SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2025: May 23

We finalized our last bedkit distribution on May 15th at Oloolchura and it went as smoothly as the distribution the day before at Oloolaimutia. Both of these schools are in the area of Kenya known as Maasai Mara. One of our team members interviewed several of the students' mothers to learn that all of the items in the bedkits were treasured and more school items such as books, stationary, pens & crayons were welcomed. Many of the families in this area have as many as 7 children, and the mattress in the bedkits might be used by more than one child. 

We were entertained by some of the students and several of the Maasai Mara warriors after the children received their bedkits. The mamas were very anxious to adorn us with small bracelets and necklaces to say thank you to their new friends from our SCAW team.

After we left the school we were able to spend 3 - 4 hours with the help of our driver Charles in the game reserve where we saw many wonderful animals.  Beautiful African faces and beautiful wild African animals - make a day we won't forget!!

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2025: May 17

We’ve had a really wonderful experience in Kenya as we delivered 7000 bedkits to children.

Jamba, Karibu! Hello, Welcome! We heard these words everywhere we travelled in Kenya, always accompanied by a friendly smile. Travelling the roads to our next distribution we received spontaneous waves and warm smiles from many of the people we passed. If we stopped at a roadside stall or restaurant this kind welcome was always offered. Everywhere, people were so kind and full of grace, we felt we were among friends.

This feeling was very evident at meetings with Rotarians and especially so at the distributions. Teachers warmly welcomed us and the learners waved excitedly or whispered a shy “Hello” or “Good Morning” to the group of strangers they’d been patiently waiting to arrive. It was very humbling and inspiring to be on the receiving end of their acknowledgment of our visit.

The importance to the community of the gift provided by SCAW donors at home was easy to see. Sometimes before the distribution began, and sometimes after it was finished and the children were heading home with their new bedkits, we enjoyed heartfelt speeches of gratitude from the local chief, priest and once the bishop, as well as from the teachers. Their warm welcomes, thanks and prayers clearly showed us just how much the whole community appreciated and acknowledged this gift for their children. We leave behind new friends and acquaintances in Kenya as we head back to Canada, accompanied by a real sense of having been part of something that has truly made a difference for the families and communities who received bedkits. I know the memories of how we were made to feel so welcome and so appreciated in a country far from home will last a lifetime.

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2025: May 15 and Final Uganda Blog, 2025

This morning, like every other morning, we are greeted with a warm good morning from Charles who is not only our driver but also is someone who ensures our safety and someone who is a helping hand on a daily basis. Today we are travelling to Masai Mara which is considered the eighth wonder of the world. After a 3 hour road trip we arrive at Okoolaimatia Masai School and are greeted by happy smiling children. It is a moment to remember.

The bedkit distribution at this site goes very well with the help from teachers, rangers, the Rotary Club and our SCAW team. After our distribution of 1000 bedkits, we were welcomed by the head teachers of four schools from the neighbouring villages and the bishop of the Masai people who thanked the many donors and volunteers for suppling this special gift to the children in Kenya.

After the speeches we were entertained by enthusiastic well-rehearsed children who sang a traditional Masai folk song followed by a very touching poem which spoke of donors, volunteers and the gift of a good night’s sleep. It truly was a moment to remember how important it is for Sleeping Children around the World, to continue providing a good night sleep.

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦

Final Uganda Blog, 2025: May 15

IT IS A WRAP!

Team Uganda 🇺🇬 🇨🇦 successfully completed our final distribution and our hearts are full with the knowledge that 8500 children are getting a restful night’s sleep.

Team work makes the dream work and we send our sincere thanks to the Inner Wheel women from both Kampala Original and Kampala Central.

Our team will miss your laughter, your hard work and the love you show for the children.

Team Uganda, 2025

Uganda 🇺🇬 +SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2025: May 15

We arrived at Oljabeti Community School to see an enthusiastic group of children waiting for us. They sang and danced for us in a spontaneous way, which was lovely to see. Thanks to the help of our donors back home, the great work of the Rotary Club of Nairobi, and the teachers and scouts at the school location, 1228 happy ‘learners’ received their bedkits from SCAW today.

Afterwards, we relaxed and enjoyed the official presentation of dancing and singing, and some heartfelt speeches, driving home to us just how important these bedkits are to the children and their families. It was so nice to see the parents sitting nearby watching all the proceedings. Some of the children and their families had to walk ten kilometres to get to the distribution site, a real testament to exactly how valuable the bedkits are to these families

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2025: May 12

Today we travelled from Nairobi to Naro Moru, known as “the place of black stones .“ It’s a part of Nyeri County, which is located in central Kenya. We drove through some very fertile farmland where a wide variety of crops were being grown. This part of Kenya is known for its excellent fruit and vegetable production.

After driving for about 3.5 hours we reached Naro Moru, a small market town located along the Naromoru River. The town is often used as a base for people who hike nearby Mount Kenya. When we arrived at the school where the distribution was to take place, the children were all dressed in their new outfits and sitting patiently in their school groups waiting for us. Just over 700 bedkits were handed out today in a well run distribution, thanks to all the wonderful help from the teachers and the Rotary members.

Many older students were also there to help carry the bedkits for the younger recipients and the distribution went very smoothly and quite quickly. That was a good thing as the threatening rain clouds began to spit on us just as the last students were having their pictures taken and were receiving their bedkits. The local priest, Father Kiratu, who helped throughout the distribution by lining up students and directing them to their bedkits, was invited to ask for the weather to hold off long enough for us to finish. Our team so appreciated his help in facilitating that request. Kenya is at the very end of the first rainy season called the “masika”, and we have seen rain several afternoons and evenings.

Before heading away from the school, we were offered tea and refreshments by our hosts. In an inspirational and emotional speech, Father Kiratu talked about how, for many of these children, tonight would be their first time sleeping on a mattress and that some would even be receiving their first pair of new shoes as part of their bedkit. He wanted us to know how special this gift was to the children who received it and how very much it was appreciated. How fortunate and blessed I feel to be able to share in such a special day with this community.

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2025: May 5 - 9

May 5-6

Our team of 7, led by Ed Jacques and Patrick Toner, arrived late Monday, May 5th in Nairobi.

Tuesday was spent resting up and preparing for our seven distributions. We met key members of the Rotary Club of Nairobi, and our very experienced driver, Charles.

May 7

We travelled into the second largest low income area in Nairobi called Mathare Valley, where approximately 500,000 people live. Our distribution site was at Destiny Junior Education Centre where we delivered 1,340 bedkits to smiling and excited students.

We were welcomed by the school's head, Judith Acheing, and a Kenyan government official. In their opening remarks both commented on the importance of a good night's sleep for children to learn effectively. They thanked the Rotary Club of Nairobi and Sleeping Children Around the World for their efforts to provide sleeping kits for the children of the Mathare Valley.

Despite a cramped space the distribution went well. Rotarian Atia coordinated a well-planned distribution where the 1,340 bed kits were well organized in various locked classrooms.

It was such a treat to watch the young students receive their enormous bedkits, and they proudly balanced the bedkits on their heads as they left .

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦

May 8

Today began at 5:30 a.m. with the sound of children having swimming lessons in the hotel pool, and the shockingly loud squawk of the Hadada Ibis.  The Ibis is native to sub-Saharan Africa and is named for its loud three to four note calls uttered in flight. Encountering an ibis is believed to signal a harmonious relationship with one's surroundings, reflecting a sense of balance and alignment. Little did we know that the morning sounds of children laughing and the Ibis would entirely represent the remainder of our second day of distribution.

Today was organized by Rotarian Mumbua at Myanyani HGM Comprehensive school in the village of Kabaa. As we drove into the distribution area, we immediately felt the excitement of the 1000 children, their parents and teachers.  It is truly an awe-inspiring sight to see 1000 children sitting patiently in their new colorful outfits. As the day started, the theme of meaningful sounds continued late in the morning as the children performed songs and dances for their visitors. The President of the student body spoke eloquently as she gave thanks to the donors in Canada, the Rotarians, the loving parents and teachers.

The warmth of the Kenyan people was striking to us today.  I think we each have said that we have never felt so welcomed on any distribution.  We were literally welcomed (and enveloped!) with open arms. Everywhere we went, gratitude and love was expressed.

In closing, upon looking at the photos from the day, the eyes of the children stand out for me. Their eyes sum up the day - from start to finish.

They reflect hope - not only for a good night's sleep tonight, but hope for the future.  It is incredible to know that the gift of a mattress can open a new world of possibilities for these children. 

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦

May 9

What a sensational day!  We headed out with our wonderful driver Charles, who was taking us to the Wildlife and Education Centre in Kitengela. We were informed that it was an hour’s drive. What we didn’t know, is that we’d have to navigate our way through rocky terrain with zebras gracefully blocking our path. As we continued, we saw herds of gazelles and wildebeests, along with ostriches and rhinos in the distance. 

The Wildlife and Education Centre was owned by the University of Colorado but had been abandoned when the Nairobi bombings took place in 1998. In time, the local tribes purchased the property and have rebuilt the centre that now attracts groups from several countries. 

We arrived at the site and were warmly welcomed with the Maasai tribe dressed in beautiful clothing and beads, doing a traditional dance. This tribe is one of 42 tribes in Kenya. They are known for unique culture, vibrant traditions, and strong warrior society. They have a deep connection to the surrounding land and wildlife that was evident to us today.  

The children were excited and ready in their new clothes.  They were gathered from four different schools and had travelled long distances on foot or by motorcycle to get there.  The distribution was a great success with hundreds of smiling children and parents. We were informed that these people had never received gifts from anyone outside of the community. It was a privilege to participate in such a special day. 

Team Kenya, 2025

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 + SCAW 🇨🇦