SCAW Blog: Uganda (group 2), 2026: May 12
The children arrive early at the distribution sites. Many have travelled great distances by bicycle or motorcycle and many more walk several kilometres.
They then lineup with their registration cards and wait to be be dressed in their new outfits. While we are setting up the site for photos and distribution, they wait again
We try to find time to meet the children … they seem to appreciate when we say good morning, stop to shake hands.
And the distractions of blowing bubbles or tossing a beach ball help them to relax.
The globe beach balls have been a real hit … and the children (and teachers) love the geography lesson, showing them where in the world to find Uganda and Canada.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda (Group 2), 2026: May 11
Today it was a privilege to interview two families who received bedkits.
The first family was a single mom with five children. She was so thankful for the bedkit. It is a challenge for her to afford the school fees. Her son wants to be a priest.
The second family was also a single mom with five children. She walked ten km with her son to the distribution site and left the other four children at home. She was so appreciative of the items in the bedkit, especially the mattress and mosquito net. Her precious eight-year-old son wants to be a doctor. One of her concerns is her ability to afford the school fees.
Thanks to our generous donors the dreams of these children are one step closer to them turning the dream into reality.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW blog: Uganda, 2026: May 2
Yesterday, May 1st, we completed our final distribution of 500 bedkits in the Gulu region, making it a total of 4000 bedkits.
What an amazing experience! Our SCAW team members were so happy to help provide these gifts from the wonderful donors in Canada to these lovely children. Our partners in Uganda, the Inner Wheel of Kampala Central, were so great to work beside in this endeavor.
As we approach the end of our journey, the Inner Wheel ladies had arranged an excursion to Murchinson National Park while we are in this region before returning to Kampala.
After entering the Park, we encountered some of the natural wildlife, such as elephants, antelope, water buffalo, a ground hornbill, giraffe, baboons and warthogs.
Elephant (with birds)
Antelope
Water Buffalo
Ground Hornbill
Once we reached the top of the Falls, we could hear the rumble of the rushing water. A member of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) met us and was our guide to the Falls. He described the history behind the name and about the waters that flow into and out from the Falls.
Seeing the Falls was breathtaking!
The thunderous roar, the cascading water, the silver white spray. What a magnificent sight! It was mesmerizing.
This was a lovely ending to our trip. Many thanks to the ladies of the Inner Wheel who made this possible.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, (Group 2) 2026: May 3
We arrived in Uganda, a little travel weary, happy to be here with our wonderful Women of the Inner Wheel who came out to meet our 10:20 pm flight and get us to our hotel.
Sunday was our ‘rest’ day! Following a relaxing morning, we were picked up by Mohammad, our driver, to visit one of Kampala’s 3 world heritage sites … the Buganda Royal Tombs Kasubi … where we enjoyed a wonderful tour. Augustine, our guide, walked us through the history of Uganda.
A fabulous first day … ending with an enjoyable evening with our 2 Uganda Teams getting together over dinner.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, (Group 2) 2026: May 3
We arrived in Uganda, a little travel weary, happy to be here with our wonderful Women of the Inner Wheel who came out to meet our 10:20 pm flight and get us to our hotel.
Sunday was our ‘rest’ day! Following a relaxing morning, we were picked up by Mohammad, our driver, to visit one of Kampala’s 3 world heritage sites … the Buganda Royal Tombs Kasubi … where we enjoyed a wonderful tour. Augustine, our guide, walked us through the history of Uganda.
A fabulous first day … ending with an enjoyable evening with our 2 Uganda Teams getting together over dinner.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, (Group 2) 2026: May 3
We arrived in Uganda, a little travel weary, happy to be here with our wonderful Women of the Inner Wheel who came out to meet our 10:20 pm flight and get us to our hotel.
Sunday was our ‘rest’ day! Following a relaxing morning, we were picked up by Mohammad, our driver, to visit one of Kampala’s 3 world heritage sites … the Buganda Royal Tombs Kasubi … where we enjoyed a wonderful tour. Augustine, our guide, walked us through the history of Uganda.
A fabulous first day … ending with an enjoyable evening with our 2 Uganda Teams getting together over dinner.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2026: May 1
Our final distribution with the Inner Wheel of Kampala Central took place under a sunny sky in northern Uganda, a beautiful and special day as we all celebrated the kids receiving their gifts from the donors. 4000 children will now be getting a better night’s sleep through the generosity of our donors - a huge thank you to them as well as to all our volunteers and supporters who make this magic happen.
Distributions like this one are such a wonderful reminder that there are good people all across the globe who just want children to be able to live their best lives and to thrive. And … they give us all 4000 more reasons to be joyful!
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2026: May 1
The hospitality shown by our partners and all those we have volunteered alongside in Uganda has been inspiring. We have been welcomed into homes and communities with a generosity that we all can learn from. After one of the distributions, a post-distribution lunch was kindly prepared for us by a local host. The women cooked outside, creating a bountiful meal of delicious Acholi dishes. The pots were enormous, reflecting a local custom that it is impolite not to feed as many people as possible in the village.
The dancing that follows a meal is a joyful expression of community and gratitude, a celebration of simply being together.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2026: April 29 (Copy)
On the 4th day after our arrival in Uganda, we set out from Kampala northwards on a 7 hour drive. We were headed to Patira in the district of Nwoya for our 3rd distribution of 500 bedkits. The ladies from the Inner Wheel of Kampala joined us on our journey to the distribution site. It was an enjoyable trip through the countryside of Uganda with a brief stop to pick up lunch. Wonderful conversations were shared with our Ugandan partners and it was a good way to get to know them better.
When we arrived at the site, we saw that the bedkits had been delivered and the families were anxiously awaiting our arrival.
They greeted us with cheers and smiles of gratitude. While the children changed into the clothing provided in the bedkits, we introduced our groups and shared the items their children would be receiving. Photos of the children were taken, followed by the distribution of the bedkits. The children walked away with great big smiles.
It was a heartwarming sight for all who participated in the distribution
Just as we were finishing up the last few photos the rain started.
Another great day in Uganda.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2026: April 28
As we stepped off the minibus in Kiboga, Uganda, on April 27, 2026 we were greeted by an open field next to a church, framed by rolling countryside and distant mountains. It was a stunning sight—but the real magic started the moment we arrived.
Suddenly, we were much-anticipated guests to be greeted excitedly. The roars and cheers from the waiting children and parents were exhilarating; the long-awaited day had finally come. Initially, the children were quiet and composed, watching us with curious gazes—strangers from a distant land.
That stillness broke when the introductions began. Another wave of cheers erupted as we held up the bedkit items. You could feel the anticipation humming in the air; for these children, it was like Christmas morning.
Handing out the kits was a deeply heartwarming experience. When we attempted a “Hello” or “How are you?” in their local language, the children responded with surprised chuckles and wide-eyed wonder, clearly amused by our efforts. But when we finally said, “This is for you,” the long walks and hours of waiting became worth every second. We were met with soft “thank yous” and, often, a respectful genuflect. It was humbling.
Watching the children walk back to their parents, expertly balancing their new belongings on their heads, was a sight to behold.
None of this would have been possible without the Inner Wheel ladies. Their thorough preparation and execution made the joint effort seamless. As they often shouted, we were indeed: “Two teams, one goal. One goal, two teams!” Between their dedication and SCAW’s exemplary planning, it was truly an unforgettable experience.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2026: April 28
OVERSEAS VOLUNTEER PARTNERS
It took this, my first distribution as a travel volunteer, to fully appreciate how vital SCAW's Overseas Partners truly are.
In Uganda we are blessed to work with the wonderful ladies of the Inner Wheel of Kampala. From greeting us at the airport (7 of them at 11:30 pm on a Saturday night), to booking our hotels and our transportation for 12 days, negotiating with suppliers and then organizing 2 supplier factory tours, a pre-distribution meeting, and more, every detail was looked after.
At the 2 distribution sites today, 27 ladies were there to ensure we had all the help we required, including getting the children dressed, keeping them calm while waiting in line for the photos, assisting with the flow of bedkits to the children and then getting them safely back to their parents.
SCAW is very fortunate to have such a wonderful partner to work with in Uganda!
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2026: April 27
Today, we had an opportunity to visit two manufacturers in Kampala that produce bedkit items we will be distributing to 4,000 children in northern Uganda.
The first manufacturer we visited, Unique Uniforms, produces back packs, shorts, skirts and t-shirts for the Ugandan bedkits. The owner and her manager took us on a plant tour to see the work processes, the layout of the facility and the automation they have implemented. The plant provided employment to 100 employees and the Inner Wheel proudly provided the statistic that approximately 90% are female.
The second manufacturer we visited was Crestfoam, and this company produces the foam mattresses for the children. This manufacturer also provided our Overseas Volunteer Partners with warehouse space to assemble the bedkits, store them, and transportation services to send the required bedkits to the different distribution centers.
These manufacturers provide clean and safe working conditions for their employees. They also help address the high unemployment rate of 12% for all adults and 18% for young adults. A key theme that we learned was “Buy Uganda, Build Uganda”.
Our focus is to distribute 4,000 bedkits on behalf of Sleeping Children Around the World and to help support local industries that provide meaningful employment in the country. Thank you to our donors for providing Ugandan communities with these things!
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2026: April 26
The Canadian team arrived in Uganda to a wonderfully warm welcome from our amazing partners - the Inner Wheel of Kampala Central. After being ushered through immigration by a member of the Inner Wheel, we were greeted by another 6 members. Given that our flight landed close to midnight, we were very touched that so many took the time to be there.
Photo taken at Entebbe airport
This group of women have already demonstrated keen attention to detail with the planning of the distribution, a very strong start to their first solo SCAW project as a newly formed club! We are all excited to get the distributions started.
Team Uganda, 2026
Inner Wheel of Kampala Central 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦