Pune: 6008 Bedkits Delivered!
WOW! 6008 bedkits delivered. There is a lot of pomp and ceremony here, but as always it is about the children. It is amazing to enter into each distribution site and meet hundreds of children, and today was as exciting and special as any of them.Our team leader decided we should demonstrate the bedkit during the speech portion of the proceedings. This has been an extremely successful way of engaging the children. One child is picked from the crowd and brought on stage to assist, and the rest are asked to show their appreciation for each item by saying “Wow”. You soon hear their spontaneous reactions and the noise level fluctuates as each item is displayed. This always gets a reaction and culminates in a very loud and raucous wow once they realize what they will be receiving today from our donors in Canada. WOW!!!!
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
Kolkata: Sudhir Memorial Institute
"You have really never lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you" John Bunyan
What a beautiful quote that is so appropriate for our distribution!
Every day we are reminded why we are here, to do what we do... It is an honour and a privilege to distribute bedkits to children on behalf of our wonderful donors. Thank you!
Team Kolkata 2018
Chennai: Children Helping Children
Today we were welcomed by the founder of the school where we did our first distribution. After a true Indian breakfast we greeted the 600 children who would receive their SCAW bed kit.
Along with all the children we had the pleasure of enjoying the help from 3 volunteer groups - the Girl Guides, the Boy Scouts and young members of Navy Cadets.
It was a delight to be in their presence and experience their enthusiasm for the SCAW program and the help they gave us with the children. They served as a gentle bridge to the children, dressing them, guiding them to the photos and helping them out with their precious bedkits.
Needless to say it was a GRRRRREAT first day.
We even had time to have a little fun!
Theresa and Kay for Team Chennai 2018
Post your comments here:Kolkata: After 4000 Bedkits, A Day of Rest!
A well deserved day off...after 4000 bedkits...
Our day took us to the warehouse where the bedkits are assembled. This was great to see. They have a security person, insure the location and hire 8 workers for six weeks to assemble the units. The workers were very accommodating to show us how they do the process in an assembly line....
Next we drove to a street where they make the festival idols, which were all very beautifully painted and decorated.
Our next stop was to experience a 200 year old coffee house on College Street, then we stopped at a Goverment run arts and crafts shop before a wonderful lunch at Flavors of India... Another great day in Kolkata!
Post your comments here:
Pune: Wai
It was all about colour, hospitality and the children today in Wai.
After an enthusiastic performance by some of the children, speeches and presentations, pictures were taken by our Team Leader Chris Hills and the bedkits were handed out to the delight of child and parent alike. On these Pune distributions the child is reunited with his/her parent after the photo is taken and accompanies them as they pick up shoes, sweater, ground mat, knapsack and main bedkit bag containing blankets, mosquito net and more. This eases any worries on the part of the child and all leave happy.
The final picture shows the team and some of the many Rotarians and local volunteers who made this distribution happen today.
One more day!
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
After an enthusiastic performance by some of the children, speeches and presentations, pictures were taken by our Team Leader Chris Hills and the bedkits were handed out to the delight of child and parent alike. On these Pune distributions the child is reunited with his/her parent after the photo is taken and accompanies them as they pick up shoes, sweater, ground mat, knapsack and main bedkit bag containing blankets, mosquito net and more. This eases any worries on the part of the child and all leave happy.
The final picture shows the team and some of the many Rotarians and local volunteers who made this distribution happen today.
One more day!
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
Kolkata: Day 7&8 - Bolpur & Sonamukhi
We were on the road again, staying outside of Kolkata, having distributions in both Bolpur and Sonamukhi...our local hosts were very gracious at each site by providing us delicious lunches...we are most grateful at the end of the day for nourishment before our drive to the next location.
Yesterday we did 523 bedkits and today we gave out 703!
In addition we handed out Canadian pencils to the first 150 children today!
We also had the opportunity to visit 2 homes which were close to the site. One child received a bedkit last year and one received one today....very happy families to be chosen. They permitted us into their homes to view the inside and to see where they do their cooking... Their home is about 200 square feet and the cooking kitchen is about 2 ft by 2 ft. It is very evident that we are doing a great thing! There is such need!
Our return drive was 3.5 hours, which was considerably shorter than planned for a Sunday but tomorrow is a holiday as they celebrate the Goddess of Knowledge, music, art, wisdom, learning, philosophy, creativity and nature ... Saraswati .. We will enjoy a well earned rest day tomorrow.
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Yesterday we did 523 bedkits and today we gave out 703!
In addition we handed out Canadian pencils to the first 150 children today!
We also had the opportunity to visit 2 homes which were close to the site. One child received a bedkit last year and one received one today....very happy families to be chosen. They permitted us into their homes to view the inside and to see where they do their cooking... Their home is about 200 square feet and the cooking kitchen is about 2 ft by 2 ft. It is very evident that we are doing a great thing! There is such need!
Our return drive was 3.5 hours, which was considerably shorter than planned for a Sunday but tomorrow is a holiday as they celebrate the Goddess of Knowledge, music, art, wisdom, learning, philosophy, creativity and nature ... Saraswati .. We will enjoy a well earned rest day tomorrow.
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Chennai: We Have Arrived!!
Considering the 21 plus hour journey the Chennai team arrived and were greeted by men from the Rotary Club of Ambattur in the early hours of Sunday morning!
Stay tuned for our first day of distribution on Tuesday!
Team Chennai 2018
Post your comments here:
Chennai 2018: Post Your Comments Here:
Please add your name to the end of your comment(s).
Pune: Another Joyful Day!
Day 5 has come to a close...another joyful day for over 850 children heading home with the greatest gift many have ever received. The thanks to Sleeping Children"s generous donors shows in their eyes, their whispered "thank-you's" and the humbling (to us) touching of our feet.
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
Pune: Velhe
Our 4th distribution was in the remote town of Velhe. Our drive there was through mountainous narrow bumpy roads. Once we arrived we were met by an enthusiastic group of parents and children.
The distribution was very well organized with the excellent planning and staffing of our Rotarian partners and other volunteers from local high schools. The next picture shows SCAW team member Anne Kell with her helpers handing out the bedkits on behalf of our donors (picture 2).
Picture 3 shows our Rotarian partners with the children in their new outfits and backpacks, smiles all around.
The SCAW team donated 8 bedkits to the Pune Rotarians, shown in picture #4 - they are great partners, we could not do it without them.
The final photo #5, is of the local high school volunteer group that assisted us through the day.
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
The distribution was very well organized with the excellent planning and staffing of our Rotarian partners and other volunteers from local high schools. The next picture shows SCAW team member Anne Kell with her helpers handing out the bedkits on behalf of our donors (picture 2).
Picture 3 shows our Rotarian partners with the children in their new outfits and backpacks, smiles all around.
The final photo #5, is of the local high school volunteer group that assisted us through the day.
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
Kolkata: Burdwan Traffic...
Today we travelled to Burdwan for the distribution. A warmer day, and the children were so excited to attend the bedkit festival!
Traffic getting to and from these locations always opens our eyes, and sometimes stops our hearts! Wow, we have a new appreciation for our driver Dillip! We drive on the left hand side in India, which is ok, but....you have a dance to weave and maneuver toto's, trucks, tractors, trailers, rickshaws, pedestrians, goats, cows, trains, buses and everything else to keep us safe! Through it all, everyone HONKS!
After lunch we drove to the next site which we will visit tomorrow...tonight we are staying in Santiniketan. This location is a university town famous for Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Rabindranath Tagore. Here our wonderful hosts took us to a Tribal local arts and crafts market. Some haggled for their purchases before we all got in a toto (electric tuk tuk) for the drive back to our lodge.
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Traffic getting to and from these locations always opens our eyes, and sometimes stops our hearts! Wow, we have a new appreciation for our driver Dillip! We drive on the left hand side in India, which is ok, but....you have a dance to weave and maneuver toto's, trucks, tractors, trailers, rickshaws, pedestrians, goats, cows, trains, buses and everything else to keep us safe! Through it all, everyone HONKS!
After lunch we drove to the next site which we will visit tomorrow...tonight we are staying in Santiniketan. This location is a university town famous for Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Rabindranath Tagore. Here our wonderful hosts took us to a Tribal local arts and crafts market. Some haggled for their purchases before we all got in a toto (electric tuk tuk) for the drive back to our lodge.
We also enjoyed an evening of music and dance...a group of very young tribal children sang to us tonight and melted our hearts...... Till tomorrow
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Pune: Everyone Smiles in the Same Language!
Namaste! Welcome to the village of Takli Dhokeshwar. We are greeted by the beautiful, smiling faces of the local children. Some have traveled for over 2.5 hours, via school transportation, to receive their much appreciated bed kit from the generous supporters of SCAW.
Today, I had the privilege of interviewing several of the recipients. All are immensely thankful for their gift. Every item is found useful. The shoes are a favourite for many of the boys. The girls, often preferring the new set of clothing. Everyone said they would sleep better tonight because of the comfy bed mats.
Despite the long but productive day, I am restless, excited to start a new distribution in the morning. I remember all the smiles. Hassa! Everyone smiles in the same language.
Theresa Moran for Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
Kolkata: Rest Day!
We had a lovely rest day today.....
We were up at 6, breakfast at 7 and hit the road at 8!
We went to the flower market,
walked up to the Howrah bridge that is over the Hoogli River,
visited the Victoria Memorial gardens,
stopped at the South Park Street Cemetery
went to the fancy 5 star hotel Oberoi Grand Hotel, for a bathroom break and hotel tour,
walked through the New Market looking at stuff, walked through the neighboring streets looking for spices...
enjoyed a fabulous lunch with Dillip and his wife and son at Peter Cat .. Rowly and Ranjan ordered for us and it was spectacular!!
We finished with a little visit to a Jane Temple of glass and mosaic.....
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
We were up at 6, breakfast at 7 and hit the road at 8!
We went to the flower market,
walked up to the Howrah bridge that is over the Hoogli River,
visited the Victoria Memorial gardens,
stopped at the South Park Street Cemetery
went to the fancy 5 star hotel Oberoi Grand Hotel, for a bathroom break and hotel tour,
walked through the New Market looking at stuff, walked through the neighboring streets looking for spices...
enjoyed a fabulous lunch with Dillip and his wife and son at Peter Cat .. Rowly and Ranjan ordered for us and it was spectacular!!
We finished with a little visit to a Jane Temple of glass and mosaic.....
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Kolkata: Road trip and fitbits
We are road warriors! Yesterday we travelled to the site at Contai and overnighted by the beach....arriving at night, but able to see the beach at 6:30am before today's distribution starting ...
Our travels took us through the countryside...dogs, chickens, cows, goats ... rice paddies, fish farms, brick making, fresh food markets on the roadside, people, rickshaws, TRAFFIC, bumpy roads, pot holes, speed bumps, ...laundry, shrines, dirty dusty roads ... barber shops, people bathing on the street ... Your senses are alive at every turn.
Today, while returning to Kolkata we enjoyed alot of laughter watching the disco buses drive down the highway .... Another note of interest was that Helga's fitbit was racking up the steps while we were driving the bumpy roads!! She was up to 16,000 steps by the time we reached the hotel! Who knew you could add up the steps while sitting on your backside in the bus! After a long day we needed that laughter!
What will tomorrow bring?
A well deserved rest day and some sightseeing...
Just shy of 2200 bedkits given out in 4 days.
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Our travels took us through the countryside...dogs, chickens, cows, goats ... rice paddies, fish farms, brick making, fresh food markets on the roadside, people, rickshaws, TRAFFIC, bumpy roads, pot holes, speed bumps, ...laundry, shrines, dirty dusty roads ... barber shops, people bathing on the street ... Your senses are alive at every turn.
Today, while returning to Kolkata we enjoyed alot of laughter watching the disco buses drive down the highway .... Another note of interest was that Helga's fitbit was racking up the steps while we were driving the bumpy roads!! She was up to 16,000 steps by the time we reached the hotel! Who knew you could add up the steps while sitting on your backside in the bus! After a long day we needed that laughter!
What will tomorrow bring?
A well deserved rest day and some sightseeing...
Just shy of 2200 bedkits given out in 4 days.
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Pune: Second Distribution Day!
On our second day of distribution we headed out by van from Pune to Varodi. About half a kilometre from our location we were met by three bullock carts, decorated in flowers and bright colours, and then ceremoniously paraded into the site. Once there we were serenaded by the beautiful voices of a group of young children selected to entertain us. A warm welcome and kind speeches explaining the bedkit distribution followed next. The SCAW team and our Rotarian partners were joined on stage by Supriya Sule, the Member of Parliament for Baramati, India who spoke generously about the project and the help it provided to community members. Then we got down to the business of taking pictures and handing out more than 860 bedkits.
The distribution went very smoothly, thanks in no small measure to the wonderful help we got from the Rotarians and their spouses. It was a great ‘team’ effort, and having the parents close by really helped the children feel more comfortable, resulting in ready smiles for the camera. When it came time to hand out the bedkit, it was often hard to tell who was more excited, the child or the parent. All in all it was a really good day and we are looking forward to more of the same tomorrow.
Anne Kell for Team Pune 2018
Post your comments:
 |
| With MP Supriya Sule (in yellow/green) |
The distribution went very smoothly, thanks in no small measure to the wonderful help we got from the Rotarians and their spouses. It was a great ‘team’ effort, and having the parents close by really helped the children feel more comfortable, resulting in ready smiles for the camera. When it came time to hand out the bedkit, it was often hard to tell who was more excited, the child or the parent. All in all it was a really good day and we are looking forward to more of the same tomorrow.
Anne Kell for Team Pune 2018
Post your comments:
Kolkata: Day 3 - Howrah!
Our distribution took us to Howrah today to distribute 510 bedkits.
We are becoming a well tuned machine, each appreciating what it takes to make the distribution work.
Our day takes shape like this ...
We are becoming a well tuned machine, each appreciating what it takes to make the distribution work.
Our day takes shape like this ...
We arrive at the site and decide where the photos will be taken. We set up the camera and the bedkit to be photographed with the child. While that is happening, the children are met by the wonderful overseas volunteers, where the child provides their registration card, and then is provided an appropriately sized backpack (s, m, lrge) male or female. The child then changes into one of their new outfits for the donor picture and stands in line until it is their turn for a picture.
We have greeters who line the children up for the photo.
We have a setter to sit the children for the photo, we also have a label puller at the photo site
Following the photo the children then take the label to the scorekeeper table for cross referencing before moving along with their registration card to be handed their beautiful gift of the bedkit.
The child could receive a meal upon arrival at the site, or receive a boxed meal at the end....this is decided by the location host. As well, during the distribution, one team member will do candid photos of the day, while another will do surveys with parents, guardians, teachers or children about the bedkit and its contents... At times we also have to be goat herders and dog keepers, keeping the animals away....
Upon completion of the day we clean up, enjoy a meal with our hosts and then either drive back to our hotel, or drive to another location for the next day's event....
Back at the hotel we download the days photos onto the computer, go through the candid photos and write the blog ... After that we can shower and have dinner ...
We can distribute anywhere between 100 to 1000 bedkits in a day...on average it is 500-600...
We are happy that we also give to those who are handicapped and also those who have special needs, those who are in orphanages and those who are in need... We love to visit with the children, this is why we are here...
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Pune: Almost Ready!
Today was a free day until the evening Rotary predistribution meeting, so the team did some sight seeing. Travelling by scmotorized rickshaw can sure be an adventure as some of the pictures will attest. We also had time to visit the Aga Khan Palace, an historical site where Mahatma Ghandi was placed under house arrest in 1943. He was released after 21 months during which time both his wife and his personal secretary passed away. The property was designated a historical site in 1969.
In the evening at the Rotary meeting we got to meet several teams from the different distribution locations, which definitely make things easier “the day of “. Chris made a great presentation on the background of Scaw and Michael highlighted some of the aspects Canada and Canadian life in the short videos. They did a great job and responded to numerous questions after. However, I think one of the most poignant moments came from one of the Rotarions, when he said hopefully distributing bedkits will not need to go on forever, as the need will longer be there. Looking forward to our first distribution tomorrow!
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
In the evening at the Rotary meeting we got to meet several teams from the different distribution locations, which definitely make things easier “the day of “. Chris made a great presentation on the background of Scaw and Michael highlighted some of the aspects Canada and Canadian life in the short videos. They did a great job and responded to numerous questions after. However, I think one of the most poignant moments came from one of the Rotarions, when he said hopefully distributing bedkits will not need to go on forever, as the need will longer be there. Looking forward to our first distribution tomorrow!
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
Kolkata: Day Two Success!!
Today we drove about an hour to Barrackpore. Along the drive we saw the city streets coming to life with people starting their day... getting a shave in the streets, buying in the markets, school buses, chickens and cows....
Upon our arrival at the Gandhi Memorial Museum, which is located on the Ganges River, we were pleased to view the children being fed a hot meal. They had beautiful smiles and full tummies! The distribution took place in the lovely gardens, which paled in comparison to the beauty of the children in their colourful new clothes. Today was a very good day!
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Upon our arrival at the Gandhi Memorial Museum, which is located on the Ganges River, we were pleased to view the children being fed a hot meal. They had beautiful smiles and full tummies! The distribution took place in the lovely gardens, which paled in comparison to the beauty of the children in their colourful new clothes. Today was a very good day!
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Pune: Our First Full Day!
Hello from Pune!
We have now had our first full day in Pune after a long journey from the cold weather of Ontario to the warmth of India. We were welcomed warmly by the Rotarians and have settled in to our hotel and home for the next 12 days. The shrine in the hotel reception area is cleaned each morning and new offerings of flowers and incense appear throughout the day.
The Rotary Clubs have been key to so many successful distributions and we are looking forward to getting started Tuesday, but first we will attend the Club meeting and make some presentations about SCAW and show images with commentary about Canada.
The highlight today was a visit to the Kite Flying Festival at a park overlooking the city and sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Pune. It is very popular this time of year and the children had a great time. The SCAW Team had the honour of handing out some of the prizes awarded at the end of the evening. Theresa, Ann and Larry are pictured with the president of the Rotary Club and his wife.
Team Pune 2018
Post your comments here:
Kolkata: Candid Pictures Our First Two Distributions!
The SCAW Kolkata team reports that they are all in fine spirits and have just completed their first two distributions.
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here:
Team Kolkata 2018
Post your comments here: