The survey says …Debbie Will-Dryden — Oakville, ON One of our tasks as representatives for Sleeping Children is to conduct surveys with bedkit recipients and caregivers. These surveys ensure bedkit quality and usefulness. They also provide a means for purposeful dialogue with community members and our OVO's. I find this research fascinating because it offers an insight into the lives of our bedkit recipients and the Ugandan culture and lifestyle. 
In all regions of Uganda, children gave priority to the treated mosquito net in the bedkit — an indication of increased education about malaria. The World Health Organization states: “More than one million people die of malaria every year, mostly infants, young children and pregnant women and most of them in Africa.” Further, the WHO estimates that a child dies of malaria every thirty seconds. Flip flop sandals are valued for two reasons. First, they cushion the feet of the mostly barefoot children during their long walks to school on gravel roads. Second, they reduce the risk of “jiggers,” a parasite which painfully infests the feet of the children and makes walking difficult. 
Like the blanket, towel, sheet, mosquito net, and even the mattress, the basin is used by the entire family. It has a multitude of uses: washing, cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Through the survey, I learned that in order to be admitted to a medical clinic, your own basin is considered an essential item. Finally, sadly, the survey showed me first hand how AIDS has devastated so many Ugandan communities. In Sub-Saharan Africa it is estimated that as many as eight of ten children have lost both parents to HIV/AIDS. We can read these statistics but it is heartbreaking to hear from these children, your bedkit recipients, who are now living their lives without parents. It made our team feel good to know that these children would now go home with their bedkits: a few comforts to keep them healthy and provide them with a sense of hope. |
