces up to 10,000 liters of safe, clean water per day and supports the daily drinking requirements of up to 1,000 people.
Back in September, DHL also delivered more than 120 tons of supplies that included clothes, water, food and fuel and distributed them to Hurricane María victims in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These donations, collected by DHL employees across the United States, were shipped by DHL Express from Miami and Cincinnati.
