Togo: Our Day Off!
With the first 3,000 bedkits lovingly given to each deserving child who had been selected in the remote villages of southern Togo, the team took a much needed break.
We went down to the ocean this morning and walked the beach for an hour. It was noticed that there were very few of the locals on the beautiful, white sand beach. The water is very warm, and even without large waves being present, there is still lots of power behind each wave, some going a long distance up the beach.
There is the Conference of the First Ministers of West Africa here in the city this weekend. As such, many fo the streets in the city center near the parliament buildings are closed. Our driver managed to drive via a circuitous route to la Place d'Independence today for us to take some pictures. We were the only 'non-official vehicle' in that area and no one said anything to us.
In the afternoon, Stuart and Ian Culbertson went to a local soccer match with Bill the Cook. It was quite the interesting time for them and they had many stories to tell and the passion that the Togolese have for their 'football'. It similar to the passion that the average Canadian has for hockey.
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Togo: Not Just Bedkits!
Below are pictures of the Principals of the schools who either hosted the distributions this week or the Principals of the schools whose children were selected to receive a bedkit. None of their schools has a First Aid kit at it. To provide this necessity to the schools, Doug MacDougald, put together 56 FA kits for the SCAW Travelling Volunteers to hand out to each one after the distributions.
The Principals were very thankful for this kind act and assured the SCAW team that the First Aid kits would be put to good use in their schools.
Bill Sergeant
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Togo: Rain Brings Unexpected Joy!
It has taken the team some time to get used to the variable weather in Togo. We had a violent thunderstorm during the second evening that we were here. It knocked out the power in Lome, and toppled large trees in the southern part of the country where we were doing our distributions. Thank goodness, none of the trees blocked the roads that we were taking.
The rain did play havoc with the distribution on Day 2, in that our OVPs had to bring up a second shipment of clothes for the children to wear during the distribution, since the original sets were wet from the driving rain that seeped into the storage area. The delay in the distribution allowed our team to entertain the children using the Harmonica that Stuart and Ian Culbertson brought along. Our OVPs also sang songs and did dances with the children, which were enjoyed by all present.
The SCAW travelling team is thoroughly enjoying the interaction with the Togolese children. They were thrilled when they were shown what they would be receiving in the bedkit. The 500 children who were waiting to change into their new SCAW clothes cheered and screamed with excitement when each item was shown to them, especially once they know for certain that this was their gift from the SCAW donors. What a heart-warming memory for members of our team.
For the Children,
Team Togo 2018
Post your comments here:Togo: Bedkits On Their Journeys Home!
After a great distribution, we have wonderful, happy children making their way home, along with their precious bedkits!
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Togo: Our Official Team Arrival Blog!
The Togo team has arrived in Lome!!! After a seven hour flight flight from Toronto to Brussels and an eight hour flight from Brussels to Lome, we were greeted with huge hugs by Overseas Volunteer Partners Laurent, Gladys and several others.
After a delicious dinner and a wonderful sleep, we set out Sunday morning to the supermarket for groceries and had a quick stop at the open air market for fruits and veggies. We wrapped up the day with a visit to the warehouse where the bedkits are being stored. It was a great sight to see all the mattresses and backpacks waiting for distribution to the children!
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| Warehouse filled with bedkits! |
We start our first distribution tomorrow bright and early and are looking forward to seeing all the excited children with big smiles on their faces!!
Ricki Miles
Team Togo 2018
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Philippines: 7000 Bedkits Delivered!
The last day of the distribution and our team is a little on the quiet side. We’re already missing the happy, shy, very well behaved children. We’ve all been touched by getting to know some of the people and seeing where they live. This has been a real eye opener to understanding extreme poverty. We’ve been treated like royalty. Children touching their forehead with our hand “Thank you Po!” Interviewing mothers who try to stretch $3.00/day for feed five people. Meeting very caring, hard working teachers and principals, and enjoying the kidding around, dedication and organization of the Philippine SCAW team and all of their volunteers. These people desperately want SCAW to return. We want everyone receiving a picture of a child and their bedkit to realize that this has made a huge difference in this child’s life!
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| 7000 Bedkits! |
Cheers from all of us here in The Philppines!!
Pamela Horricks
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Togo: The Value of Flip Flops
It is our first distribution day in Kpalme some 100km north east of Lome. My job today was handing out 500 backpacks containing school supplies, mosquito nets and sundry clothing items to the children. Included in the backpacks are a simple pair of flip flop sandals. As most of the time I was hunched over, eyes fixed downwards to place the back packs upon the happy recipients, I was afforded a wonderful vantage point to observe what these flip flops would be replacing. In some cases worn out sandals. In others, mismatched shoes - in one case two mismatched left shoes and no rights. In some cases, oversized sandals; in others cramped undersized ones. In several cases, children had no shoes at all. One child's worn out sandals finally flipped their last flop and actually gave out at the photo shoot. Happily, a few minutes later, she had a new pair when she received her back pack. At the end of our day at the site, I encountered a young girl going through her backpack and clutching with glee a new bright pink pair of flip flops as if it were Christmas morning and she had just received what she had always wished for - Simple Flip Flops. Just a very small part of what our donors contribute to our recipients. And, as is often discovered, something that we take more than for granted at home is something that is much cherished here - and very much needed as well.
Stuart for Team Togo 2018
Post your comments here:Togo: The Team Is Well
I have received an email from Team Togo today who have arrived safely and are working hard. They have finally been able to connect to the internet and have completed 4 distributions!
More blogs to come soon!
Laurie - Blog administrator
for Team Togo 2018
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More blogs to come soon!
Laurie - Blog administrator
for Team Togo 2018
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Philippines: Our Almost Last Day!
Left our lovely hotel where all the people on the front desk came outside before we departed to line up and say goodbye...so thoughtful.
The first site we arrived at in the morning appeared totally deserted....do we have the right place??? Seems we were at the wrong side of the building but things were happening out back!! Our volunteers and some SCAW team members had an impromptu dance fest which drew huge smiles from all the onlookers! Great fun. After the distribution we were taken to an outdoor holiday house owned by one of the Filipino volunteers and fed a wonderful lunch.
Our second site in the afternoon was in a beautiful church, large, bright and airy. Luckily we had the perfect set up inside because the heavens opened up and it POURED! The distribution carried on flawlessly with no diversions. We sure have been lucky but then our team all work well together so there wouldn't be too much that we can't work around. Our days are numbered now as we approach the last double distribution tomorrow of a 1000 kits.
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| 'The best view comes after the hardest climb' |
Sharon Andrews
Team Philippines 2018Post your comments here:
Philippines: Teamwork, Fun & Smiling Kids!
Today was the hottest day of the trip and with the help of many amazing teams and a whole lot of water, we made it through the day with smiles on our faces. In the morning we were treated to wonderful dance performances and songs. After a delicious lunch that was prepared for us by our gracious hosts and volunteers from Kiwanis, we were set for the afternoon. The streets were sizzling with excitement as we arrived to the afternoon distribution, and we enjoyed taking some time to meet and chat with the parents who were waiting for their little ones. It was another successful day of teamwork, fun, and smiling children.
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Melissa Baker
Team Philippines 2018Post your comments here:
Philippines: Always An Adventure!
We are “on the road again “ for a five hour or “two pit stop” trip to our next destination.After about an hour of driving through tropical lowlands covered in rice fields we take the “zig-zag” road over the mountain through a Philippine National Park to the China Sea. We we re greeted with a tropical rain storm as we drove south along the coast through various oceanfront towns and villages. Suddenly a “blow out tire” and because of the excellent driving skills of our driver all are safe and sound. We arrive at our destination about an hour late but the 400 bedkit distribution goes off without a hitch and there is another 400 happy children and parents.
Team Philippines 2018
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Philippines: A Day of Thanks You For This Wonderful Gift!
Another day, another 1000 bedkits, another 1000 happy children who will have a good night’s sleep. Our fifth day of distributions was completed successfully thanks to the amazing work of our overseas partners, SCAW Philippines, and the local Kiwanis volunteers. We even managed to organize 100 children into one photo which was quite an organizational feat. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to speak with 10 young moms with babies to learn about their experiences and challenges. After a day like this the SCAW team was also ready for a good night’s sleep. Written by
Jan Gayman
Team Philippines 2018
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This young man is Janley (7 years old). He is saying:
"Thank you very much to his donor [for his bedkit he received today]."
This is Galle and her Mom. Galle is seven and received a bedkit today. Her Mom would like to say: "Thank you very much for what you have given us. It is going to be extremely helpful to our family."
Jan Gayman
Team Philippines 2018
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Togo: All Aboard!!
Team Togo 2018 is enroute for this year's distributions. We are looking to meeting Laurent, Gladys and all of the Action Enfance et Développement (AED) Overseas Volunteer Partners again. Their enthusiasm and ardent support of SCAW makes each distribution a joy as well help more and more children there.
We are at airport waiting on Ricki from Winnipeg. Her is our first pic checking in with our luggage.
All aboard!
Bill & Julie for Team Togo 2018
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| Ian and Stuart Culbertson, |
We are at airport waiting on Ricki from Winnipeg. Her is our first pic checking in with our luggage.
All aboard!
Bill & Julie for Team Togo 2018
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Philippines: Day 4 – A Song, A Dance, and a Smile!
Today the team had one distribution in the morning before heading to the next town for two more big days. When we arrived at the school we were welcomed by a group of older students singing songs in Acapella. It was such a beautiful way to start the distribution along with some amazing dance performances from the children. There were even some guest dancers who may just look exactly like the members of our SCAW team! After a wonderful morning of handing out bedkits we were treated to a delicious lunch, and then it was time to hit the road for the next adventure. Overall another fantastic day with the children!
Melissa Baker
Team Philippines 2018
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Philippines: Smiles From All!
The sun was just rising this morning when we left Manila and headed out of the city to our fourth distribution at a local school run by a group of nuns. We were treated to a delicious lunch created by The Sisters and cooked with fresh food from their extensive gardens.
Our second distribution in the afternoon was held on campus a local college. We were amazed at the huge numbers of local volunteers at both sites - over 60 in total - who helped in so many ways . The SCAW Philippines Team with their usual attention to detail arranged everything including translating while we conducted interviews with the parents of bedkit recipients. We shared some of our interview notes on the long ride to the hotel. The stories of the families and the gratitude was indeed humbling.
We finally arrived at our hotel around 7:30 pm tired but very grateful for the opportunity have experienced 2 more successful distributions. Tonight we too will sleep well.
Beth Poad
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Philippines: A Big Day!
Big day for SCAW with 2 distributions for a total of 1000 bedkits. Rain threatened in the afternoon but we were lucky and and came through without a drop.Another successful day for the children and all the volunteers. Also , the parents in attendance are as excited as the children and can't thank us enough for what we are doing. It doesn’t get much better than this!
Sharon Andrews
Team Philippines 2018
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Sharon Andrews
Team Philippines 2018
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Philippines: Our First Distribution!
Our first distribution day started out extremely well. While gathering in the foyer, another hotel guest noticed our fuchsia shirts and gave SCAW a lovely donation! We then visited a church, Our Lady Of Good Voyage. We visited a house belonging to Dr Ito to see that the entire house was stuffed from top to bottom with stored bedkits!!! After a meeting and lots of eating, we headed to the school where the children were. Flexibility was the order of the day, because the heavens opened and it poured rain! Our set up was rearranged and 500 happy children went home looking forward to a good night’s sleep.
Pamela Horricks for Team Philippines 2018
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Pamela Horricks for Team Philippines 2018
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Philippines: We're Here!!
The team arrived and are preparing for the first distribution tomorrow. 500 kits will be delivered to the kids. Jet lag is almost tamed. The team is a nice mix of experience and rookies.
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| Team members: (L to R) Ken, Melissa, Sharon, Beth, Jan, Pam, William |
Team Philippines 2018
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