A WOMAN from Logan and her family are preparing to send a shipping container full of supplies to help combat poverty in Swaziland.

Elizabeth Shekleton, 36, and her husband Michael, 40, have visited the country regularly through their church and they wanted to help them in a more meaningful way.

The tiny African nation is only about a fifth of the size of Scotland but has the highest HIV infection rate and the lowest life expectancy in the world.

Michael said: “My wife and I have been over there for the past three years with our boy Louis. The extreme poverty over there is unbelievable. Swaziland is the AIDS capital of the world and it has the lowest life expectancy. In the last few years, life expectancy has went from 43 to 31.

“Our last visit was in October and rather than take small amounts with us we came up with the idea of to ship stuff over in a container. I work with Spirit Aero Systems in Prestwick through an agency called Morsons and I got in touch with them and they agreed to pay for the container.”

In total, it will cost £3,500 to send the container over 6,000 miles to the landlocked country and the couple have planned to make as much out of it as they can.

“Once it arrives, the container will be turned into two small classrooms. My wife works for Scotia and they have donated French doors and windows so we can split it in two.

“We have been collecting stuff from family and friends; sanitary products for girls, lots of clothes, classroom furniture. Young Killie gave us some football strips but we are still looking for more donations. We’re getting there.

“We have a deadline of December 7 for donations. We have to box everything and do an itinerary for customs but we will ship it at the start of January. It takes about six or seven weeks to get down there.”