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 🇨🇦
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.
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.
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 🇨🇦