SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 21

Today’s distribution took us to Chekeni Mwasonga, about an hour outside the city. We were struck by the school’s community - despite an average of 82 students per class, the connection between the parents and the school is carefully fostered by the headmaster.

Before the distribution began, the parents gathered and listened attentively as Benjamin and our team explained what their children would be receiving in the bedkits. As Benjamin translated into Swahili, the team displayed the items, Teegan modeled the kanga and backpack, and demonstrated the mattress carried on the head - a common practice here. The parents responded with joyful cheers and waves of gratitude.

This school also includes a thoughtful follow-up component; every Friday, teachers conduct home visits to check in on the families of children who received bedkits. After a previous distribution here in 2023, teachers confirmed that the bedkits were being used as intended, including proper use of the mosquito nets.

 Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 20

Today the team was able to enjoy a day off. We took in a little Tanzanian culture and history with a quick plane ride to Zanzibar. How lucky were we to enjoy this incredible sunrise as we stepped off the plane.

We were met at the airport by our guide for the day - Mady. He took us to our first stop which was the Jambo Spice Farm where we were greeted by Doula. Doula informed us that there are over 30 spice farms in Zanzibar.

He then took us through the farm when we encountered over 20 different spices including lemongrass, vanilla, coffee, cacao and of course cinnamon - known as the Queen of Spices and cloves known as the King of Spices! Doula even made us some new jewelry.

And who knew that empty coconuts are used to fertilize new growth?!

We then had an amazing lunch of the local fare before we departed to ”Stonetown” where the slaves were encased. It is a town built all of stone with no cars and of course it is the birthplace of Freddy Mercury!

We are back at it tomorrow with another 700 bedkits to distribute as we complete the last half of the total of 7000 bedkits in Tanzania!

Lala Salama!!  🛌 

Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 18

We had a wonderful day at Vikindu Technical College.  It was a lovely site with plenty of shady tress and very pleasant weather. 

It was a busy site with lots of activity and even a few monkeys.  We used the mattresses today to build a backdrop for our 132 pictures. 

Unfortunately, we ran into some terrible weekend traffic so it took 4 hours to get back to the hotel, a trip that would normally take 1.5 hours. Just another day in Tanzania . . . .

Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 17

Today we travelled to Mgagala Annex school to begin Day Four of our distributions. As we arrived we saw all the volunteers from Upendo working hard to unload the 700 backpacks and mattresses from trucks and vehicles.

In the middle of the unloading was Mama Wandoa carefully watching every detail and counting. She started counting at around 5 a.m. at her home making sure every backpack was accounted for and placed in the right vehicle. She has a system. It is marking everything in groups of fives. Every time a helper walks by her and has five articles they say tano (5) and she tracks it on her clipboard. Her careful attention to detail makes for a very successful distribution.

During our day SCAW and all the volunteers count children, pictures, labels, mattresses, backpacks and at the end of the day we celebrate that 700 children are going home to have a better sleep.

It all begins with tano, a small number that grows to amazing joy for the children.

Tonight we count our blessings. What a wonderful day.

Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 16

Today we visited the school Chanzige and we were greeted by signs all along the school road that were all positive affirmations like “never stop learning as life never stops teaching” and “you are the hero of your own story.” Someone has put a lot of love into this school and it shows. The children were so friendly and loved practicing their English with us.

While handing out the 700 bedkits we noticed that the children were kicking around plastic bottles to play football with. Our generous partners from Super Banco gifted some “footballs” to us so we were happy to gift two of them to this school. After the headmaster showed us his football skills the kids were happily playing with them before we left for the day.

This is my first distribution with SCAW and it has been such a rewarding, enlightening and heartfelt experience, especially because I am able to share it with my mother.

Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 15

Day 2 of distributions was busy with lots of smiling faces eagerly awaiting us. We were set up under a beautiful ancient mango tree. The children waited patiently and sang some songs while we set up.

We began with tying a kanga around each child, took their photos and ushered them to collect their backpacks stuffed with goodies and their mattresses.

There were a lot of high fives and thank yous. Not even some brief rain dampened their smiles.
The volunteers were amazing. It was a busy and gratifying day.

Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 14

Team Tanzania has arrived and are ready to work!

After a gruelling two days of travel, the team of 8 has arrived in Dar es Salaam to begin the journey of enriching the lives of 7000 children in Tanzania with a bedkit from our generous donors. 

We’ve had a lot of time to bond and get to know each other as team members travelled from British Columbia to Toronto to Addis Ababa to Dar. 

We hit the ground running after a good night’s sleep with a pre-distribution meeting Monday morning at Mama Wandoa’s house. Here we were able to see where all of the bedkit items are made and stored. The mattresses come from the factory every morning. Mama’s team have been hard at work over the past 4 months. This is our 25th year of partnership with Mama Wandoa, her children, her grandchildren and now her great grandchildren along with the exceptional volunteers from Upendo!

Immediately following the pre-distribution meeting we travelled to a school near Mama’s house where we were met by 700 smiling faces of children and their parents. 

Stay tuned as we work through the next 10 days handing out 7000 bedkits and proceed with the new sleep project supported by Mama and her team.

Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 13

It’s late Sunday and we’ve just arrived after quite a gruelling couple of days. Lots of waiting and a loooooong flight, but we are all in good spirits and will sleep well tonight. Wendy and Benjamin met us at the airport. 

We are meeting at Mama Wandoa’s house at 9:00 Monday morning for a pre-distribution meeting followed by the first distribution. 

Team Tanzania, 2025

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 12

Pre-distribution preparations:

The 3 photos below show the Upendo volunteers who did the packing of the 7000 bedkits. They are all stored safely. The black coloured bedkits are for small children and the blue coloured bedkits are for older children,  all carefully labelled for boys and girls.

All 7000 children are waiting eagerly for their new uniforms and a mattress to enable them to have a peaceful night’s sleep. From Monday the 14th to 25th July we will happily tell the children "LALA SALAMA". 

At this time, the SCAW Canadian volunteers are on their way to Tanzania. They should be almost half-way through their journey so stay tuned as there will be lots of excitement to write about. Both teams are eager to work together to ensure more children will have a good night’s sleep.

Team Tanzania, 2025

 Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: Aug. 2

DAY TEN CELEBRATION
How wonderful to see the children‘s excitement as they go through their backpacks. The notebooks and the school uniforms were certainly a hit.

We are proud to have completed successfully 7500 Bedkits for a grand total of 128, 500 over 24 years.
The sky is the limit for Sleeping Children and our partners in Tanzania-Upendo 🇹🇿 under the leadership of Mama Wandoa.

Lala Salama
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 31

SCHOOL BELLS ARE RINGING🔔

Back in 2019 a team member became very interested in the unique materials that the schools used for ringing their bells. Irene made a point of trying out every bell at each site.

Two Sleeping Children volunteers/teachers read her article in our Trip Newsletter and wanted to donate their handbells, which were given to them as retirement gifts, to two Tanzanian schools. We were happy to have Mama Wandoa present one to an appreciative principal and students.

During this year’s distribution it was fun to find, see and hear the bells being used at our schools.

Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 31

Meet Khalfani

Khalfani has been our driver since we arrived in Tanzania July 20th and will continue to August 3rd.

He was born in Tanzania, is married and a father of six. Khalfani has a warm disposition.  He stays calm through the most chaotic journeys to our distribution sites. This is his first time driving for Upendo and Sleeping Children.

 He was a bit shy at first but has really opened up over the days with the help of our team member who speaks Swahili.  He has become an integral part of our team at the distribution sites, helping wherever he’s needed, especially when the children are lining up to have their pictures taken.

Lala Salama

Team Tanzania 2024

Upendo 🇹🇿+ SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 29

Our visit to the mattress factory was once again an eye opener. The host , Dhilip, was the owner and was extremely gracious and welcoming. 

 He took us on a tour of his facility which included 380 employees working in a plastics area and a mattress making area. 

 He has a 23 year relationship with the Tanzanian Overseas Partners which we value. 

Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 28

LOVE!!

By: Nathan Kisaka (Age 17 - son of Benjamin, grandson of Mama Wandoa)

Today I’m going to talk about love, because I want all of you who are reading this to experience true love.

I thought it best to give you some insight into what I feel whenever I carry out my job during the distribution. If you do not already know, then you might become curious, by donating, or even coming to a distribution site, and you will see what true love is like.

My job is the backpack station and I help the children by putting the backpack on them before sending them to receive their mattresses. I call them over to me with words, or sign language, and I never forget to smile at them, I mean really beam at them. Some children may look at you confused, but when you smile at them, the majority will reciprocate your love.  It is a confusing day for them, and the children aren’t always the best at regulating their emotions, as I’m sure you parents out there know all too well. 

A lot of you may not realize this but these kids often see you as angels. They are thankful, ever so grateful for you.

I pick up a backpack and I talk to them in a soothing, gentle tone since they are only children. When I send them away I take one last glimpse at their eyes as now the child will go home and finally sleep well at night.

Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 28

On our day off we wanted to learn more about the history and culture of Tanzania by exploring two museums, going to local arts co-operatives, listening to stories from our guide Tetula, attending church services (Catholic and Lutheran) and having some team fun by eating home made crisps at Coco Beach!

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We are back to work on Monday. We will have a guest from Zambia joining us as his charity might be interested in partnering with Sleeping Children.

Looking forward to seeing the children’s smiles again tomorrow.

Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 27

In our first home visit we followed a teacher and his 11 year old student through many alleys and dirt roads to a 2 room house. There lived a mother and 7 other people. The mother was housing her 3 children - the 11 year old, a child in secondary school, an older daughter who had a job at a local Chinese factory, and the daughter’s little 2 year old!

Also living there were her 2 nephews whom she was supporting because her sister had passed away, and lastly, there was another nephew who has malaria!

She showed us where the new mattress would be placed and was extremely happy and very grateful for all the contents in the bedkit.

There was no kitchen in the area but a small hallway where we expected she did some cooking on a stove like in the picture below!

When we spoke to the teacher he did confirm that the children at the school received a meager lunch that was subsidized by the government. This might be the only meal the young student received for the day!

After our visit the teacher walked the young boy back to school as his school day was not yet finished. They go to school from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It was certainly an enlightening visit.

Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 25

A Special Celebration🌺

At the request of Mama Wandoa, we started our morning honouring the memory of Dave Dryden. Mama wants everyone to know that she and her family miss him very much.

Another successful day with lots of wonderful interactions with our children. As always our Upendo volunteers work very hard alongside us.

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Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo🇹🇿 + SCAW🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 24

Today we visited a school with a population of 3444 kindergarten to grade 7 students that included 31 totally blind and visually impaired students who live at the school during the week and may go home on the weekend. 

Team Tanzania, 2023: Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

 The staff were amazing and very accommodating to our group. 

 At the end of the day we enjoyed some fun with the level 7 class of 384 students who were in an outdoor class studying for their high school enrolment exams. They were outside because there simply was not a classroom big enough for them. 

We taught them the Hand Jive and they sang us a song called I Love my School. And although we were hot and tired we left revitalized and satisfied that 750 children including the 31 visually impaired children would have a better sleep tonight. 

 Thank you SCAW donors. 

 Team Tanzania, 2024

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 23

I feel privileged and blessed to be part of the SCAW Tanzania 2024 team. Being a new volunteer with SCAW, I have learned much and been thoroughly impressed with the distribution process in Tanzania.

On each of the two days to date, 750 mattresses and backpacks were unloaded, the site for picture taking was set up and a short meeting held with parents to explain the importance of sleep and how their children will get the bedkit items. Then the children were guided by team members and volunteers through the process, which meant having their names called and being registered, lining up to have a picture taken in front of a displayed bedkit with a label displaying the donor's information.

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The amount of the donation determines how many children are in the picture.  Volunteers organized the children in appropriate sized groups and ensured they were placed well for the photo. A photographer took the picture, the label was removed and the donation number recorded by a team member referred to as a checker. Next, the children were guided to where they were each given their mattress and backpack which was filled with items. Backpacks were color-coded for size (big/small) and ones for girls were identified with colored ties. The flow of the distribution  process was truly impressive; but that wasn't all!  At both distributions to date, we ended with a perfect count ... 750 children's pictures taken to match 750 donations made and 750 gender-appropriate bedkits for 750 children.

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As a newbie to SCAW I am not sure what I expected, but the ease of flow and the accuracy of the distribution process have exceeded my expectations and were truly impressive. I am glad to be part of this team. Way to go Team Tanzania 2024!!!!!!

Lala salama,

Team Tanzania, 2024

Upendo🇹🇿 + SCAW🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2024: July 22

And so it begins … Day 1 of the actual distribution saw 750 children heading home for a good night’s sleep. 

Mama Wandoa’s son Benjamin, who flies to Tanzania every summer to help, explained to the parents in Swahili, interpreting what the team leader was saying about the contents of the bedkit and what their child would be receiving, emphasizing that every item presented to them would be in the bedkit for their child. He was very specific about the importance of sleep and the benefits it provides for their children, especially during the school day. 

Benjamin speaking Swahili to inform the parents/guardians.

Although the temps were hot and the day was long, our team of 5 felt so satisfied that the 750 children today would not only sleep well with their new mattresses and mosquito nets but that they would be well prepared for their next days in school. 

Contents of bedkit

 Stay tuned for more adventures from our Tanzania team!

Lala Salama -Sleep Well

Team Tanzania, 2024

Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦