Tanzania: Trip Reports Posted
 |
| Tanzania 2010 Photos |
If you would like to read the reports on the web, you can read them in their entirety here.
Here is a download link for the PDF version of the newsletter.
Honduras: Distribution complete
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
The constant torrential rains have decimated the hillsides, flooded homes, and made some roads impassable. Crops have been destroyed. One cannot fully describe the conditions in which these poor children live. Mother Nature has added considerable more hardship to their families.
We leave with some hope that our gifts of bedkits will alleviate some of the suffering. We have not been able to touch all of the children in need, but we do know that many of them know that someone in Canada loves them.
Irene Harrison
For Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: Rain and Hurricane Matthew
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
But today we had lots of help from not only Rotary Club members and their families and friends, but also from about a dozen dentistry students. They looked sharp and brightened the distribution, threatened with dark clouds and rain, in their white lab coats.
Only one more day left, but a hurricane is expected at midnight.
Stay tuned.
Rae Waring
For Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: House visit
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
Today our team, along with some Rotarians, went to visit some of the houses of the children receiving the bedkits. When we first showed up to the area being visited we saw what looked like a respectable brick home. After this sight, I thought, "This won't be that bad."
We all got out of our vehicles and were told that the house we were visiting was in from the road and not the brick one. As we walked along the barbed-wire fence I noticed that my smiles were being returned in a different way than in the city. As we entered the dirt-floored houses, not only were they very small (12 x 16), but they also had a brutal angle with a stream of water going through the middle. No plumbing and one ceiling light.
The families, mostly female, were happy with the love they have for each other as they do not have a choice with their surroundings. It's very gratifying to know that the bedkits distributed are being put to good use in these distressing conditions.
Greg Hotchkiss
For Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: Difficult times
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
But the hand of fate has been very gentle and kind to us and carried us through all our distributions successfully. We manage to finish our work just as the rains begin and both children and volunteers are spared a total drenching. Finding a spot to take pictures has sometimes been troublesome as the grounds are wet and walking is hampered by sinking ground beneath our feet.
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
Mothers seem to deem the mosquito net and blanket as particularly important; the children, also recognize the value of these items, but sometimes express great delight to have a pillow - a real treat.
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
to work with children, allay their anxieties and bring assurance particularly to those who are disabled, blind, or upset. Without him, our work would be much more difficult.
On the way home from the last distribution, we heard a song whose lyrics repeated the phrase "we belong here." The presence of SCAW and its commitment to help the children of Honduras is particularly important at a time when the poor have lost their crops, sometimes their homes, due to the heavy rains.
And, indeed, we do belong here.
Irene Harrison
For Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: Making a difference
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
In Tegucigalpa 70% of the population live below the poverty level. The typical home in this area is made of any combination of available materials such as wood, aluminum, stone, and plaster. Most frightening is that the houses are built on the side of very steep hills where heavy rains during the six-month-long rainy season pose a constant danger.
The children were brought to the school in military buses and trucks. Military security was obvious to everyone outside and inside the school. I spent an hour or so interviewing three mothers and a grandmother of children receiving the bedkits. From their perspective the most important items in the kit were the mosquito net and the mattress. Only one of the families had a mosquito net in their house and it was used exclusively for a baby.
It was very humbling talking to these folks and I began to understand how SCAW is making a difference in the lives of these families.
Jim Gibson
For Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: First time distribution
 |
| From Honduras 2010 Photos |
The Rotary Club here has been great to work with. On Friday we had a special opportunity to attend a meeting they arranged with The First Lady of Honduras at the Presidential Palace. Through her translator she expressed great appreciation for all that SCAW has done to help the children of Honduras. Their was a lengthy discussion on the desperate need for mosquito nets and the issue of Dengue fever which has killed 69 people so far and made numerous others very ill. As there isn't a vaccination yet to prevent this, the nets are essential. Every bedkit we're handing out includes a treated mosquito net so this trip alone will result in over 5000 children being protected.
It's very rewarding being part of making such a difference in a child's life and seeing Murray Dryden's dream continue. Seeing it all first hand makes me have an even deeper respect for this amazing charity! Can't wait to see the kids again and give out more bedkits!
Susan Hicks
For Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: Our first distribution
 |
| From Honduras Photos |
We finished our first day of distribution quite early. We were situated in the central court of a School for the Blind in mid-town Tegucigalpa. The students were on holiday for a week and home visiting their families. Thus the school was empty but for the children bussed to the distribution from neighbouring barrios.
We photographed 523 gorgeous kids and enjoyed every minute.
My memory for the day was the interaction of the soldiers who will be present at each distribution with the little children. There they were with their camouflage jumpsuits and strapped on holster guns -- but they had the kindest faces and gentlest ways as they helped the little ones carry their bedkits to the busses. I will remember this contrast and this love.
Tomorrow we are back to work for Day 2.
Marilyn Waring,
For Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: The team has arrived
 |
| From Honduras Photos |
Tomorrow a more sombre day awaits us as we see the reality of poverty in Honduras. But it will be an equally joyous day when we witness the beautiful smiles of hundreds of children receiving bedkits. For the children of Honduras, thank you friends and donors for making it a very special day for so many.
Irene Harrison,
For SCAW Team Honduras 2010
Post your comments here.
Honduras: Post your comments here
As a courtesy, please include your name at the end of your comment or click on Select profile ... and fill in your name by selecting Name/URL. You don't have to fill in the URL but if you like you can put "www.scaw.org" there.
Zimbabwe trip reports posted
The donor newsletter for the Zimbabwe bedkit distribution has gone to print and can be downloaded from the Sleeping Children Website.
 |
| Zimbabwe 2010 Photo Album |
If you would like to read the reports on the web, you can read them in their entirety here.
Here is a download link for the PDF version of the newsletter.
Tanzania: Mission Accomplished
We "held up" 7,000 needy little ones with the support of our donors and the SCAW and the Tanzanian volunteers."I am nothing without someone else. If he slips and stumbles I will stumble with him, if I cannot hold him up."
From Tanzania 2010 Photos — Ritual chant of Mali
A bitter sweet day .... no more 4:30 a.m. wake up calls, but no more dark inquiring eyes and beautiful smiles!
Kwa heri (goodbye), Tanzania.
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: Sunday, day of rest and surprises
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
And by heavens, it all falls into place!
You already know that 100% of the funds wired goes towards the bedkits. It is the responsibility of our Overseas Volunteers to cover all other incurred costs like transportation and storage of the bedkits.
With support from her church and friends in Tanzania and Canada, Mama Wandoa covers the costs of travelling the long distances to inspect the distribution sites, transport the bedkits, stipends and meals for the volunteers who so ardently package the bedkit items and load the trucks, and myriads of other expenses.
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
One of the highlights of a Tanzanian distribution is attending a Sunday Service with Mama Wandoa, who is a respected Elder and Teacher. We are introduced to the the congregation and SCAW's mission is explained. We are asked to say a few words. We understand very little of the liturgy which is in Swahili but enjoy picking out the few words we have learned. Mama conscripts translators from the congregation to sit beside us and translate and guide us through the readings and responses. Because Swahili is phonetically similar to English, we are able to sing along with the kwayas (choirs).
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
Then the surprise ... there is a special In Memorial offering for the AIDS orphans supported by the church in memory of Ken Webb (Linda's husband, Christopher's father) and Linda and Christopher, surrounded by the orphans and the SCAW team, are called to the front of the altar to receive a blessing from the Bishop.
The tears flow ... but they are joyful tears!
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: Ibariki Africa
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
When both the SCAW team and the school children are ready to begin their day, there is usually time for a small break so that we can attend the school's morning assembly. We are welcomed with many smiles and "Good morning" and we are always greeted by the sound of drums and singing voices.
 |
| Click to watch the video. |
We were given a translation of the words by a teacher, and thought we would share them with you with some of the swahili words to help you follow.
Click on the thumbnail to go to the video.:
God Bless Africa.
Bless its leaders.
Let Wisdom Unity and
Peace be the shield of
Africa and its people.
Ibariki Africa (Bless Africa),
Ibariki Africa (Bless Africa),
Tubariki watoto wa Africa (Bless Africa and its Children).
God Bless Tanzania.
Grant eternal Freedom and Unity
To its sons and daughters.
God Bless Tanzania and its People.
Ibariki Tanzania (Bless Tanzania),
Ibariki Tanzania (Bless Tanzania),
Tubariki watoto wa Tanzania (Bless Tanzania and its Children).
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: The Survey
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
One of the expectations of SCAW volunteers is to survey parents and children who are receiving bedkits about the quality and usefulness of the items included. Recipients are asked for feedback about what is included in the bedkit and also encouraged to make suggestions about additional items that would be useful to them.
This helps the team and Mama Wandoa make decisions about bedkit items for future distributions and gives us important insights into the lives of the families.
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
Hearing firsthand the struggles these families face reinforces the importance and value of SCAW’s mission. Talking with children and caregivers has highlighted that malaria, HIV, as well as many dental and skin ailments are part of the daily hardships these families have to deal with. With distance and financial obstacles in their way, many of these people will never see a doctor in their lifetime. Because of this limited access to medical treatment, early death has a profound impact on the family unit – many households share a roof with extended families, including orphaned relatives with numerous branches of the family sharing the same home.
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: House Visit in Mwarusembe
Day 5
Come visit the home of a bedkit recipient with us ………
Try to imagine a bucolic tropical setting surrounded by lush vegetation, coconut palms, papaya, and banana trees. Serene and peaceful! Sounds inviting and stress free, doesn’t it.? No traffic, no punching in the clock, no deadlines to meet, no blackberries.
Now try to imagine an area of hard pan red clay about 6 x 10 metres, swept spotlessly clean. Imagine a tiny shelter made of mud with a thatched roof. About 2 X 8 metres. This is home to two families. No running water, enough cassava for one meal a day, no electricity, no protection from rain or snakes. In one of these rooms, the bedkit will provide comfort, not only for the child who received it, but for the entire family.
Have a look at the photos. You will understand how we struggled to write this blog post.
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: Kimanzichana
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
Walk a mile, or two, or three, in their shoes
Today’s distribution was the furthest inland yet. We set our alarms for 4:30 am and drove for two-and-a-half hours out of Dar es Salaam. While we drove out of the city and through villages along the way, hundreds if not thousands of school children were also making their morning journey -- only their journey was by foot.
Arriving on site we could not help but notice that many of these young ones, already assembling to accept their bedkits, had made this journey without shoes. As we fought the traffic, pollution, and the elements in an eight-passenger van, many of these young people would have walked along the main roads for up to two hours to arrive at school.
We all take our shoes for granted. For these children, the flip flops in the bedkit will be their first pair of shoes. Having shoes is a requirement for attending school, but head teachers often ask their staff to make dress code exceptions for those children who cannot afford these basics but wish to attend class.
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
Although there is visible need at all the sites we’ve visited so far, today’s more rural location presented us with a group of children whose needs were more dire. Some of the children wore red patches sewn onto their shirts indicating they were HIV-positive and therefore in need of extra assistance. Bedkits were given to these children earlier in the day and teachers explained that these children are given exceptions and extra support in class, especially when it comes to assigning homework and physical activities.
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
More pictures have been added to our photo album which you can also watch as a slideshow.
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: Day Off in Zanzibar
What is Zanzibar?
"Zanzibar is an archipelago made up of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands, and several islets. It is located in the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast, and 6° south of the equator. Zanzibar Island (known locally as Unguja, but as Zanzibar internationally) is 60 miles long and 20 miles wide, occupying a total area of approximately 650 square miles. It is characterised by beautiful sandy beacheswith fringing coral reefs, and the magic of historic Stone Town - said to be the only functioning ancient town in East Africa."
From the moment we landed we were immersed in the exotic culture and history of Zanzibar. We were fortunate to have a knowledgeable guide who peppered his commentary with double entendres and comical observations about any and everything, especially politics. Our day with Said began at the historical Serena Hotel with a breakfast overlooking the Indian Ocean. We had the opportunity for a walk through Stone Town, a visit to a Spice Farm, and of course, shopping.
Have a look at our Zanzibar Photo Album and Slideshow.
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: Our Overseas Volunteers
Mama Wandoa and her team of volunteers
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
Before we even arrived, Mama Wandoa had been working tirelessly to ensure we would not only have 7,000 complete bedkits, but that each and every bedkit would be ready to be delivered on the right day and at the right time to the specific children who are identified by schools and local authorities as being in need.
In previous posts, we mentioned our 5 AM wake-up calls – but did you know that before we even arrive at the distribution sites, Mama Wandoa and her team of twenty volunteers have already begun their work? We thought for today’s blog we would walk you through the experience of our Overseas Volunteers in Tanzania.
4 AM: Twenty volunteers wake up at Mama Wandoa’s house. They have all slept over wherever they can find a spot and wake up ready to start another distribution day. They are out the door as quickly as possible so that they can get to the sites, start unloading the trucks, and plan the layout for the distribution.Mama Wandoa has recruited these dedicated volunteers from her work with the Upendo AIDS Centre. Many of them are Peer Educators whom she has worked with for some time, as well as a few friends and extended family members who have also graciously given their time to our cause.
7 AM: By now the SCAW volunteers have arrived. Mama’s team have already unloaded 700 mattresses and bedkits and begin to take their 15-minute breakfast breaks, in groups of five.7:30 AM to 1 PM: When the distribution starts, Mama’s team focuses on getting the arriving children organised, checking their names on Mama’s long list (which she oversees with a careful eye), and helping the children change into their new t-shirts and shorts for photo-taking. This carries on throughout the day until the distribution in complete.
1:30 PM: After taking down the site, the team of volunteers heads towards the BANCO mattress factory, having lunch along the way.
3 PM: Arrival at the mattress factory. Mama Wandoa’s daughter, Joyce, oversees the loading of 700 more mattresses for tomorrow’s distribution.
6 – 7 PM: After loading the trucks, the volunteers grab a quick dinner before heading back to Mama Wandoa’s for even more packing and sorting!
8 PM: Back at Mama Wandoa’s the bedkits are packed, checked, and counted and then loaded onto the trucks for the next day.
11 PM: Bedtime at last! If things go perfectly the team finishes by 11 PM, but sometimes not until midnight! After the trucks are loaded and everything is double checked, Mama Wandoa and her fantastic crew get to bed, ready for another 4 AM wake-up call, and another day of distribution!
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.
Tanzania: Day Two
 |
| Even though our day started off like this. |
 |
| It ended like this. |
After another successful distribution of 700 bedkits, we had the opportunity to visit two of the factories which are producing the t-shirts, mattresses and water jugs for our bedkits.
We were greeted by Patrick Lumumba at Kibotrade Textiles who showed us around the facilities and talked us through the process of fairtrade manufacturing which includes providing good working conditions and fair wages. It was great to see where the t-shirts and shorts we have been distributing are made and reassuring to witness the work ethic that goes into making these high-quality clothes.
 |
| From Tanzania 2010 Photos |
For our second stop, we visited the factories that produce the mattresses (BANCO) and three-litre water jugs (Unoplast Ltd.). Again we were impressed by the quality of their work and the additional support they provide Mama Wandoa by storing the thousands of mattresses so that they can be picked up each night before the next distribution.
One of the roles of the SCAW team is to visit the factories which make the items in the bedkits, so that we can be assured that there are local economic benefits in addition to providing children with a good night’s sleep.
You can see more photos in our photo album or our slideshow.
Team Tanzania 2010
Post your comments here.