Today we began our journey back to Nairobi and distributed 1,000 bedkits at a local school. We interviewed a 10-year-old girl whose dream is to become a doctor. Her father shared that he believes the bedkit will help her achieve her dreams.
For lunch, we enjoyed a traditional Kenyan dish called mukimo. It was delicious.
Team Kenya, 2026
Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪+ SCAW 🇨🇦
We were on the leeward side of Mount Kenya, where 25 schools gathered with 40 students from each school. We were welcomed by the hosting school with an incredible song and dance that set the tone for the day.
Everyone came together for another successful distribution, and the way the older and younger children worked together through the buddy system was truly impressive. It was a powerful example of teamwork and community.
Team Kenya, 2026
Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪+ SCAW 🇨🇦
Today, the SCAW travel team journeyed about six hours outside of Nairobi, where we distributed 1,000 bedkits to 15 schools across the region. Many of the children face significant challenges, making the experience especially meaningful.
Before the distribution began, the children proudly sang their national anthem, followed by our team singing the Canadian national anthem. A local Bishop joined us and had everyone dancing and singing together.
The joy was undeniable—there were smiles everywhere.
Team Kenya, 2026
Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪+ SCAW 🇨🇦
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou
Today marked our first distribution, a day that embodied Maya Angelou’s words.
In Kenya, it began with a flight to Mombasa, where we distributed 1,000 bedkits to deserving new SCAW children. From the very start, there was a beautiful, gentle spirit surrounding the distribution. It was made even more meaningful by the incredible helpers who supported the children - and our team - with such kindness and care.
As we returned to Nairobi later that day, each of us reflected on the warmth, grace, and quiet joy that encompassed this special experience, knowing it was the feeling of the day that would linger long after the journey ended.
Team Kenya, 2026
Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪+ SCAW 🇨🇦
Today was Day 6 of the Chennai 2026 bedkit distribution. There were 1,000 very excited and happy children receiving bedkits with many proud parents and grandparents looking on.
The distribution went smoothly with the help of many high school and Rotarian volunteers. This is how you move 1,000 bedkits efficiently!
Many thanks to all our donors, OVPs and volunteers who make these distributions possible.
Team Chennai, 2026
Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
A truly amazing effort was put forth by the local Rotarians of Petrambalur Region (Trichy), the numerous College student volunteers, the overseeing Rotary Club of Ambattur and SCAW team volunteers. The local Trichy College of Sri Ramakrisna hosted today's 600 bedkit Distribution.
Rotary Past District 3000 Governor Zammeer Basha deserves credit for creating a unique yet humorous portmanteau when he characterized the effort of the rotarians, volunteers and SCAW team as "Scawsome" making a play on combining the word awesome with the acronym SCAW.
We all are pleased to be a part of making a difference for 600 families today.
The children recipients had a “Scawsome” day! We hope our donors have a “Scawsome” day as well.
Team Chennai, 2026
Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
Today’s distribution was in Trichy, 394 km south of Chennai.
607 beautiful children including 23 special children who were deaf and mute received bedkits.
Once again, volunteers and Rotarians made a huge contribution to the success of today’s distribution in a well planned site.
Thank you to our donors and a huge thank you to our partners and volunteers. 607 children will sleep better tonight!
Team Chennai, 2026
Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
Today was another successful distribution day!
The open air facility was hosted by a private K to Grade 12 school. The children receiving their donated bedkit gifts were all transported from nearby schools. Additional secondary student and rotarian volunteers allowed for a smooth handover of more than 600 bedkits.
There were lots of happy faces and smiles today. At the photography station a Rotarian encouraged the children to smile by having them in unison speak out loud the letter of the alphabet after B. I let them know by saying 'C.' Their faces made a good smile for the picture and they were also learning to speak Spanish at the same time!
Thanks again to our donors and volunteers for bringing smiles to the faces of these children.
Team Chennai, 2026
Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
Our 3rd distribution in Puducherry brought smiles to the faces of 806 happy, excited children who received bedkits made possible by the incredible generosity of donors from Canada 🇨🇦💙
This successful distribution was achieved in partnership with the Rotary Club of Ambattur and the Rotary Club of Pondicherry Midtown, along with the dedication of many hardworking volunteers. Thanks to all for their hard work.
Team Chennai, 2026
Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
On the second day of the Chennai 2026 distribution, made possible by the incredible generosity of our donors, we were able to distribute 622 bed kits in T. Nagar. With the selfless support of volunteers from various high schools and dedicated Rotary members, the day unfolded smoothly and beautifully.
Seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter, and spending time with so many precious children was deeply moving and truly unforgettable.
Team Chennai, 2026
Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
Today was the first distribution day at a school location in Avadi, 40 minutes outside of Chennai.
Many volunteers made the workload lighter for our team of three. There was an easy flow of 437 students who received a bedkit today.
A standout moment for the day was the 10 special needs' students who cheerfully received a bedkit from Canadian donors. Many thanks to our donors.
Team Chennai, 2026
Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), an organization based in Canada, partnered with World of Sweet Dreams, Inc. (WOSDI) for the distribution of bedkits to 5,000 children in the Philippines. SCAW donates funds to WOSDI and the latter organizes the purchase and distribution of bedkits.
The distribution was done over a period of two weeks in the month of November in 16 sites located in the regions of Ilocos, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and NCR. Earlier this year, bedkits were given to 1,500 children in NCR. It was a heartwarming experience for the Kiwanis Clubs of Cainta Vista Verde, Angeles City, Cainta Hope, and Pasay City, who organized WOSDI, to see the happy faces of children and their parents receive a one of a kind gift that was meant to improve the sleeping conditions of children as envisioned by SCAW founders Murray and Margaret Dryden. SCAW believes that every child deserves a good night’s sleep and that a day of hope begins with a good night’s sleep. This purpose blends well with, and finds true meaning in, the Kiwanis motto of Serving the Children of the World.
It was timely that the distribution of bedkits was done in the month of November which has been declared as National Children’s Month. A solid partnership between institutions that care for children. SCAW. WOSDI. KIWANIS. CHEERS!
Team Philippines, 2025
World of Sweet Dreams, Inc. Philippines 🇵🇭 + SCAW 🇨🇦 (remote)
This is a remote distribution. DAY 8 Talisay, Batangas. Today’s post was written by Melvin from WOSDI.
Today, 600 children in Talisay, Batangas were recipients of bedkits donated by Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW). The bedkits were distributed by World of Sweet Dreams, Inc. ( WOSDI) which was formed by the Kiwanis Clubs of Cainta Vista Verde, Cainta Hope, Pasay City, and Angeles City. This is the 2nd time that bedkits sourced from funds donated by SCAW were distributed in Talisay. It was another heartwarming experience for the members of WOSDI to see the happy faces of children, aged 6 to 12, receiving their bedkits as an early Christmas gift from SCAW.
The distribution which took place in the Marquesses Memorial Gymnasium and the air-conditioned St. William Hall of the San Guillermo Parish was very orderly because the local volunteers had previous experience in the distribution of bedkits from SCAW. The children entertained themselves with songs rendered by 3 of them who were given cash prizes for their efforts.
Happy children, happy faces, grateful parents, and very helpful local volunteers made our day.
Team Philippines, 2025
World of Sweet Dreams, Inc. Philippines 🇵🇭 + SCAW 🇨🇦 (remote)
This is a remote distribution. Today’s post was written by Melvin from WOSDI.
Another very busy day. 300 bedkits were distributed in Emilio Jacinto Elementary School in Tondo and 300 bedkits in Ususan, Taguig. Both sites are in Metro Manila but travel time between the sites was more than an hour. The sites were in spacious covered courts. There was a little delay in Ususan as the delivery truck got caught up in traffic.
In Ususan, the children sang Christmas carols when they saw their early Christmas gifts! The school principal together with volunteer teachers were very thankful that SCAW, through WOSDI, was able to reach their area. The school principal apparently did some research on SCAW and was very happy to know that bedkits have been distributed in the Philippines since the mid 80s.
It was hot and humid in the afternoon and electric fans had to be brought out. Actual distribution in both sites took a little more than an hour from the time that the children were dressed up in their pajamas.
School teachers and members of Kiwanis did a splendid job in organizing the event.
Team Philippines, 2025
World of Sweet Dreams, Inc. Philippines 🇵🇭 + SCAW 🇨🇦 (remote)
Cooperative Spirit in Action
Today’s distribution was held at a school in the village of Malthan. In addition to our usual Rotarian partners, we had many volunteers from the local community, known for its cooperative spirit. The teachers who assisted were dressed in their special occasion uniform of a beautiful sari with a navy blazer.
Many of the volunteers were young people. We were greeted by a line of girls dancing, their saris of the most vibrant colours. Female students helped the children change into the bedkit clothing and some male students and young men from the community assisted with carrying items in the bedkit.
Lots of “selfies” were taken with the SCAW team. And a son of one Rotarian assisted in organizing the children for the photos. These younger volunteers showed us that the spirit of giving back has passed on to the next generation.
Team Pune, 2025
Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
The Smiles of Excited Children
Today we returned to the hospital in Indapur. Having the same setup as yesterday made the bedkit distribution go smoothly.
I think this group of children were the most excited about the bedkits so far. Some of them ran to have their pictures taken and pointed to their favourite bedkit items. The stainless steel water bottle received the biggest cheers, followed by the always popular school supplies.
One of the volunteers today was a pharmacy student from the hospital that hosted us. He was great with the children, lining them up and coaxing them to smile for the camera. Reviewing the photos later made me smile. I know they will make the SCAW donors smile as well.
Team Pune, 2025
Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
This is a remote distribution. Today’s post was written by Melvin from WOSDI.
The 7th day of distribution was another eventful day. The recipients in Talang were dressed in their new clothes when we arrived at 8 am. Because the distribution was scheduled to start at 9 am, there was ample time for a special presentation by the children. They started off with their morning exercise ritual, singing their school hymn, and singing the national anthems of the Philippines and Canada. There were special dance numbers from the students and the officers of the PTA. The teachers did a splendid job in taking care of the children. Talang is one of the best organized distribution sites as one of the members of WOSDI was a graduate of that school.
In Panclara, a remote village, there was a 40 minute delay because of a heavy downpour. Portions of the gymnasium were wet and children and parents had to huddle under umbrellas.
There was another surprise dance number from Canadian flag-bearing students. When we arrived, we were greeted by children waving red and white banners. There was a small glitch when one of the labels did not have the name of a sponsor. We checked our files and email, but with the same result. We decided to continue and take a picture of the blank label. Both sites in Candaba were in covered courts. We were treated by local Panclara leaders to delicacies well known in the area. One child was all smiles when he received his gift and requested one more bedkit for his brother!
It was the 8th day the WOSDI group was out of town. Tired and weary, the thought of seeing children happy with their gifts was more than enough reason for us to continue distribution in 5 more sites.
Team Philippines, 2025
World of Sweet Dreams, Inc. Philippines 🇵🇭 + SCAW 🇨🇦 (remote)
Warm Sleeping Kits Distributed in Indapur. This blog post was written by Sakina Pittalwala, one of our Rotarian partners.
Today was a special day. We were in Indapur, a town about 125 kilometers (or 78 miles) away from Pune city. This was our first day of giving out sleeping kits in Indapur, and it was Day 4 of our whole project.
We were happy to give warm sleeping kits to about 670 young children. These children were chosen from 49 different schools in Indapur and the nearby villages. We held the distribution at a very kind place: an Ayurvedic hospice. Ayurveda is India’s traditional, ancient medicine system, using natural ingredients.
About Indapur:
Indapur is a very old, historical town. It has links to the great Maratha King, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The town is also known for its ancient temples, especially the Indreshwar Temple, which is the town's main place of worship. It also sits near the Ujani Dam and the Bhima River, which makes the area important for farming.
Our Partners and Plans:
Today’s great effort was helped by our main partner, the Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment, and by the Rotary Club of Indapur. Thank you for making this possible.
We are staying the night in Indapur and hope to distribute 700 more kits tomorrow!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this day a success!
Team Pune, 2025
Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
The Pune bedkit included a mattress for the first time. The Rotary Club of Pune Cantonement, our Overseas Volunteer Partner, solicited samples and bids from several local companies and selected the New Poona Cotton Factory, started in 1937. We visited this company which has 73 employees. The owner is the fourth generation to run the business. His wife works here and his daughter will be joining when she finishes school.
Careful thought went in to the mattress design. It is made of foam and is 66 inches long which should fit the oldest children for around four years. The dark fabric cover is 80 percent cotton for breathability in summer and 20 percent polyester for strength and durability. The mattress is washable and can be dried in the sun. Both the foam and fabric are made in India. To reduce the cost of each mattress, these smaller mattresses were cut from pieces of foam left over during the manufacturing of commercial mattresses.
Like Sleeping Children, this company appreciates the importance of a good night of sleep. They have a program that involves cleaning and re-covering returned cotton mattresses and donating them to students at a local high school.
The supplier that made the t-shirts and shorts was also new this year so we visited their sewing facility. The company has been in business for 25 years and has 53 employees. The owner showed us how they cut, sew and press the t-shirts and shorts. One of his employees attends the distribution to help with sizing of the children.
We enjoyed touring the facilities of these two new partners and seeing the care they put in to providing for the children of Pune.
Team Pune, 2025
Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 + SCAW 🇨🇦
This is a remote distribution. Today’s post was written by Melvin from WOSDI.
Today’s distribution in Tarlac City and Angeles City went well. It was only marred by 10 latecomers who came from distant places. We were about to get substitutes when the 10 recipients arrived, 35 minutes late.
We had a special guest in the Tarlac City site in the person of Mr. Avelino Tanjuakio, Jr (pictured below) who lives 2 blocks away. He is the son of Avelino Tanjuakio Sr. who, together with Dr. Ito Torres, happens to be one of the original partners of SCAW, in the Philippines. Both of them are members of Kiwanis. I recall that the two of them went to Canada to talk to Murray Dryden in the mid-1980s and that is when the partnership of SCAW with Kiwanis started.
We had another special guest in Angeles City in the person of Michelle Garcia (pictured below) who is a teacher in EPZA Resettlement Elementary School where the Angeles City distribution took place. She is 29 years old. When she was 9 years old she received a SCAW bedkit in Magalang, Pampanga, our next distribution site. She no longer has any of the contents of the bedkit in her possession which either got worn out or got lost when they transferred to another house. She said that there are more contents in today’s bedkits and that they appear to be more durable.
There were a couple of children with disabilities who were given priority. One was in a wheelchair. A parent of one autistic child failed to notify us because she was not aware of the preference given to children who are in similar situations. One child vomitted on the premises but appeared to be okay after a few minutes.
In Tarlac City, we noticed that there were still small children who did not appear to be at least six years old. We talked to the guardians and local volunteers and found out that those aged 7 years and above were in school and were not allowed to go to the distribution site which was far from their school. As a result, they could only gather children who were below 6 years of age. These below-aged children were not on the list of recipients.
Distribution in Angeles and Tarlac took place in spacious covered courts, which were well lit and ventilated. The recipients in both sites gave thunderous applause when they were shown the contents of the bedkits. At both sites, there were dance performances from students, some of whom were also recipients.
Our local partners are members of Kiwanis from Tarlac and Pampanga.
Based on the interviews, a mosquito net is in demand, especially in areas where there is still no electricity. Many parents instructed their children not to remove their face masks for health reasons. We were able to convince some to remove their masks during picture-taking although some others did not want to do so.
Team Philippines, 2025
World of Sweet Dreams, Inc. Philippines 🇵🇭 + SCAW 🇨🇦 (remote)
