 Team Reports |
SCAW Overseas VolunteersBrian Tuddenham — Cambridge, ON Before taking part in this, my first distribution, I associated SCAW with the generosity of its North American donors. I was impressed that we would be handing out bedkits representing $150,000 contributed by Canadians who want to help children in profound need.
This year had some new wrinkles but volunteers appeared to handle them all. With the threat of a British Airways strike, the Canadian team straggled in over several days, at all hours of the day and night. Each of us was met at the airport and Rotarians most generously put us up in their homes until our hotel reservations became available. Indian volunteers provided an evening puppet show to rural children bussed into the Rishi Valley from a great enough distances that they arrived the night before our distribution. Indian teachers — well over a hundred of them — gave their knowledge and time to identify small pupils in the greatest need of bedkits. Indian youths at every distribution moved the bedkits from storage to a hand-off place, and then carried endless loads for children consistently weighing less and standing shorter than their treasured new bedkit. The Girl Guides and Boy Scouts organizations are very much alive in India and the smiling, enthusiastic young members gave happily of their time and muscle. But more than anyone else, it was Indian Rotarians who made possible our successful distribution. They are so well integrated with SCAW that in 2002, when Indian-Pakistani border friction prevented a Canadian team from travelling, the Ambattur Club took over responsibility for the entire distribution. Again, this year, everything went flawlessly. Our distribution has been most successful. In large measure we have to thank our Indian neighbours, without whom it could not have happened. Overseas Volunteer Organization's TasksFive Rotary committees in India looked after the varied tasks SCAW requires of an Overseas Volunteer Organization. Selection: Drawing on 261 sponsoring schools in a rotation system that ensures no school is eligible more than once every four years, Rotarians go out to isolated rural areas, contact local teachers, and check and double check that the most deserving children are included. Packing: 5,000 bedkits require a huge investment of time and a virtual factory assembly line to prepare. Distribution: Arranging for the accurate deliveries to each of eight far-flung sites is a logistical monster. Every bedkit must be accounted for. No child can be disappointed. Contingencies must be in place for last minute substitution in the event of a no-show. Hospitality: For two weeks Rotarians unstintingly gave of their time, talents, and homes to ensure that the Canadian travelling volunteers saw Chennai, experienced local cuisine, were transported in the most comfortable fashion possible, had safe, clean accommodation, and enjoyed a variety of social occasions. They also kept costs down because they knew that Canadian team members pay their own way during a distribution. |
These past two weeks have quickly broadened my understanding and brought the crucial role of SCAW’s overseas volunteers into sharp focus. Without their assistance our journey would have been of little help to the children. (See article above, Overseas Tasks.)