SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 22
We love to watch the bustling life all around as we drive up and down the never-ending rolling hills of Rwanda.
Everywhere there are beautiful colour combinations in women’s clothing. The women are always meticulously dressed. Another wonder is watching how babies and small children are carried on their mother’s backs. Just using small blankets and some magical twists of fabrics, the babies are snug and secure.
Today on our home visit, this mother had two small rooms to share with her four children. She rented her space for 40,000 RWF which is the equivalent of about $40 CAD per month! She had a shelf with pots and pans and cooking supplies. The walls of the rooms were made out of mud bricks and stucco with a concrete floor. She made her meals on a small charcoal stove in the outdoor space.
Her home was situated a short walk from the main paved road going down a narrow path winding past other similar homes.
The two very small rooms had one electric, bare, dim, light bulb each that provided a minimum of light during the night.
The bedkit items were a much appreciated addition to this humble home and will improve the sleep of the child that received it.
Across the hill from this home, we could see new apartment buildings built by the government for affordable housing. Families were moved from an over-crowded area while this apartment complex was built and then moved back into small but comfortable apartments.
Tomorrow will be our final distribution day.
For the children.
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 21
This morning we had a couple of minutes before our departure when we were able to enjoy the garden at our hotel. Our driver showed us they have squash that grows 2 metres high and that they can even eat the leaves! We also saw and heard African kites flying overhead.
We arrived at our distribution site in good time and set up photos under a Madagascar almond. There was a lovely wooded area with silk oak and hoop pine as well.
The distribution of 500 bedkits went very smoothly and in record-breaking time but it was sad to have to turn a few away who were hoping there were extras. I was then able to have an interview with a lovely mom and her child who were so grateful for the bedkit. They have been sleeping on a bare concrete floor and have nothing remaining after dad left them.
We made a home visit next. There was a one room mud house for mom and her two children who sleep on the floor. They cook on an open fire and also have a latrine and a well. They rent the house for $30 a month and share cooking with the community. They do grow some vegetables and have a tamarillo tree.
Since we didn’t have too far to drive we went to the Nyamata Genocide Memorial. We had a very harrowing but educational tour there.
On the way home we stopped at a small fruit stand where we bought oranges, bananas and mango. The vendor was so happy and declared “You made my day!”
For the Children,
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 20
After completing our distributions in the Northern Province today, 20 August, we began our remaining bedkit distribution that will happen over the next four days starting with the Nduba Secondary School, district of Gasabo, city of Kigali. We reached our destination early and all the parents along with the children were patiently waiting until the children received their bedkit. Meanwhile, some of the school teachers were keeping the children in order with songs and sermons. We had distributed over 300 bedkits in less than a couple of hours in the first half of the day. Then we had to wait for the remaining children to come as they had a holiday school exam to write.
The second half of the distribution took place amid a big crowd of parents and children. It was amazing to notice how happy the children and their parents were to be receiving the bedkit after walking over 15 km just to reach the distribution venue. They looked tired yet kept those great smiles on their faces and never forgot to say Murakoze (Thank you or Mercy) to us.
It was quite heart-warming to see the maxims/moral sermons displayed throughout the school, such as the following: TUBIBA AMAHARO ( We're Peace Makers), TWITAKUBANDI (We Care for One Another), TURUBAHANA (We Respect One Another) and TURU ROHERANA ( We Don't Fight One Another).
Prior to the distribution, the Executive Secretary (Vice Mayor) in Charge of Social Affairs, the Gasabo District, Ms. Jeanne Nibagwire and the SCAW Team Lead Joep Diening spoke before the audience. The SCAW Team then displayed all the items that were in the bedkits. The turnout of youth volunteers, both the Rotaractors and the community volunteers, were relatively fewer than the other days which made the distribution a bit of a challenge.
In the evening, the SCAW team attended the Fellowship meeting of the Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga where Joep Diening spoke about SCAW. The Rtn. President presiding over the meeting handed their club banner to Joep in recognition of SCAW's outstanding services.
For the children,
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 19
After our day off, we were ready to jump back into our bedkit distribution today. We drove to a school in the Gicumbi District, north of Kigali. Together with the Rotarians and Rotaractors, and some local volunteers, we gave out 583 bedkits bringing our total to 3000. The singing and smiles of the children and their parents warms our hearts and brings a smile to our faces too.
In addition to the bedkit distributions, we have been making a home visit most days. This allows us to see the conditions the children live in and understand the value of the bedkits. The families have been welcoming, opening their doors and showing us their homes. This usually includes 2-3 small rooms for sleeping, a common living room and a small “kitchen” in a separate building.
Some homes have some livestock such as goats or a cow. In this mountainous country, getting to the homes frequently involves walking up or down a steep path from the road, but the views they have are spectacular. These people are strong and agile!
For the children.
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 16
Day 4 - a late blog
Our group headed out at a comfortable hour of 8:00 for what turned out to be a two hour drive. We had a very interesting drive complete with monkeys, tea plantations and crazy back country roads under construction.
At the school we had an assembly of 1000 children, students and volunteers and it was lovely to watch them sing and dance together.
We walked a kilometer along a steep path to a home visit. The mother and children greeted us in her house with 2 bedrooms and a separate kitchen where the goat sleeps. There is also a cow in a corral. It was great to see sweet potatoes and bananas growing there.
For the Children,
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 18
Today is a much needed rest day.
Some team members decided to literally rest while catching up on lost sleep, others decided to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to gain a better understanding of some of the Rwandan history while still others are catching up on some of the administrative requirements of SCAW.
Distribution days tend to be long with an early rise, a quick breakfast, a couple of hours drive into the country- side on a combination of paved roads and those that give you a guaranteed “African Massage” as explained to us by our excellent, professional driver. We normally get back well after the sun has set to start the process again the next day.
While on yesterday’s distribution, we experienced a wonderful example of singing parents and children as can be seen in this video:
But today, we slept in, had a leisurely breakfast at 8:30 am and then proceeded to do what we wanted to do.
We are halfway through our distribution with five days done and just short of 2,500 bedkits distributed. We will be starting Day 6 of 10 days of our distribution and should be done with 5,000 bedkits given to the children by Saturday, 23 August.
Although we are in the current dry season cycle of Rwandan weather, last night we were treated to a tremendous downpour of water including a complete lightning light show and very close sonic booms, right overhead. Today has been a drizzly/rainy kind of day to the surprise of our Rwandan hosts. They keep telling us that it is dry season! Hopefully, for tomorrow’s distribution, we go back to a normal dry season distribution day! We can’t wait to see those happy faces when they get their bedkits.
For the Children.
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August, 17
Being on a SCAW distribution requires you to live in the moment, be flexible, resilient, focused, and very much open to a variety of experiences.
Rwanda is an amazing country that continues to work very hard as Rwandans focus on bettering the life that they live. Everywhere you look, people are moving either by walking, on bikes, motorcycles, cars, vans, buses and trucks. And all these modes of transportation know how to weave in and out while integrating their movement on the road that they share in what seems to be guided by some invisible master conductor.
Given that Rwanda is a very mountainous country, when travelling on the roads, you are continuously going up and down, while turning left and right.
You see people walking with a variety of loads on their heads.
You see bicycles equipped primarily with single gears, carrying amazing loads - from people on the back as bike taxis, to loads of hundreds of pounds of fruit, vegetables, building supplies or furniture going up and down these hills! You can see the effort, strength and determination it takes of those who ride these bikes!
Then there are the myriad of motorcycle taxis who really are the master weavers as they negotiate heavy traffic and swirl around slower vehicles in a very gentle yet purposeful manner to get to their destination in the shortest possible time so that they can get the next fare.
The cars, vans, buses and trucks pass each other often under various road conditions using a horn or a signal to warn each other while helping each other getting to their destination. For most of the country, the speed limit is 60 km per hour with a few stretches where up to 80 km per hour is allowed. These speeds are constantly monitored through the ever-present photo radar that is everywhere. Also, the Rwandan police are very vigilant and watching while working as teams to ensure any traffic offences are dealt with efficiently.
The movement of all of these modes of transportation resemble the movement of the jitterbug, tango, slow waltz, and every other modern dance you can think of given the interaction between drivers who look at each other while moving forward. And the bottom line: we have seen no accidents and it all works!
At the end of the day, we join the cacophony of traffic with the visual memories of the happy, smiling faces of children who received a bedkit today. It makes everything that we experience so worthwhile!
For the Children,
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 16
Today was the Day 3 Distribution in a picturesque location surrounded by mountains and a lot of tea plantations on the land named Base in the Rulindo District of the Northern Province. The travel experience today was relatively more comfortable and enjoyable as the roads were less bumpy.
The SCAW Team started for the distribution destination at 7:15 am and reached there by 9:30 am. The Vice Mayor in Charge of Social Affairs of the Rulindo District, Mr Mutaganda Theophile, along with quite a few Rotarians including the President of the Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga, were present during the distribution of the bedkits. The location of the distribution was the GS Kiruli Primary and Secondary level school compound which was quite ideal for the distribution.
All the parents along with the children came early and were patiently seated until the children received their bedkits after going through SCAW's regular procedure of sitting for a photo shoot. It was a bright and sunny day with comfortable weather. There was wider participation of youth volunteers, both the Rotaractors and the community volunteers, that made the whole distribution experience quicker and smoother.
Everyone at the distribution was in a festive mood. Prior to the distribution, the Vice Mayor, Mr. Theophile and the SCAW Team Lead, Mr Diening spoke before the audience and displayed all items that were in the bedkits. All parents and children present highly lauded the noble effort of SCAW and expressed their gratitude by a warm round of applause. SCAW Team members each have carried out their assigned role diligently.
One mother, along with her child who received one of the bedkits ,was interviewed on-site by one of the SCAW members. After the distribution, the SCAW Team along with the Vice Mayor, Rotarians, Rotaractors and other volunteers paid a visit to the nearby home of one of the child recipients of the bedkit. The home was located up on the hill and the family (the mother and her daughter) were present during the home visit. It's been quite intriguing to notice that many of the children came from far distant remote areas, walking for hours to receive the bedkit.
Our way back took nearly an hour and we noticed that quite a few families were still walking back to their homes. It was quite reassuring and only reinforced our spirit of giving to a good cause. We are helping so many children living in hard-to-reach remote areas who desperately need a comfortable bed (mattress and mosquito net) for a good night’s sleep. It was a rewarding and fulfilling once-in-a -lifetime experience to see so many families and children benefitting from SCAW's noble mission. One of the mothers whose daughter received a bedkit expressed her deepest gratitude citing that it mattered most to see that an agency thousands of miles away in Canada cared for her child and came all the way to Rwanda to physically distribute the bedkits. She also thanked the Rwandan Government for allowing agencies like SCAW to care for the children of Rwanda. With the spirit and wisdom of that mother we look forward to our Day 4 distribution tomorrow.
For the children!
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 14
Today was the second day of bed kit distributions and we ventured into rural Rwanda.
Previously, we had appreciated the skills of our driver as he drove us through the busy streets of Kigali managing the hectic traffic with a multitude of motorcycles and cyclists constantly weaving through the vehicle traffic. Today’s transportation included all of that and the addition of back country roads. To say the roads were rough would be an understatement and we experienced an “African massage” as we bumped along. More challenging were the worn log bridges . . . better not to look out the sides of the van!
In addition to our driver’s driving skills, we got to benefit from his love of markets as we stopped by a roadside market on the way home. The onslaught of eager sellers could have been overwhelming but he casually managed our purchase of fresh fruits with appropriate negotiations.
Between these driving and market experiences, we had the joy and satisfaction of handing out another 569 bedkits with much help from the Rotarians and some local government folk, bringing our total distritubtion-to-date to 1000.
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 13
Today was a special day as the team really wanted to meet the children who would be benefitting from and taking home a bedkit.
Before starting we were met by the Governor of the district as well as the Mayor of the Gakenke Sector in the north part of Rwanda. The contents of the bedkits were happily presented to the parents and very enthusiastically received! We then started the distribution of bedkits with the excellent support of the Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga (RCKV), the wonderful Rotoracts and some other volunteers which made this complete team effort possible. The members of RCKV worked very hard in preparing the site, the bedkits and the associated transport to the site.
And then there were the children, the real reason why we were there. They were curious about the bedkits and proudly carried some or all of the parts on their heads, backs and in their arms as they walked back home with their parent or grand-parent or guardian and for many, this distance was in excess of 5 km to return to their home village. They were looking forward to getting ready for a really good night’s sleep.
We are thankful to the generous donors and all the volunteers who give freely of their time to make it all possible, especially because 100% of the bedkit donation goes to the child.
For the Children.
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Rwanda, 2025: August 10-12
SCAW distributions are always an adventure, providing continuous learning opportunities, usually giving one hours of travel experience using various modes of transportation in interesting countries, while being exposed to different cultures all in support of getting to the country where the distribution will take place!
As no distribution is the same, our travel experience was unique . . . a 7 ½ hour flight from Toronto to Brussels and an 8 ½ hour flight from Brussels to Kigali, Rwanda . . . just as scheduled. It was a totally different experience from last year’s trip to Rwanda, which took much longer.
After the standard customs clearance and arrival procedures, we were met by our very enthusiastic and hard-working Overseas Volunteer Partner, (OVP) the Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga (RCKV) who immediately made us feel at home.
Our SCAW team of five have come from various parts of Ontario. After some well-earned sleep following our 24 hour continuous travel experience, we spent our ‘rest’ day having our first full Canadian team meeting, followed by our Pre-Distribution meeting with our OVP, obtaining local e-sim cards for our phones, picking up some local currency and making a quick visit to a local market.
We also got to experience a Celebration of Life event in the evening in honour of the Mother-in-Law of our RCKV SCAW Chair volunteer member who passed away just before we came to Rwanda. We wanted to support him during this difficult time for the family and the family much appreciated it. On distributions you often feel part of the family of the OVP as we have become very close over the past year with the various activities involved with the distributions. And the main reason for this is our shared steadfast belief that children need a good night’s sleep to be more healthy and better able to handle the many challenges that they face.
Tomorrow is Day 1 of distributing a total of 5,000 bedkits over the next 10 days. We do all of this as volunteers . . . for the children!
Team Rwanda, 2025
Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga 🇷🇼 and SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Sri Lanka, 2025: Aug. 2
For the final blog from the Sri Lanka 2025 team, we would like to share a few signs and scenes probably not seen too often in Southern Ontario (or Canada for that matter)!
Team Sri Lanka, 2025
Rotary Club of Kelaniya 🇱🇰 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Sri Lanka, 2025: Aug. 1
The last child received his gift of a bedkit from one of Sleeping Children Around The World’s generous donors. A better night’s sleep is guaranteed. Tomorrow, sadly, we will see no more children, but we do have an opportunity to see where some of the bedkit items are produced.
We visited three manufacturers who produce the t-shirts and pyjamas, the re-usable carrying bag, and the pillow. The t-shirts and pyjamas are made by a group of twelve women, working with very modern sewing machines. They are brought to work by the company van since all live locally. Some women were already trained before starting here, others were trained on the job. The business has been operating for 15 years, starting in a small way inside the home, eventually expanding to the current sewing centre.
The reusable carry bags are a product of a cottage industry, 7,000 bags were made in three weeks by three ladies using re-built industrial sewing machines. In previous years this company has also supplied the schoolbags for the SCAW distribution.
All 7,000 pillows are made in a small cottage industry by three industrious women. The pillows are hand-stuffed with shredded material.
SCAW is very grateful to their Overseas Volunteer Partners for their diligence in seeking out reliable, conscientious suppliers for the bedkit items, ensuring that donated dollars are wisely spent.
Team Sri Lanka, 2025
Rotary Club of Kelaniya 🇱🇰 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Sri Lanka, 2025: July 31
Today we traveled from Kandy to Columbo which was a fairly long trip broken up by numerous exciting distractions. A big surprise was seeing a lady with three porcupines on leashes like dogs. She was very unhappy when we were taking photos as this was her way of making a living so naturally we contributed.
The main event was visiting the Pinnawala elephant orphanage which we all loved. We even got to feed and touch the elephants.
It is quite the heart-warming place, especially when we were able to watch them go to the river and swim and bathe.
The youngsters love to frolic like young children, splashing and rolling in the water. Many of the elephants have been injured and are unable to survive in the wild while others are released when possible.
If you'd like more information Google the Pinnawala elephant orphanage.
Team Sri Lanka, 2025
Rotary Club of Kelaniya 🇱🇰 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Sri Lanka, 2025: July 28
Team Sri Lanka is in Kandy today enjoying a free day!
Our overseas partners are doing a wonderful job of teaching us some history and showing us some of the cultural aspects of this wonderful country. What a privilege it is to be here.
We visited the temple of the tooth and saw preparations for the festival in 10 days (including bathing the elephants)!
We went to a batik factory and learned about the process and also saw a cultural dance show.
Tomorrow the distribution continues.
Team Sri Lanka, 2025
Rotary Club of Kelaniya 🇱🇰 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Sri Lanka, 2025: July 27
What to say about today's adventures?! We were in Bibile today and handed out 800 bedkits to 800 enthusiastic children! We were greeted by a marching band that led up through an archway the children had made by hand.
Next came the speeches and our national anthem to which we learned there are more verses than I knew existed!
The dances . . . unless you are there, there are no words to describe how incredibly talented these young ladies and gentlemen are.
Next, a choir of boys sang “Take me Home Country Roads” which we joined in singing. We learned later that they had won first place in a competition with this song. They were amazing!
Then we were onto pictures and handing out bedkits! It was another day of big smiles and thank yous!
On to the next one!
Team Sri Lanka, 2025
Rotary Club of Kelaniya 🇱🇰 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Sri Lanka, 2025: July 26
We completed our third distribution in the Ampara district today and were warmly greeted by the community with floral leis, a traditional dance, and invited to light a welcome lamp. The act of lighting lamps is seen as a way to invite good fortune and blessings and signifies a warm and heartfelt welcome.
We delivered 530 bedkits to children that had been bused in from the surrounding areas, many making a two and a half hour bus trip to get here.
Our OVPs had the site set up for a well-organized distribution and with help from Prefects at the school all 530 bedkits were distributed.
It was quite a challenge for the overseas partners to coordinate everything. The buses were staggered in such a way that there weren't a lot of children waiting in the heat, and we had lots of young people helping to carry the bedkits out with the children. Our volunteers were a wonderful help, as always. These young rotarians are an inspiration as they are so energetic and also good with the children.
On the way back we made a surprising visit to what used to be the dump, and what did we find? Wild elephants. Rather like the bears in Canada, elephants eat whatever they can find, but unfortunately consume plastic bags as well. This is a huge concern because the bags do pass through the system. They are very smart and will break through electric fences by pushing trees over the wires to get where they want to go. Everyone was very excited to see them.
For tranquillity we visited the most amazing temple that was built up so high that you looked over the whole area. The view was incredible and words cannot describe the feeling of peace there.
We were honoured to have the opportunity to visit. Thank you to the overseas team for this experience. We say good bye to the Rotarians in Ampara and look forward to travelling to Bibile for the distribution tomorrow.
Team Sri Lanka, 2025
Rotary Club of Kelaniya 🇱🇰 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Sri Lanka, 2025: July 25
Greetings from Ampara, Sri Lanka
Today we completed the delivery of 1000 bedkits. Ampara is a central hub for the eastern region of Sri Lanka.
At our distribution today, we delivered kits to children coming from many rural schools. Over the two day period in Ampara we met children from 26 rural schools, including one from a local Muslim community.
We had terrific support from the local Rotary Club members including youth members, Poojani and Methmi.
Additionally, we continue to have great help from Indika, Heshan, Rashan and Sudarshan, representing the local footwear company, to deliver a new pair of shoes to each child.
The warm and humid climate of Sri Lanka can be challenging at times but the smiles of these beautiful children continue to bring us energy and joy!
Team Sri Lanka, 2025
Rotary Club of Kelaniya 🇱🇰 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 25
It’s hard to believe and somewhat bittersweet as we journey back to our hotel that 7000 children in Tanzania will be sleeping peacefully thanks to all our Sleeping Children donors.
For Mama and her Upendo team it means that a grand total of 135500 children over the past 25 years have received a bedkit. Wow!!
It has been a blessing to spend the last two weeks as part the of Team Tanzania, 2025 because “teamwork certainly made this dream work!”
Team Tanzania, 2025
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW Blog: Tanzania, 2025: July 24
It was a slow start to our day as the school was not as prepared as the rest of the schools on this trip!!! But even with a chaotic start it was a smooth day of distributing 700 bedkits to the children all thanks to Mama Wandoa, her volunteers and our SCAW team of 8!! By day 9 we are a well-oiled machine and each volunteer has their role for the day and the execution is flawless!!! This team is all about being flexible and if someone needs a break or is needed for a meeting with a parent or headmaster the rest of us help out and pick up where needed!!! One more day, one last distribution, 700 more happy children and our trip will be complete!!
Team Tanzania, 2025
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦