SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2023: July 27

SCAW Blog: Tanzania - Distributions 1 and 2 - July 25-26 - Blogs #2 and #3

July 26, 2023

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🇨🇦

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SCAW Blog: Tanzania - Pre-Distribution Preparations - Blog #1

July 23, 2023

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.

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SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 9 - June 2023 - Blog #10

June 3, 2023

Today we enjoyed a scenic drive into Kapchorwa District for our final SCAW Uganda distribution. This area is known for its natural beauty, quality coffee, and is the training ground for Uganda’s national marathon runners who enjoy the flat and hilly landscapes.

Our distribution site was perched on a hilltop and surrounded by lush greenery and hills and valleys as far as the eye could see. We arrived at the site at the same time as the Crestfoam truck so we were able to see the entire team, including the community volunteers, set up the distribution site from the ground up. Mattresses were loaded off the truck and rolled, basins were separated and filled with bedkit items, and the photo area assessed. At the same time the children were registered and dressed and in no time we were all ready to begin!

It was a wonderful feeling to see the entire team come together for one last distribution. As the last child received his bedkit, our 7000th child over the past two weeks, we all hugged, high-fives and thanked each other for our dedication and hard work. It was a great team effort.

On the way back to Kampala we enjoyed a stop at Sipi Falls.

Well done everyone!!

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 8 - June 2023, Blog #9

June 3, 2023

Our distribution today in Ililim was lively and joyous! The children light up when that basin full of goodies is placed upon their heads. They take great pride in carrying it themselves to their excited parents.

After the distribution we stopped to see the Nyero Rock Paintings, a nearby historical site. A short but challenging hike allowed us to view three sites with etchings in the rock, some of which are believed to be over 5000 years old.

Tomorrow is our last distribution. I will be sad to see this wonderful adventure come to an end.

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 7 - May 2023, Blog # 8

May 20, 2023

It is thought that seeing a rainbow is a sign of a happy ending. This was so very true today as on our way home after two successful distributions, our team saw a big, beautiful rainbow!

It was indeed a happy ending to a very good day. On our first distribution we were greeted by a joyous group of mother’s dancing and singing and beckoning our team to come and join them. It is an overwhelming feeling being greeted with such warmth and appreciation, especially before a bedkit is even distributed.

As the end of our time in Uganda draws near, our team is lingering a little longer before we set up so we can soak in these moments. The distribution went quickly and efficiently and before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head to our next site.

As we arrived at our second distribution, our team was greeted by a group of school girls that were asked by their teacher to dance for us. They were so friendly, and welcoming and enjoyed practicing their English. We thanked them each with a Canadian pin which they all quickly pinned onto their uniforms. It was another great distribution!

We hope the 1100 children who received a bed kit today have a wonderful night’s sleep tonight.

- Team Uganda 🇺🇬

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 6 - May 2023 - Blog #7

May 18, 2023

Today’s distribution was in the Kaukura area. There were lots of children milling about, all very anxious to entertain us with their dancing.

We visited the home of a family a short walk through corn fields from the school. The property was a mini -compound of clay huts with thatched roofs. The four children sleep together in one hut which is perhaps 8 feet in diameter and the parents are nearby in a slightly larger hut. A third hut serves as the kitchen and a tiny forth is for the pigeons. The children's hut is also home to a turkey which is minding her nest of eggs in the corner.

550 very happy children received bed kits today!

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 5 - May 2023 - Blog #6

May 15, 2023

Today we continued our journey north-east of Kampala. As we left the city life behind us, we enjoyed seeing less traffic, lush gardens and the beautiful smiles and waves along the way.

We distributed another 550 bedkits to very deserving children. As the children left the distribution site balancing their mattress on their heads and holding their other bedkit items in their arms, the parents cheered! We especially loved hearing the beautiful sounds of the mothers ululating, showing us their happiness and gratitude.

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 4 - May 2023 - Blog #5

May 14, 2023

Our visit today was to Nalugalu Public School which had no glass in the windows, no water and no electricity but it did have 550 adorable children ready to receive bedkits. We enjoyed lunch after with all the volunteers in one of the classrooms.

We were fortunate to visit the happy and loving home of a single mother and her 4 youngest children. They all live in a 10' x 10' tin shack with one small bed. We brought them a gift of flour, salt, beans and soap.

SCAW Blog: Kenya - Distributions 1 and 2 - May 2023 - Blog #1

May 13, 2023

When we arrived in Nairobi our gracious hosts met us at the airport.

Our first distribution was at a school in Talek. This school is a 6-hour drive from Nairobi. We had a beautiful drive through savannahs and passed by the Great Rift Valley that stretches 9,300 miles from Syria to Mozambique. There are many trucks on the road as it is the main highway to transport goods across land- locked countries in Africa.

Our first overnight stay was in a tent camp overlooking the savannah.

The school where our first distribution was held is on the edge of the Masai Mara game reserve. Children in their new outfits greeted us. The outfits this year are red, green, blue and yellow t-shirts and shorts. The smiles on the children's faces were precious as they greeted us. Even the youngest of the children were able to balance the bedkit on their heads.

During our forays out in the game reserve we were fortunate to see lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, hyenas and water buffalo.

We travelled back to Nairobi and the next day headed to Isolo. The drive is straight north through beautiful lush forests and rows of greenhouses where roses are grown for export.

We distributed another 1000 bedkits to the children who greeted us with song on our arrival.

The distribution and organization by the Rotary is commendable. The bedkits are all securely stored and they were ready to distribute on our arrival. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, another 1000 children will get a good night's sleep.

SCAW Blog: Kenya - Distribution 3 - May 2023 - Blog #2

May 12, 2023

Back in Nairobi

After our two rural distributions with many miles travelled, the SCAW team is grateful to be back in our “home” guesthouse in Nairobi. Our first distribution in the city was at Riruta Satellite Primary School.

It was a short ride on this clear, warm day through the city to a quieter, poorer area of the Nairobi.

The gated school had a muddy area where bedkits had been securely stored and from which their noon meal was served.

All the children greeted us warmly with an opening programme in the open, cement quad.

Much fun was had by engaging a teacher to teach the eager crowd a raucous chant of “Go Leafs Go! Go Leafs Go!!!”

1000 bedkits were distributed in 3 hours with the help of teachers and Rotarians. Rotarian Winston was the point person for this school’s successful distribution.

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 3 - May 2023 - Blog #4

May 12, 2023

Today we travelled over three hours outside of Kampala and found ourselves in the beautiful countryside village of Bulawula. We received a very warm welcome from the children and their parents as we exited the bus. We then explored the property and all agreed that the cow field next to the school would be the perfect back drop for the photo area! We quickly set up and the distribution got underway. Thanks to our wonderful Inner Wheel teammates, we were able to give 550 children the gift of sleep today!

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 2 - May 2023 - Blog #3

May 12, 2023

DESTINATION SEGALYE
A 3 hour bumpy drive on the red dirt roads of Uganda brought us to today’s destination, Segalye. The distribution site was full of very excited children and parents awaiting their gift from SCAW.
The Inner Wheel ladies could not be more dedicated to serving the needy children of Uganda. They are amazing partners; kind, compassionate, hard working, organized and so very welcoming.
Another very successful (and long) 13 hour day in the books!

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 1 - May 2023 - Blog #2

May 11, 2023

Our first distribution day began with a rainy drive to Kibuye, a suburb outside of Kampala. As soon as our bus pulled into our location, we saw the excited smiles from the children. We all agreed that this was a sight we have missed very much over the past couple of years. After setting up our photo area, and determining where the children would receive their bedkits, we welcomed our first group for their photo. Even better, the sun came came out! The groups moved through the distribution smoothly until the last child received their bedkit. Along with our wonderful partners, The Inner Wheel, another great group of children received the gift of sleep today!
- Team Uganda 2023

SCAW Blog: Uganda - Distribution 1 - May 2023 - Blog #1

May 10, 2023

Today we visited the factories Unique Uniforms and Crest Foam. Unique Uniforms provides the dresses, shorts sets, and backpacks. Crest Foam produces the mattresses. The facilities were modern and well ventilated. The clothing company was established by a gentleman who started as a child on the street, was supported by a visionary, kind woman, acquired a manual sewing machine and was requested to make 25 school uniforms. He now provides hundreds of jobs and is training entrepreneurs. Thank you to the mattress company for also storing and delivering the bed kits to the distribution sites.

We concluded our very successful day and then gathered with our overseas volunteers, the women of the Inner Wheel.

Team Uganda

Distribution 8 - Philippines - March 2023: Blog #9

March 30, 2023

It is with mixed emotions that today we conclude our SCAW bedkit distribution of 1000 kits. In total 6000 children will be sleeping much better thanks to SCAWs’ most generous donors. As Sue said “it is surreal”.

Some children were very excited while others were apprehensive and shy but overall all were overjoyed as were their families.

Our first site was in a community centre while the second one was at a secondary school.

At the first site we had a significant number of mountain kids , Aeta, who are significantly smaller in stature.

At the second site many of the children were engaged in a special reading program.

As always our local partners , the Kiwanis members plus others readily and happily stepped up to get the job done and resolve any and all challenges we faced; such as when the truck carrying 500 bedkits was too high and would hit the electrical lines necessitating unloading and the relocation of the 500 kits, as anxious children and families waited.

All stepped up to help: some on foot, others by a small vehicles and to our amazement even the local ambulance and its people helped out.

These pictures say what words can not.

Distribution 7 - Philippines - March 2023: Blog #8

March 29, 2023

We had a lovely distribution near our hotel with a successful count of 500 children.

There was extra security provided as we gave the kits straight out the truck. You can

always feel the excitement in the air … followed by some desperation by those who did not

receive a kit. The need for bedkits is great here.

The children were chosen thru Kiwanis and a church organization but

some were brought in on school buses. The temperature is 33 degrees and

the sun can be overwhelming at times.

Distribution 6 - Philippines - March 2023 - Blog #7

March 27, 2023

As we headed out of town to the rural areas we were greeted by the views of crops in the fields and the smells of chicken and pork farms at the distribution site.

The children were over-joyed when we arrived and we all sung both our national anthems with pride.

After 2 distributions of 500 children each we took a quick moment to view the caretaker’s home. It was a room that was smaller than a regular bedroom. The family with 5 kids lives there with 2 parents and a grandmother. No stove or kitchen. They are allowed to stay on the gym site as long as they take care of the gym.

Many parents on the outside were begging for their children. I had the privilege of giving out bedkits. It can sometimes feel chaotic with the noise and bustle all around. We hope these children sleep with a little more joy tonight.

Sue Orr