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Tanzania
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.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo🇹🇿 + SCAW🇨🇦
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 🇨🇦
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.
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.
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🇨🇦
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 🇨🇦
WE ARE READY TO GO!
Such a special day to go to Mama Wandoa’s house and to have our team all together. Here we are at the end of our Pre-Distribution meeting celebrating fellowship and a promise that 7500 children will be sleeping better because of our hard work over the next two weeks.
WE SALUTE MAMA WANDOA AND UPENDO🇹🇿
Today was very special as we spent the afternoon at Mama Wandoa’s home hearing her talk about her history of working with Sleeping Children for 24 years. Benjamin, Wendy and Nathan explained how the cottage industry put together 7500 backpacks starting back in January using rooms for cutting patterns, sewing and ironing, all in Mama’s home.
You really have to see it to believe what an incredible feat this is. Ten tailors worked diligently to ensure that the children will receive quality clothing, covers and kangas. The children will receive 16 items in their backpacks and you will hear more tomorrow about the contents after Day One of our distribution.
All the backpacks are stored in her bedrooms right now and starting early tomorrow 750 backpacks will be loaded onto Mama’s truck.
We are very excited to be working so closely with Upendo as we view ourselves as one big team.
Tonight we go to sleep early as our van leaves at 7:00 am.
Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
We have arrived safely in Dar and all our luggage made it too. 👍🌺
Wendy and Benjamin met us at the airport and we are now at the hostel getting settled. The team is coming together nicely.
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
GETTING READY
All the preparation work for our distribution of 7500 bedkits is taking place right now in Mama Wandoa’s house. Mama’s son Benjamin, along with her wonderful Upendo volunteers, are in the process of putting all the items for the children into backpacks. They will be stored in the bedrooms of her house until we arrive.
The team from Canada 🇨🇦 is getting very excited to be travelling to Tanzania next week.
Asante Sana Upendo.🇹🇿 (See you soon).
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
IT IS A WRAP!
After ending our final distribution day we celebrated with a group photo of our team but then Mama Wandoa insisted that we include Dave Dryden as well.
Then we were off for our ‘50 +3’ birthday celebration with all the Upendo volunteers at Mama’s house for soft drinks and cake.
Peggy presented Mama with the 50th anniversary book with a message from Debbie and Sandra.
A very successful post-distribution meeting followed, including some new ideas for next year.
This is one of the memories we will hold in our hearts ❤️ as we leave beautiful Tanzania.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW 🇨🇦
THE WEATHER TODAY - WE HAD IT ALL.
A very rough road took us to our distribution today. The skies opened up on our arrival, just after our first set-up. We quickly moved the parents’ meeting inside a classroom and it worked out quite well.
After our second set up we were ready to go but fortunately we found a covered verandah area for the photos as the rain continued on and off.
Our sheltered area was only available until 12:30 when all the children would be fed so we did not waste any time. The Upendo/SCAW efficient teamwork prevailed and we finished at 12:29!
Wendy and Benjamin had arranged a home visit for us at Rashid’s house. He was thrilled to receive a bedkit today. His grandmother and mother gave permission for us to take photos to show everyone where they lived.
Rashid’s new bedkit will allow him to sleep alone on his own mattress.
It is humbling to visit these communities and drive on their roads.
Another successful and uplifting day and 750 children are sleeping peacefully tonight.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW 🇨🇦
BACK TO WORK
Two schools had their photographs taken today so a very, very busy day.
Here are some glimpses of how the distribution went. . . .
Mama Wandoa was asked to sign one of the school’s guest book.
Kathy and Jerome are working hard in the intense heat.
Our wonderful Upendo volunteers are always there for us.
We are loving all the kangas on the children. Wendy and her team do a great job of tying 750 kangas.
Happy children are heading home. Our hearts are overflowing.
Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW🇨🇦
OUR DAY OFF🌺
Saturday was our day to explore the city of Dar with Tetula Okama, a local guide. We visited the National Museum, saw a wood carvers’ cooperative in action, toured a beautiful cathedral and the Village Museum depicting the historical homes from the 16th to the 20th century. We ended our day by dipping our toes in the Indian Ocean and walking on the beach. It was lovely seeing all the children playing in the water.
As always we had with us our wonderful, kind driver, Abbas. Not only is he a conscientious and safe driver but he also has assisted us every day by helping to organize the children for the photos. You can imagine the excitement with large groups of ten children and how much patience, kindness and gentleness is required. He is a good team member.
Asante sana, Abbas👍.
Monday we are back to work.
Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW🇨🇦
IN TANZANIA 🇹🇿 EVERYONE CAN BE FAMILY
Mama has been involved with Sleeping Children for 23 years. Over these many years she has involved more and more members of her family as it kept growing. There are now five generations involved in this bedkit distribution.
Her son, Benjamin, and daughter, Wendy, are the co-leaders with Mama.
For this distribution, cousins Prisca and Jerome were very involved.
Prisca excelled at the important role of checking the labels and coordinating with Peggy.
Here we see Jerome handing out backpacks from the truck. It was raining off and on and this kept them dry for the children.
Mama Wandoa has so much love in her heart that all the Upendo volunteers are family as well. The whole team gathered together around Mama as she presented the volunteers with a special Canadian 🇨🇦 button. Peggy thanked them as well.
Principal Moir is part of Mama’s family now as she has worked with him before. At this distribution he contributed to the fuel costs for the truck and provided a lunch for volunteers from his own salary. Mama originally thought that his school was too far to come but he wanted his children to receive bedkits. All the parents of the 750 children were there as well.
Another inspiring day.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿/SCAW🇨🇦
NO CHILD IS EVER LEFT BEHIND
Did you know the word ‘Upendo’ means ‘love’ in Swahili?
At the Remote Distribution in 2022, young Amina was so excited to get her mattress she ran right to the mattress, bypassing the backpacks. Amina’s mother went over to Mama Wandoa to explain what happened and asked if her daughter could have one. In order to maintain the integrity of the process, Mama had to ask Amina’s mother to wait. Sadly, with a newborn, she could not stay.
Mama took her contact information and promised to get the backpack to Amina.
This year Mama Wandoa wanted to honour her promise. She contacted Amina’s mother making arrangements for them to come to a distribution so Amina would receive her backpack and a special 50+3 Sleeping Children button. With permission from her mother we were able to take photos of this touching occasion.
THESE are the moments we will remember.❤️
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿/SCAW🇨🇦
Blog #2:
ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY
We know 750 children are sleeping peacefully tonight.🥰
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo/SCAW🇹🇿🇨🇦
Blog #3:
Our Distribution….Every Step of the Day
The day begins with the arrival of the big ‘yellow trucks’ from Super Banco and soon the students, the Upendo volunteers and Banco drivers are busy unloading the 750 mattresses.
The team now folds and ties each mattress and stacks them neatly.
Once the backpacks are unloaded from Mama’s truck, they are sorted for big and little boys and girls.
It is time for Peggy to set up the camera for the photographs.
Meanwhile Wendy and her team are registering the students and putting on the kangas. Carol is showing how it is done as kangas serve many uses. This is how a kanga looks on the children.
Next, Benjamin calls the parents together and we talk about having a healthy, restful sleep and how all the items in the bedkit benefit and help the children get a good night’s sleep. The team shows the items to the parents to great applause.
We are ready to receive the children and take the photos. Jerome leads the way.
Before the picture is taken thumbs and kangas are marked.
Once the photo is taken backpacks and mattresses are handed out. The children proudly head back to their parents with their backpacks on and the mattress on their heads.
There are some unique ways of transporting the bedkits home.
Another successful day comes to an end.🌺👍
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿/SCAW🇨🇦
WHERE IT ALL BEGINS
We had an early start to our day visiting the place where a good night’s sleep for the children begins.
We visited the Super Banco mattress factory, a good partner for Mama Wandoa for 22 years. Did you know that the word “banco” comes from earlier spring mattresses that Wendy remembers jumping on? As we arrived the trucks are being loaded for our first distribution on Monday. How impressive are the colourful fabrics on the mattresses?
Some of the 6000 mattresses that they make, store for us and deliver to each distribution site. Impressive … inside the factory.
Our first meeting with Team Upendo/Sleeping Children at Mama Wandoa’s house with Mama, Benjamin and Wendy.
Mama Wandoa with ‘just a few’ backpacks stored in her house.
All of the backpacks, clothing and the kangas are made by Mama’s tailors upstairs in her house.
Benjamin showed us the cottage industry.
We are ready to go . . .
Lala Salama.
Here is an update from Mama Wendoa and the Upendo Information and Counselling Centre, our OVPs in Tanzania.
“We are getting ready for 2023 distribution. Upendo Information and Counselling Centre an OVP from Tanzania, has started preparations for the July 2023 Distribution.
Materials for uniforms and for the school/carrier bag.
First and foremost we want to thank our donors and SCAW for the generosity of their support.
This year donors, SCAW and Upendo will see 6000 children go home smiling with their bedkits which will comprise of sleeping items which are a foam mattress, a treated mosquito net, a bed sheet, a t-shirt and a piece of wrapper (kanga) which will give the child a sound sleep, making them more ready for the next school day. Another happy moment will be them going to school wearing a new uniform. Donors have made it possible for a child to have a new white short sleeve school shirt, a pair of new shorts for boys and a new skirt for girls. They will also have a new school bag to carry their new exercise books, pens and pencils, eraser and sharpener, all these items given to them by donors in the bedkit.
Wrappers (Kanga)
As you can see in these few photos, Upendo has made it possible for the small cottage to stitch some of the bedkit items for the 6000 children.
Our July 2023 distribution will also be supported by SCAW Volunteers from Canada whom we have missed for more than 3 years due to COVID 19 pandemic. We are excited to have the team back again with us in Tanzania. KARIBU."
