Kenya: Bedkits in Navaisha
 |
| From Kenya 2009 Photo Album |
This was the first SCAW distribution in Navaisha, the leading grower of roses in the world. The distribution was held at the Sher Karaturi flower farm that employs 3500 and has five greenhouses, each stretching for a half a mile.
The children were dressed in their colourful pajamas waiting for our arrival. 350 of the children were orphans and 80% were effected by HIV/AIDS — they or a family member. The incidence of AIDS is high here as it is a migrant population, often away from their families that make up the bulk of the work force.
At the end of the distribution we had a tour of the farm that exports 1.4 million roses each day to the flower auctions in Amsterdam.
Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: 700 bedkits in Kilimani
 |
| From Kenya 2009 Photo Album |
The fourth distribution took place at Kilimani at Winner’s Chapel. We are happy to report that we are all healthy and enjoying our days with the children. It was our largest distribution day with 700 bed kits. With 23 items in each bedkit you can imagine the packing for today’s distribution.
The Winner’s Chapel volunteers were very organized and in good cheer. Throughout the distribution the children were singing.
We were fortunate to depart early enough to reach the Rift Valley in daylight – spectacular and the ladies were delighted to find road side stands to find souvenirs.
Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: 600 bedkits in Thika
 |
| From Kenya 2009 Photo Album |
Buffeted by the swirling red soil that is so characteristic of Africa another 600 children received bedkits in Thika, the largest slum outside of Nairobi.
Field marshalling the entire event was the very enthusiastic and energetic, Eleanor. Her commitment to the most vulnerable children of this country was inspirational to all of us.
This was very evident when we visited the “Action for Children in Conflict” shelter that she operated, a residential group home for children, ten children to each bedroom. Chris distributed t-shirts and soccer balls that had been donated by the Rotary Club of Barrie, Ontario.
Edie Haslauer
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: First distribution complete
We received a phone call Monday morning from Chris Pratt of the SCAW 2009 travelling team to let us know that the team arrived safely and finished their first distribution in Kibera, Nairobi and everything went smoothly.
We received the following on Monday evening:
Leave your comments here.
We received the following on Monday evening:
It is early Tuesday morning in Nairobi and I'm listening to the dogs barking, the roosters calling, and the crows cawing.
I was planning to send a blog after our first distribution but in the ninety minutes prior to our dinner I was tied up with other things. I have blogs already on the computer and I am just waiting for a few photos to add to it. That will be a priority after today's distribution.
The first distribution went reasonably well with large numbers of special needs children which provided some challenges in getting the children to sit straight and look forward. That being said, seeing hundreds of children with HIV/AIDS or being orphaned or from single parent homes will make all donors feel that the children are worthy recipients. The team seems to be coming together with everyone participating. There are still difficulties with the time adjustment for some but that should end soon.
All of us appreciate the work that has been done behind the scenes and the opportunity that we have.
Oh, oh. It is starting to pour rain and the distribution starts in two hours. Time for Plan B!!
Alan Ingram
for Team Kenya
I was planning to send a blog after our first distribution but in the ninety minutes prior to our dinner I was tied up with other things. I have blogs already on the computer and I am just waiting for a few photos to add to it. That will be a priority after today's distribution.
The first distribution went reasonably well with large numbers of special needs children which provided some challenges in getting the children to sit straight and look forward. That being said, seeing hundreds of children with HIV/AIDS or being orphaned or from single parent homes will make all donors feel that the children are worthy recipients. The team seems to be coming together with everyone participating. There are still difficulties with the time adjustment for some but that should end soon.
All of us appreciate the work that has been done behind the scenes and the opportunity that we have.
Oh, oh. It is starting to pour rain and the distribution starts in two hours. Time for Plan B!!
Alan Ingram
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: Bedkits in Mukuru
Day 3
After a half hour drive through an extensive slum area (Mukuru) where people lived in abject poverty, arriving at the distribution site was akin to an oasis in the middle of a desert. The distribution was held on the grounds of a vocational school that taught catering, carpentry, sewing, electrical, and computers.
There was an opening ceremony in which the children made a very moving presentation with song and poetry. Our leader Alan surprised us all by addressing the children in Swahili which elicited laughter from all when he mentioned that their teachers were babies when Murray Dryden started Sleeping Children Around the World.
The distribution was well organized by the host committee – 600 bedkits. One of the local volunteers, Kevin Muhinga, whose favourite movie is the "Jamaican Bobsled Team" hopes to compete in the Vancouver Olympics in speed skating although with the lack of ice rinks in Kenya, his main training is with in line skates.
Edie Haslauer
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
After a half hour drive through an extensive slum area (Mukuru) where people lived in abject poverty, arriving at the distribution site was akin to an oasis in the middle of a desert. The distribution was held on the grounds of a vocational school that taught catering, carpentry, sewing, electrical, and computers.
There was an opening ceremony in which the children made a very moving presentation with song and poetry. Our leader Alan surprised us all by addressing the children in Swahili which elicited laughter from all when he mentioned that their teachers were babies when Murray Dryden started Sleeping Children Around the World.
The distribution was well organized by the host committee – 600 bedkits. One of the local volunteers, Kevin Muhinga, whose favourite movie is the "Jamaican Bobsled Team" hopes to compete in the Vancouver Olympics in speed skating although with the lack of ice rinks in Kenya, his main training is with in line skates.
Edie Haslauer
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: Distribution One
Day 2
Kibera, the largest slum area in Africa with over 1,000,000 residents was our first distribution site. This was one of the suburbs of Nairobi that was greatly affected during the riots following last year’s national elections that caused the delay in the 2008 Kenyan distribution. School attendance figures posted on the walls revealed that the school lost one third of its students during the uprising.
The chosen children for our first distribution of 600 bedkits were a most deserving group – children with AIDS, orphans, special needs children and children from single parent families, often grandmothers. Prominent throughout this primary school, so deeply affected by HIV/AIDS, were posters and paintings suggesting abstinence of sex until marriage and social acceptance of those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. A warm welcome was received by the school staff. They also made a plea that we come back next year.
Six hundred children will sleep better tonite.
Alan Ingram
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Kibera, the largest slum area in Africa with over 1,000,000 residents was our first distribution site. This was one of the suburbs of Nairobi that was greatly affected during the riots following last year’s national elections that caused the delay in the 2008 Kenyan distribution. School attendance figures posted on the walls revealed that the school lost one third of its students during the uprising.
The chosen children for our first distribution of 600 bedkits were a most deserving group – children with AIDS, orphans, special needs children and children from single parent families, often grandmothers. Prominent throughout this primary school, so deeply affected by HIV/AIDS, were posters and paintings suggesting abstinence of sex until marriage and social acceptance of those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. A warm welcome was received by the school staff. They also made a plea that we come back next year.
Six hundred children will sleep better tonite.
Alan Ingram
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: Day 1
After our long flight from Toronto to Nairobi via Amsterdam, the team was up early to plan for our meeting with the Overseas Volunteers at noon. Before attending the meeting we visited the site where the U.S. Embassy had been bombed on August 7, 1998, killing 218 people and causing the relocation of the U.S. Embassy out of the downtown area. This was a moving experience for each of us, so familiar with 9/11 and brought home the need for international understanding and cooperation fostered by so many organizations such as SCAW.
The meeting with the Overseas Volunteers, the Rotary Club of Nairobi, was valuable in renewing the close relationship between SCAW and the Rotarians, a necessary partnership for the successful completion of a bed kit distribution. It was quite evident that countless hours had been spent by these volunteers in finding sites and deserving children, trying to improve the quality and quantity of contents of bedkits and making the Canadian team feel welcome.
We left the meeting with enthusiasm for the future days of meeting with the children.
Alan Ingram
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
The meeting with the Overseas Volunteers, the Rotary Club of Nairobi, was valuable in renewing the close relationship between SCAW and the Rotarians, a necessary partnership for the successful completion of a bed kit distribution. It was quite evident that countless hours had been spent by these volunteers in finding sites and deserving children, trying to improve the quality and quantity of contents of bedkits and making the Canadian team feel welcome.
We left the meeting with enthusiasm for the future days of meeting with the children.
Alan Ingram
for Team Kenya
Leave your comments here.
Pune: 3,000 Sleeping Children
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
Today the team was able to visit two schools where the children received bedkits last year. The schools are located in a breathtakingly beautiful, but very rural area southwest of Pune. In one classroom, fourteen of the sixteen children are still using the backpacks that were part of the bedkit. The packs show signs of wear and repair, but since the children have to walk up to 10 km per day for school, these items are extremely valuable to them. The uniforms from last year are still in use. Other than some fading in the girls' blue uniforms, they all appear to be in good condition. The bedkit shoes are still being worn, and we noticed them on a number of children. The families continue to use the blankets, and expressed their pleasure in having them. The parents we spoke with talked about how the items in the bedkit have been important to the children, and school attendance has improved as a result. It was gratifying to see the positive feelings expressed by the children, parents and teachers.
Tomorrow we will make a visit to St. Crispin's Orphange to say goodbye, then will have a post-distribution meeting with the Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment. Following that we will attend the Rotary Club meeting, then a social gathering.
By 11 am on Sunday the team will be leaving Pune, going in different directions, with wonderful memories of our time here.
The Pune Bedkit Distribution Team.
Leave your comments here.
Pune: Distribution complete
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
The Pune 2009 Team would like to quickly post that we have wrapped up a great finish these last two days to celebrate the millionth bedkit distribution. Our distributions have been long fifteen-hour days but equally rewarding to see the smiles on the children's thankful faces.
More details and photos to follow tomorrow, as we catch up on our sleep and paperwork, and master our challenging Internet connections!
On behalf of Dave Dryden and
the Pune Bedkit Distribution Team.
Leave your comments here.
Pune: Where SCAW began
 |
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
This was our first "off day" following three hectic and productive days of distributions.
The morning started at 8:30 when the Rotarians picked us up for a visit to St.Crispins Orphanage. This is where it all began 39 years ago. Dad gave out 50 bedkits and stayed up all night with his camera at the ready to photograph the children getting their first night's sleep with the comfort of a bedkit. Needless to say he learned very quickly that the excitement of receiving the bedkit meant that he had a long wait before the the children fell asleep.
Following an initial tour of the Home we were surprised to find that the director Mr. Charles had arranged for some of the early bedkit recipients to return for today to meet with us. The conversations that ensued were priceless.
We were hoping that on this trip we would be able to find a way to publicly acknowledge the great work of our Pune partners, the Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment. They were kind enough to arrange a press conference for us. With over twelve reporters in attendance, we had an hour to tell the SCAW story and to express our thanks with SCAW volunteers such as Shamaldas Parekh in attendance.
This has been a special day for the Dryden/Burton families.
Tonight the Rotary Club from Belgaum has invited us to a function in celebration of the Millionth Bedkit. Eight members of their SCAW Committee are driving up to Pune this afternoon for this function (an 8-hour drive).
What has been so satisfying from my perspective has been the work of Dad's four great grandchildren, Theo, Jeff, Anaka, and Chris. They are truly fully functioning as full team members with so much energy and caring. We are proud of them.
Much more to tell on our return.
Dave Dryden
for the Pune team
Leave your comments here.
Pune: 571 children in Gunjalwadi
 |
 |
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
One child arrived at the distribution site in a wheel chair and we felt sad for the child, but happy that we were able to provide him with a bedkit.
The jobs that we did today were:
- leading the children from the picture to the bedkits
- giving the children backpacks and
- marking their index finger to confirm that they had received a bedkit.
The village that we were in was very poor as a number of the homes were made mud and wood. Even though they lived in these conditions, they were very proud to invite us to their homes and provide us with a delicious lunch at the end of the distribution. As we were waving goodbye to all the children, we know that tomorrow they will feel very rested and glad from the gift of a good night’s sleep.
From Junior SCAW Team Members,
Theo Will-Dryden and Chris Dryden
Leave your comments here.
Belgaum: Mission Accomplished
 |
| From Belgaum 2009 Photo Album |
On Sunday, February 22nd, 850 bedkits were delivered in Hubli marking the end of our quest to deliver 4,000 bedkits to needy children in the Belgaum area. The Rotary Club of Hubli, who have been distributing bedkits in their area for over 25 years, had the distribution well organized in a Rotary-sponsored school for over 2,000 children. The bedlit recipients came from towns and villages in and around Hubli.
There was great joy when each child accepted his/her bedkit and reconnected with their parents, grandparents, or guardians. In this distribution, there were a good number of hearing-impaired children who had enhancers and hedphones to help them hear.
The Rotary Club of Belgaum were responsible for the entire 4,000 bedkit distribution and they made it easy for the SCAW team to deliver bedkits on behalf of our donors. Our team wishes to thank our many donors and The Rotary Clubs of Belgaum, Chikodi, Athani, Bailongal, Ranebrennur, Kundgol, and Hubli for their valuable contributions to making this distribution such a success.
4,000 very needy children in the Belgaum area will be sleeping more soundly to-night!
The Belgaum Team
Leave your comments here.
Pune: Another fine day
 |
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
We’d like to mention two additional volunteers to our Pune team. Steve Buist, a reporter from the Hamilton Spectator, and Greg Dryden who will be joining the distribution.
Post distribution we had a chance to meet the school principal and express our thanks to him and his team for selecting the children. Prior to our departure we visited a mountain top Hindu temple where 100,000 people are estimated to celebrate a local festival tomorrow.
For more photos, check out the Pune 2009 Photo Album.
The Pune team
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: The team prepares
 |
| From Kenya 2009 Photo Album |
(Left to right) Don McCormick, Theodora Nandy, Edie Haslauer, Alan Ingram (Team Leader), Elizabeth Lugo, Chris Pratt.
Leave your comments here.
Kenya: Post your comments here
To add your own comment, enter it in the box at the bottom of this page. Then click on the button to "Post Comment." As a courtesy, please include your name at the end of your comment.
Pune: First distribution complete
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
Immediately upon the team's arrival, the children danced us along a road to the school with a musical procession. After introductory speeches by the Rotarians and Dave, we were impressed to hear a well-versed and memorized thank you speech delivered by a local six-year-old schoolboy in English.
627 bedkits were distributed at Z. P. Primary School with thanks to the Rotarians, who worked hard to ensure a smooth transition. A good amount of shelter was set up to keep the children in the shade while they awaited their photo and progressed to their backpack and bedkit collection areas.
Three sets of parents were interviewed with feedback noting that the shoes, one size up, plus pencils and notebooks were the most important items in the bedkit.
Anaka, Theo, Jeff and Chris did the Drydens proud stewarding the children from the photo site to the distribution area where they handed out backpacks, bedkits, hats, and stamped hands with a great sense of helpfulness.
Post distribution we were treated to a Maharastra dance depicting a wedding ceremony by the schoolchildren in full costume. Thumbs up to Judy for learning three new native phrases in her “hands up” rendition, Dave for scoring big smiles and minimal thumbs up with smiling outbursts of “OK,” and Wes for scouting out a set of six clay bricks (Murray would approve) to elevate the label holders.
The Pune team
Leave your comments here.
Belgaum: 300 bedkits in Kundgal
 |
| From Belgaum 2009 Photo Album |
Today we distributed 300 bedkits in Kundgal, a rural area about an hour outside Hubli. The site was a school and the children were incredibly welcoming. They couldn't wait to shake our hands and try out their few English words on us. The Rotarians from Kundgal were also welcoming and did an excellent job organizing the day.
Gary Comerford has joined the team for three distributions and today was acknowledged by his fellow Rotarians because he contributed 700 SCAW bedkits to India. He did this by raising money, running a marathon.This is a project of Gary's and he has been running marathons and raising money for for the past seven years, with 100% of the money going to SCAW. This is his way of trying to help eradicate the poverty in India.
Gary has been a great asset to SCAW financially and also as a participant with us for three days on the Belgaum team. In this distribution in Kundgol, we had the opportunity of seeing the SCAW circle completed: Donor (Gary), Volunteers (in office and those who travel), Overseas Volunteer Organization (Rotary), and 300 beautiful Children.
We wish every donor could see the joy of the children and parents that Gary has experienced.
The Belgaum Team
Leave your comments here.
Belgaum: 700 children in Ranebennur
 |
| From Belgaum 2009 Photo Album |
On day five we departed from Hubli, a large industrial city, 100 kms from Belgaum. It was an interesting drive through the "Holland Marsh" of Karnataka: cotton, sunflowers, grapes, and grains.
The setting chosen for the distribution in Ranebennur was at a Rotarian funded school for over 1000 students.
Under a colourful canopy, 700 children waited patiently for a bedkit, sometimes for as long as five hours. Can you imagine Canadian children sitting still for that long?
Many of the parents saw their children enter through the front gate and had to wait at a different door those same five hours.
Some were mothers but one was clearly the age of a great-grandparent. He was very anxious and only relaxed when escorted into the distribution site and was able to see his child still waiting.
The Rotarians of Ranebennur and the teachers made our day run smoothly.
Smiles all around.
The Belgaum Team
Leave your comments here.
Pune: The team is in India
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
 |
| From Pune 2009 Photo Album |
Tomorrow we start our distributions!
The Pune team
In top photo from left to right:
Dave Dryden, Christopher Dryden, Rosemary Burton, Jeff Dryden, Tyler Burton, Anaka Will-Dryden, Wes Burton, Sandra Dryden, Sieg Will, Theo Dryden, Debbie Will-Dryden, Judy Dryden
Leave your comments here.