Belgaum: One thousand bedkits in one day
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| From Belgaum 2009 Photo Album |
With the Rotarians' excellent organization and the help of a terrific group of army cadets our initial distribution of one thousand bedkits went very smoothly.
The children waited patiently in the hot sun but were very pleased with and looked very smart in their new clothes.
there were many touching moments with lovely groups of truly charming children. It was certainly a very rewarding and satisfying day for everyone.
We look forward to an early start and another great day tomorrow.
We are sending the photo of Brian after handing out the bedkit to this young man. Who is happier, Brian or the young fella?
The Belgaum Team
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Chennai: 200 bedkits in Havelock
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
We had a short distribution this morning of 200 bedkits in this island called "Havelock" in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Six local schools took part in this very first distribution on these beautiful islands that suffered greatly at the time of the tsunami. The distribution went well and 200 children went home very happily.
We hope they had a swim in the clear azure waters of the Bay of Bengal.
Kristein Johnson
for Team Chennai 2009
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Chennai: 508 bedkits in the Andaman Islands
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
Yesterday, we did a "slumber kit" distribution of 508 kits. At the opening ceremony, the Administrator of the Andamans, who reports directly to the federal government in Delhi, spoke, and was accompanied by his education minister. Both the Ambattur and local Rotary Club representative spoke as well; the latter did the organization of the distribution in Port Blair. Tamil, Telugu and English were spoken, and of course, Hindi is the official language. Then Tom made a brief presentation of SCAW, and introduced our team, we all sat on the podium with the parents, children, and teachers in the audience. The distribution went very smoothly with assistance from high school students and some university students. The university boys were keen on peppering us with questions about Canada.
Local Rotary members, took a keen interest in the bedkit, when we laid it out for the photo sessions – this was the first time that they participated in the SCAW program. One member offered that we should have a water bottle in the kit, apparently, the government is trying to educate people on the significance of use of clean water for drinking and he thought that a water jug would be a good beginning for the children.
Later in the day, we visited the Cellular Jail, used by the British colonials to fetter the Indian freedom fighters, a dark age for the Andamans – the Island became a penal colony in the late 1800's and evolved into a national historic site in 1966. We came back the same night to see a light and sound show at the prison and learned more about the history of the Island and British rule. Later that night we had a joint meeting with the local Rotary Club, who seem to be very interested in continuing the relationship with SCAW.
As always, the real satisfaction was from the distribution and the anticipation in the kids' eyes receiving the "slumber kits".
Andy Greiner
for Team Chennai 2009
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Mumbai: Number 22, the final distribution
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| From Mumbai 2009 Photo Album |
At the end of this, our final distribution, we were treated to a lunch at the country home of one of the Rotarians. We relaxed in the shade and enjoyed cold drinks.
The past two evenings, much to our delight, we had the pleasure of meeting up with Duncan McGregor and his team, en route to their distribution in India. It was great to have two separate teams (twelve SCAW members) dining together overseas! (See photo in the Belgaum report below.)
We are now wrapping up all of our loose ends and looking forward to the journey home!
Happy Valentine's Day and looking forward to seeing you all soon!
The Mumbai 2009 Team
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Belgaum: The team is in India
The last two days have been a wonderful start to our distribution in Belgaum.
After arriving in Mumbai safely in the early hours of the morning on February 13th (we left Toronto at 6:30 p.m. on the 11th), we made a trip into the centre of Mumbai and saw the Gateway of India and the famous Taj Mahal Palace and Tower complex. But the most interesting thing that happened on the 13th was our meeting up with the SCAW Mumbai Team which happened to be staying in the same location as the Belgaum Team and which also had a "day off" from their distribution in Mumbai.
SCAW travelling volunteers are: (Left to right) Back row: Doug Cunningham, Carol Poirier, Vic Wilbee, Doris Alexander, Brian Tuddenham, Pat Tuddenham, Duncan Macgregor, Grace Wood. Front row: JoAnn Moysey, Lisa Remillard, Lynette Jenkins, Sarah Axelson. (Click on photo to see a larger version.)
We are not sure if history was made when the two SCAW teams met and had dinner together. It was a grrrreat event and a memory that will be treasured. Valentine's Day was spent making a tour of Mumbai - another truly memorable experience!
To-morrow, the Belgaum Team heads to the airport for our trip to the Belgaum area where we will meet up with our Partners from The Rotary Club of Belgaum. Our next report will tell you about our "baptism by fire" - 1,000 bedkits to be distributed in Belgaum on our first day of the 4,000 bedkit distribution!
"Happy Valentine's" to all our friends and families.
The Belgaum Team
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Mumbai: Distributions 14 to 21
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| From Mumbai 2009 Photo Album |
We then stayed the night and were up bright and early to get on our way to Borivali and give out 350 more bed kits. We were greeted by a group of girls and boys playing the ledgeums- another wonderful welcome.
At Dahanu we were invited into a typical village home to see what life is really like for the children from this area. The house was made of cow dung, straw and sticks, with no electricity or windows to provide light. It was an eye opener for all of us to see.
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| From Mumbai 2009 Photo Album |
A very busy few days with many hours spent in the car.
The Mumbai 2009 Team
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Chennai: 525 bedkits & the Murray Dryden scholarship
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
The day started with a short trip to the Ambattur Rotary Club sponsored school in Chennai. This is a school that has increased over the past number of years from a small, thatch-roofed building to become a multi-story, fully-equipped school for grades 1 to 10. We distributed 525 bedkits to needy children who were bussed in from neighbouring schools.
When the distribution was complete, ten children (two each from grades 6 through 10) were introduced to us, and we were given the honour of presenting them with the "Murray Dryden" scholarship for academic achievement. This is the fourth year this scholarship has been handed out at this school, in memory of Murray. The scholarship, consisting of the interest from a fund set aside by the Rotary Club, was sufficient money to pay for a year of school for each of the children.
We were then taken to the Rotary Club hospital, where we had a tour of a hospital, specially built by the Rotary Club in the centre of a large industrial area to handle many industrial accidents. (There are also wings for Cerebral Palsy, Eye surgery, and Kidney Dialysis.) Two more scholarships were handed out to children of the hospital staff.
Murray Dryden's legacy continues.
Jeff McDougall
for Team Chennai 2009
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Belgaum: They're on their way
Here is the fourth team leaving for India this year. The Belgaum team's photo was taken as they were ready to take off from the Toronto Airport.
The SCAW Team consists of (Left to right): Pat Tuddenham, Brian Tuddenham, Carol Poirier, Duncan Macgregor (Team Leader), JoAnn Moysey, and Doris Alexander.Leave your comments here.
The Team will fly to London and then on to Mumbai where we will actually meet up with the Mumbai team for a day. Our distribution does not start until February 16th so we will have a few days in Mumbai to get our "sea legs."
Our next message will come from Mumbai!
Belgaum: Post your comments here
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Chennai: The Rotary Club of Ambattur
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
This year was no exception.
It is a semi formal affair conducted under recognized rules of Order for such "celebrations". Rotarians from some the many local Clubs were invited along with the Ambattur Club, to attend. For our part, the Team entered dressed in traditional Indian dress (please see attached photo). We were resplendent in our attire, with the women Members wearing "Sarees", while the men wore the traditional male "dhodhies" apparel.
The Headtable welcomed the Club Secretary; Thiru the Rotarian who first brought the SCAW Program to Ambattur in 1986, The Team Leader, The Club President Sumathi Vincent, The Governor Elect of the Rotary District, and the head of a visiting Rotary delegation from Brazil on a Rotary exchange.
On behalf of Sleeping Children Around the World, the Team Leader invited the Club President Sumathi, Thiru, Alban Rebello the Coordinator of the SCAW trip, and Ravishankar, Distribution Organizer, to the Head Table. The Team Leader presented a framed letter from the Board of Directors of SCAW, recognizing the 23 years of able assistance, generously given by the Ambattur Rotary Club, helping SCAW to achieve the One Millionth BedKit milestone this year.This jesture was very well received by all in attendance.
The Team Leader added in his remarks that we brought on behalf of all Donours "the Blessing of Love, the Joy of Kindness, and the Hand of Friendship" to all Indians, especially the children who received BedKits on behalf of all donours. All involved can take justifiable pride and deep satisfaction in the knowledge that we collectively played a vital roll in bettering the lives of those children in Need that we touched.
Each Team Member added their own personal remarks about how much they enjoyed their visit to India; the unselfish devotion to service by all the Rotary Clubs that participated; and for their overwhelming hospitality shown to each and everyone of us.
We are much indebted to those donours for putting your trust and faith in our Team to carry out this wonderful human event on your behalf.
Respectfully submitted
Tom Belton
for Team Chennai 2009
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Mumbai: Distribution 7
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| From Mumbai 2009 Photo Album |
The distribution site was held at a factory of a Rotarian member. He has 25 employees who had packed and sorted the kits for two days and helped with the distribution. The remainder of the day they were given off. We gave out 350 bed kits to children from approximately seven schools from the neighbouring villages. All went smoothly.
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| From Mumbai 2009 Photo Album |
A perfect end to a great day.
The Mumbai 2009 Team
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Chennai: 350 children in Sivakasi
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
After that we had free time until 6pm when we were to attend a fireworks show.
So – the free time! Some of us spent time swimming in the hotel pool where, for the first time since our arrival in India, our body temperatures dipped to "cool." That was great.
After the swim, it seemed normal to meander through the town. First, as one of us is a volunteer firefighter, we went to the fire hall near the hotel. That led us to an alley where one beautiful woman (wearing a dress we both thought we could wear happily at home) was laying out what looked to be straws, in the sunlight. Another woman accompanied by a small throng of children took the position of spokesperson – and though our Tamil is nil – we learned that they were part of a cottage industry for the fireworks plant in that town. They were using recycled paper, rolling it (another woman sitting splay legged in the vestibule of her company apartment was rolling them by hand faster than fast) and our lovely dressed woman glued the cylinders and dried them in the sun.
By this time, people were hanging out the windows above our rendezvous point, laughing, and trying too, to explain everything to us. One man came downstairs with a bundle of 1000 of these cylinders and we learned that they would be filled with an explosive and used to ignite a firecracker.
That night, we saw two fireworks shows: one was a nightly show that occurs every night for six months to try out new firecrackers; the other was at a Rotary meeting place in the country, put on just for us by the Ambattur Rotarians.
It just is so good. All of it!
Mary-Jo Lang
for Team Chennai 2009
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Chennai: Ninth Distribution for 2009
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
We were assisted in the distribution by eager enthusiastic teenage volunteers from Seetha Kingston School, all of whom spoke English very well as classes at the school are held in English, with a second language of French. What I found interesting was that English is the common language in the school as the students speak several different Indian languages at home.
Following our distribution we headed off to do some souvenir shopping in one of the largest fabric stores I've ever seen. Time and traffic permitted only one other "shopping" stop before we collected our bags for our overnight train trip to Sivakasi and a wonderful chance to see another part of South India.
Kathy Greiner
for Team Chennai 2009
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Mumbai: Day 6 — Thane & Navi
We started our distribution at Thane where we gave out bedkits to 240 children. A number of them were deaf and mute. We learned how to sign a few words of importance such as "Smile" and Thank you." The children were great and full of excitement. Later we saw them waving goodbye, crammed into an old school bus. There were approximately 75-100 children along with the bedkits in the bus.
Our second distribution for the day was at Navi Mumbai, a school that holds 4,000 children. At one end of the school they were holding a local talent show where they were doing many styles of dance from Indian classical dance, Bollywood, to rap. It was being filmed for a local TV station. Crowd control was easy for us because people were enjoying the local talent.
The distribution was well organized even though it was a Sunday. Everyone showed up and we had lots of help including many students. Before we left, they presented us with a flower arrangement to thank us for our efforts. The principal of the school was so impressed with SCAW and our work that the school is going to create a similar program to help other children in need.
Tomorrow we have a 2 1/2-3 hour drive to our distributions in Manor and Palghar. Stay tuned ... and keep the good wishes and comments coming. We love hearing from you.
Signing out ...
The Mumbai 2009 Team
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Our second distribution for the day was at Navi Mumbai, a school that holds 4,000 children. At one end of the school they were holding a local talent show where they were doing many styles of dance from Indian classical dance, Bollywood, to rap. It was being filmed for a local TV station. Crowd control was easy for us because people were enjoying the local talent.
The distribution was well organized even though it was a Sunday. Everyone showed up and we had lots of help including many students. Before we left, they presented us with a flower arrangement to thank us for our efforts. The principal of the school was so impressed with SCAW and our work that the school is going to create a similar program to help other children in need.
Tomorrow we have a 2 1/2-3 hour drive to our distributions in Manor and Palghar. Stay tuned ... and keep the good wishes and comments coming. We love hearing from you.
Signing out ...
The Mumbai 2009 Team
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Chennai: 651 bedkits at T. Nagar
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
Most of these children came from parents who themselves are uneducated (i.e., no schooling at all!) and 271 of the children were coastal children who would have suffered the effects of the tsunami.
And as possibly everywhere in the world, kids are kids. Some getting their photos taken smiled, some giggled, some cried, some engaged us with their knowledge of English, some were stoic and some were really interested in eyeing that bedkit, knowing it would be theirs before day's end.
All in all, a great day, despite the 34 degree temperature.
Kristein Johnson
for Team Chennai 2009
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Mumbai: Day 5 — 350 bedkits in Bhandup/Mulund
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| From Mumbai 2009 Photo Album |
We proceeded through the group of girls and took our seats on stage to be entertained. The girls danced and moved together first with flags in their hands displaying their team work and choreography. The second group of girls used the "ledge ums" doing a native Indian dance. We felt very honored. It was very humbling.
Todays distribution was 350 bed kits. It was a great day.
The Mumbai 2009 Team
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Chennai: Nellore Report
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
We arrived at Nellore at 10:30 a.m. to the greetings of the local organizing hosts, several city policemen, and scores of people. A red carpet was laid out for us to walk along to the building where our greeting was to be held. Young school girls lined the walkway, throwing flower petals over us in the traditional greeting. They were delighted to see us and made us feel like visiting Royalty.
Once inside, we saw the children all dressed in their SCAW clothing. To their deafening cheers, we mounted the stage to be greeted by the local dignitaries. Every newsman and photographer in Nellore must have been there: a phalanx literally covered the front of the auditorium we were in.
Then the entertainment began. Four beautifully dressed young girls, the youngest about 3 or 4 years old, dressed in traditional Indian culture dress, danced to loud music. It was very enjoyable for all of us to sit and watch.
Then the distribution began again, accompanied by the newsmen and photographers. There were so many that we had to hold a special photo session to allow them to "shoot" their required pictures and then leave us alone to do our work.
After the distribution, the girls at the nearby Girls Academy invited us to visit the exhibitions they had been preparing for our visit for over one month. Each classroom was a special lab, prepared to show some of the many learning activities they are involved in. They showed off their self-prepared wares for:
- Religion,
- Green Plant Management,
- Horticulture,
- Crafts,
- Clothes Manufacturing,
- Cooking and Baking,
- Nursing and Wellness.
- Social Studies,
- Law Enforcement,
- English Language,
- Their own Teluga Language,
- Hindu Language,
- Mathematics,
- Biology,
- Geography,
- Digestive Systems,
- Space,
- Music and Dance.
The young girls, aged 12-15 years of age were so happy that we took the time to visit them. Their excitement and honest inquisitiveness were a delight.
Afterwards, we proceeded to the home of one of our sponsors/hosts for a sumptuous lunch. Drinks, traditional Indian cuisine, and some Westernized dishes left us "fully" satisfied. At 5:30 we headed back down the highway most grateful for one full day and the 400 children who were beginning to settle down in their new beds for the first time.
Tom Belton
for Team Chennai 2009
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Mumbai: Day 4 — Vasai & Bhiwandi
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| Grace & bedkit recipients in Bhiwandi. Click for larger version in Mumbai 2009 Photo Album |
We travelled 1.5 hours to Vasai this morning passing many interesting sights along the way. We saw brick manufacturing sites which had workers out in the field mixing the compounds and carrying bricks on their heads. We also saw local cattle, goats, sheep, and dogs wandering freely throughout the community.
We were greeted by the Rotary Club members and given traditional "har" which are similar to hawaiian leis. We felt very welcomed and as though our work was really contributing to their community. They were very thankful.
Our drivers mentioned that the area was 70% Muslim and 30% Hindi. It is apparently common in larger centers to have a diverse mix of these two religions living together.
The children were a pleasure and very well behaved, which seems to be the case at each school we visit. It is amazing that, though we don't speak the same language, we are able to communicate with a simple smile. Sometimes the simplest things can create the greatest impact.
Tomorrow we are off to Bhandup/Mulund and Dombivli to distribute over 300 bedkits.
More to come ...
The Mumbai 2009 Team
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Chennai: 342 bedkits in Porur
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| From Chennai Photo Album 2009 |
We went to Porur today and distributed 342 bedkits. The event was organized at the school by Round Table 94, a service organization consisting of people under 40 years of age. They focus on fundraising for school facilities for poor children, defined as family income of about $2 per day or less. The service group also builds the school facilities.
The children at the Porur school were already dressed in their SCAW uniforms and as soon as we stepped into their classrooms, they stood up from their sitting position on the floor and greeted us in English, very enthusiastically. A bunch of high school students were assisting us in distributing the bedkits. Interestingly, the current president of Round Table 94 is an immigration advisor, working with a Canadian immigration lawyer, serving clients in the Chennai area, who are trying to immigrate to Canada.
We took advantage of some spare time we had to go shopping, to walk along the beach and visit the Church of St. Thomas, one of three churches worldwide built on the tomb of one of the Apostles. The other two churches are in Rome and in Spain.
Andy Greiner
for Team Chennai 2009
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