SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 10

A Blog for Mother’s Day

Ugandan mothers are the loudest cheerleaders at our distribution sites. They clap and cheer with great joy when their child picks up their bedkit. 

These mothers have walked many miles to get to the site, some with babies on their backs, some carrying a disabled child in their arms. 

After a busy morning of distributions the team made an appropriate day-before-mother’s- day stop. We visited a local hospital complete with a Maternity and Labour room. 

While we were there a young mother with 2 sons delivered a baby girl. 

Perhaps one day she will be the recipient of a SCAW bedkit or better yet, she will be the woman who eliminates the need for them.

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 9 and 10

May 9. WE DID IT . . . 1000 BEDKITS TODAY!

Today we completed distributions in two different sites so our day started very early at 7:00. Children and parents were waiting for us and we loved the welcome with songs and dances.

The locations were perfect because the site managers travel the night before to make sure that everything is ready. As soon as the bus opens the doors we do a presentation for both the parents and the children explaining how our bedkits will help them get a healthy, good night’s sleep. This is followed by huge applause and cheers when we show all the items in the bedkit.

But the best is at the end when we watch very happy children head home with their gift of sleep.
Teamwork sure made this day a huge success. 1000 BEDKITS.❤️

Team Uganda, 2025
Uganda 🇺🇬+SCAW 🇨🇦

May 10 Warm-Up

Team SCAW (members from Canada and Uganda) drive together to each distribution site. The ladies of the Inner Wheel serenade us with inspirational songs along the way.

When we arrive at our location, as we leave our bus, we are greeted with music, chanting and wonderful dancing. School girls in costume perform an energetic cultural dance accompanied by community members playing drums and other instruments. Parents, volunteers and other guests cheer them on and join in the fun.

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We were told that this particular dance is called Kiganda in the Masaka region of Buganda. The children learn and practice this dancing as an extra-curricular activity after school. They then entertain at events such as ours and also compete against other schools in the area. It is so lively and upbeat, a perfect warm-up to our bedkit distribution!

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 7 and 8

May 7

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

The Inner Wheel and the Sleeping Children team are working together well and the results are that 500 children are going home with smiles on their faces.

Community members, faith leaders and helpers are also pitching in to make the distribution a success.
We could not help taking a celebratory photo at the end of a wonderful day.

Team Uganda, 2025
Uganda 🇺🇬+SCAW 🇨🇦

May 8

SMOOTH SAILING

Our motto with the Inner Wheel ladies continues to be: teamwork makes the dream work and the distribution this morning was smooth sailing with 500 very happy children.

We had a little free time this afternoon to walk downtown to experience Main Street.

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 5

Location is one of the more important elements in completing a successful distribution.  Some locations are much more difficult than others to find, especially in the eastern part of the country during the rainy season.  
But one of our distributions in Mbale with the Inner  Wheel of Kampala Central was in the community of Ceele and this location had all the important elements we were looking for.

The first thing it had was shade and lots of it.  Sometimes the kids travel a long way to receive their bedkits and a place for them to sit and wait in the shade is crucial. 

Flat ground at a site is great, especially when looking for a place for camera set-up. There are pictures taken of groups of kids so flat ground for chairs or stools is necessary for not only a good shot but for their safety.

Ideally schools are great location choices as there are classrooms with privacy for the kids to change into their uniforms.  But they also provide a familiar space for a very unfamiliar day. Security definitely is key and vital for everyone involved.  Volunteers that are easily identified and all those involved in the distribution are the only ones in the secure area. So a roped off area with a visible exit is the best. 

And all these things were exactly what we had in Ceele.

Great job Inner Wheel of Kampala Central.

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 6

Upon our arrival at the distribution sites, we are greeted by two large groups of loud and excited people, approximately 500 children who have changed into their new, colourful outfits, and their parents who wait on the perimeter of the site watching and celebrating the days' events.

We hear loud cheers, singing and clapping from both. Often there is music playing and people dancing and squealing. It is quite exhilarating!

Each day, prior to starting the distribution of bedkits, our team, with the help of an interpreter, explains to both groups about Sleeping Children Around the World, our donors in Canada, our local partners, the Inner Wheel, and our wish for the children to have a good night's sleep.

We have fun showing everyone the bedkit contents so they understand what is included in the gift for their children. Inevitably, this enhances the excitement even more. Then we are all anxious to get started!

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 4

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN

Today we said goodbye to the team from Kampala Central, who did a wonderful job this week, and said hello to Kampala Original.

At our distribution we were greeted with fanfare, enthusiasm and music with many excited parents and children. We had another successful start to this next phase of our distributions.

Here are some photos we cherish:

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 3

THE PEARL OF AFRICA

We did our distribution today near the Kenyan border with Mount Egan looming in the background.

When a team member was here 15 years ago she was surprised to see how green and lush everything was; it remains the same today. The Kampala Central team of the Inner Wheel took us to a beautiful waterfall on the side of the mountain, where we saw many things growing in the fields at the base of Mount Egan.

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It was nice to see the area after our distribution was completed. It was nice to know that 500 more kids are having a better sleep tonight in the remote villages.

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 3

SO MANY HELPING HANDS

In addition to our SCAW team and our wonderful Inner Wheel team, there are so many community people that are needed to make a successful distribution. Today we had many many helping hands including a wonderful school head-master to make everything run smoothly.

Team Uganda, 2025

Team Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: May 1

A DAY OF FIRSTS

Today was not only the first day of our distribution but it was also the first ever distribution for the team from Kampala Central. All of them are new members and they did not know how our distributions work. Their planning was meticulous, the execution was perfect and it was obvious that they had been well coached by Gladys.

The entire day went off without a hitch and the SCAW team was thrilled that everything went so well.

Congratulations Kampala Central!

Team Uganda, 2025

Team Uganda 🇺🇬 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: April 30

WE LEARNED SO MUCH TODAY.

Our team got to visit 5 factories and we also completed our pre-distribution meeting with both Kampala Original and Kampala Central teams. It was all informative and useful; we appreciated being driven around by some of the Inner Wheel ladies to all of these sites. Their hospitality and organization is superb.

A highlight was Winifred’s Dress Design company. Winifred gave us the history of her small company as she makes some of the clothing for our children. As a widow, she likes to employ other single women and allows them to bring their babies to work if needed. We applaud not only the quality of the clothing but also her warm, generous and loving heart.

Tomorrow we drive three hours to start our Day One distribution.

Team Uganda, 2025

Team Uganda 🇺🇬 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: April 29

LOTS ACCOMPLISHED TODAY!

Our team was ready to go after a good night’s sleep so we met to continue our planning.

The Inner Wheel brought us a bedkit so we could do the assessment and see which items the 8500 children will be receiving.

Our excitement is building and tomorrow we do two factory visits along with our pre-distribution meeting.

We had a special moment this afternoon when we showed the bedkit to two of the people at our accommodation and explained how we are supporting the Ugandan children. They both got teary.

Our team is very happy to be here.

Team Uganda, 2025
Team Uganda 🇺🇬+Team SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2025: April 28

We’ve arrived safely! The Inner Wheel welcomed us at the airport and all is well.
We had our first meeting and lots was covered. We are working through various plans.

This is short as we are off to bed now since all of us are a wee bit tired.

Team Uganda, 2025

Team Uganda 🇺🇬 and Team SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 17

Today we distributed our last 550 bedkits. Your 8,000 bedkits have been greatly appreciated by the children and their parents. The days ahead will begin with a good night’s sleep. 

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 My most memorable moment today was when a small child with challenges was soothed by a cookie and bottle of water.  He could then calmly receive your generous gift. He went away very happily with his Mom.  

 Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 17

Wow! What a day. . . . Again we travelled up the mountain roads to a site that had a 360 degree view of valleys and green mountains. The sun shone all day and the pictures all had this spectacular background. It was probably the best distribution yet as all the pieces fell together. To top it off, we were treated to a phenomenon most of us had never seen . . . a Circum Zenithal Arc . . . to us a rainbow that instead of touching the ground at each end remains as a circle above us.

Circum Zenithal Arc

We had a bit of a scare when we arrived at the site . . . our large truck carting the 550 bedkits was completely on its side in a ditch! Apparently they had off-loaded all the kits and then turned the wrong way out onto the road and tipped over. Heaven knows when they got out, but that was the only wrinkle in the whole day!                

We were then treated to a performance by a group of women who sang, danced and brought gifts of fruit and vegetables, not for us but for their community. It was a joyous occasion for all.

Gifts of food for the family

We then went on to a lunch again hosted by one of the women in the Inner Wheel which was followed by a home visit right next door. The woman had 6 children living in a 2 room mud hut and her husband had died during Covid. Needless to say, she was overwhelmed by the gifts of food given to her and her children. This is always one of many sobering moments in our distributions. However, there are also a number of joyous moments such as seeing the children’s faces and the faces of their families, when they receive their bedkits.

It was a perfect day from every aspect!

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 13

Bananas are a staple food in Uganda and that is obvious when you see the many, many banana palms planted in every nook and cranny around the country.

 There are five different types of bananas grown here, each with a specific use.

Gonja bananas are for roasting on a grill or in the oven.  This variety can also be fried.

 Embidde bananas are fermented to make a local brew.  The ripe bananas are mashed with grass releasing the juice which can be consumed or have sorghum added to it to begin the fermentation process.  The resulting brew is distilled producing the local drink.

 Ndizzi bananas are very small and eaten as a raw fruit.

 Bogoya bananas are larger that the ndizzi variety and also eaten raw as a fruit.

 Matooke bananas are steamed, mashed and eaten hot.

 We have had the pleasure of having many of these varieties at our distribution lunch feasts.

 Bananas are transported in every imaginable method from boda bodas, on the backs of bicycles, in baskets on the top of women's heads, to large transport trucks.  

Bananas being transported by boda boda.

 Bananas figure prominently in local art as well (picture).

 Clearly, bananas are an important part of this culture.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 15

We had the opportunity to go on another home visit after today’s distribution. We all remembered the family: their son has a disability - his Dad got to be in the photo with him, as he couldn’t sit unsupported. Their house was a duplex made of clay and their side had two rooms. There was a cooking area out back, some goats, and a pumpkin garden.

The family consists of mom and dad and four children - the two youngest are disabled.  They are 11 and 6, but look considerably smaller.  The team referred to them as “having vulnerabilities”.  The children were so happy and it was a joy to meet them.  We sang “if you’re happy and you know it” and they clapped during the whole song.  

There were three home visitors at their home, part of a government initiative.  It’s a peer mentorship program, with folks from the community mentoring their neighbours, mostly on health-related topics.  They visit each family monthly and teach them. 

 We gave the family some money and two Canada T-shirts and a Canada ball cap.   Plus, they now have a bedkit.  One of our team members told the mom that the bedkit is for the child but that the items could be shared.  Mom shook her head.  We don’t speak the language, but if we understood her, she was saying, “No thank you - this is for my child.” 

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 14

Yesterday, after our distribution in a remote village, we got to do another home visit.  We had to climb a steep hill which was very rocky and muddy. Unfortunately, we arrived to find the mom was taking one of her children to hospital and the father wasn’t home. Luckily, grandma was home to take care of the other three children. We brought the family a gift of food to say thank you for letting us visit their home.

It was a sort of compound - two small homes made of mud and sticks, and a “shed” with a fire burning.  Mom and Dad’s home had a cooking area and a bedroom, and Grandma’s home had 2 bedrooms and a main room.  We saw that the new SCAW mattress was still rolled and sitting on a bed.  The bedkit recipient was already wearing her new shoes! Shoes continue to be the hottest item and the one that the children AND their families cheer the loudest for.  

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 On a related note, one of our team members spoke with a community volunteer today at the site who said there are many children with intellectual disabilities in the community, largely due to maternal malnutrition during pregnancy.  We hope the gift of a bedkit relieves some of their burdens and allows for healthy development overall.  

It is a gift to visit these families and have them open their doors - humble as they may be. It is illuminating and bittersweet: knowing we made a difference yet seeing just how much work there is to do.  

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 12

Today was day 6, distributions 7 and 8. We hit a wee snag when the truck carrying the mattresses and bedkits broke down a few kilometres from the site! The team set up as best we could and the children got dressed while we all waited, fingers crossed and breath held. Luckily, the truck arrived about an hour after the team, and we all set to work: Inner Wheel, SCAW, and families. We rolled and tied 550 mattresses in no time at all, thanks to all the helpers.

Then we put the bedkits into the basins, again a team effort that moved smoothly and was much quicker thanks to families jumping in to help.

When the distribution happens, we have community volunteers, all of whom had children receiving a bedkit today. They stayed with our team for the whole distribution - lifting bedkits to be given out, and helping children carry their new bedkit and mattress. The help was most welcome as the bedkits are heavy- they are so filled with gifts for the children! $40 can go so far and gives children amazing opportunities to rest and to learn at school.

It was a smooth distribution, thanks to the amazing volunteers.

It takes a village to make a distribution.

 Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 11

Some quirky things we’ve seen along the way.

The traffic in Kampala was dense and chaotic; cars, buses, and motorcycles sharing the road. And oh my, let’s talk about the roads! Many were constructed with the red dirt of Uganda, and the potholes (craters?) were massive. It was common to see 2 or 3, or even a family of 4, on a motorcycle. But it’s the cargo that has been so entertaining. I wish I could’ve photographed all of the things we have seen! We see people carrying crates of fresh eggs, bananas, or other food (sometimes prepared food for sale), live animals such as chickens and turkeys, construction materials like slabs of drywall or 10 feet rebar (carried sideways), furniture, and even a stack of boxed mini-fridges.

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The condition of the roads slows the traffic down considerably, and so an economy has emerged where people sell goods as they walk through the traffic. We were offered everything from food and clothing (men’s boxers), to windshield wipers and rat poisoning. Also to be seen on our long bus drives is the beautiful landscape of Uganda, lush green plants, rolling hills, and the red mud.  We’ve also spotted both Toronto and Montreal hockey jerseys! And of course, we’ve seen several SCAW bedkits making their way home on motorcycles.

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Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 10

Well we had quite a day today with a start at 6 a.m. We headed north from Kampala to the Rwentobo Centre, one of the schools in the Ntungamo district. The ride was a real change from previous days not only in terms of traffic and roads but the scenery was spectacular. We moved up in elevation and into lush green hills and valleys. The temperature dropped too which we found very pleasant but the Ugandans find it cool and were donning sweaters and jackets.

The  farming became tiered and housing was well spread out. It reminded me of the book, How Green was My Valley. The ride was VERY long, about 9 hours total, but we were entertained by the Inner Wheel with gospel songs and sometimes up-tempo dancing. They enjoy life so much!

Tiered farming

We did stop at the Ugandan Equator and had a group photo taken and finally drove on to the school, arriving about an hour late, but it did not lessen the excitement and we were greeted with the usual clapping and cheers. Emily, one of our team, had a great time entertaining the kids by blowing bubbles while they were being lined up.

Emily blowing bubbles

The Community is so grateful for what SCAW does for them. As volunteers, that alone makes our day worthwhile but then the children get super excited when we display the gifts they are going to receive. I spent some time watching them greet their parents after they received their bedkit and headed off by various modes of transportation - bikes, motorcycles, trucks and of course walking. Some have walked a long distance to get here and we would pass them on the bus miles down the road on our way back to our hotel with the basin on their heads and mattress rolled up. Many also had hard climbs as they live up the steep hills.

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Another successful day !

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦