Honduras 2019: Day 5 of distribution

Today we were again on our way at 6:45 for another adventure. Once again, along the road families were greeting and thanking us, and we received spontaneous hugs from the children. The school where today's distribution took place was built by the parents in the village, which demonstrates how important education is to them.

When we first arrived, we set about working on stringing the backpacks and moving them and the bedkits to the best spots to distribute them.

The distribution process worked like this:

• First, the children received a t-shirt and shorts. 
• Next, they had their pictures taken. If a donor had bought ten bedkits, a group of ten children would be photographed together for the donor’s photo.
• The next stop was exciting, because each child received a backpack filled with school supplies and books.
• Now for the important part: a bedkit with everything they would need for a good night's sleep, including a mosquito net.
• Before leaving, each child was given healthy snacks and a drink box to add to their backpack.

Now, happily carrying their new possessions, the children made their way to the gate, which was guarded, to meet up with their moms or dads.

When all was over, we walked back to the van through the now almost-empty streets with a lot of wonderful memories.

Sleep well

Simon Maranda 
Team Honduras 2019

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Honduras 2019: Excited and gracious children

Today we were on the road by 6:45, heading to our next distribution site in the country.
After turning up a steep, rough road leading up to the school, our van was surrounded by excited families waving to us with big smiles on their faces. So many people!

When we exited the van we were greeted with lots of hugs.

This distribution went exceptionally well. The help from the Honduran volunteers made a big difference.

The children were wonderful. I was impressed by how caring they were of each other, especially with any of their friends who were disadvantaged in some way. Many of the older kids had learned to say a few words in English, including “thank you”.

When we were finished the distribution, the once-crowded school looked deserted.

This little boy couldn’t wait.

Carol Maranda

Team Honduras 2019

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Honduras 2019: A Special Gift

Today found us distributing another 600 bedkits in a small community on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa.

It was an especially difficult but meaningful day for me, as I got to photograph and interview 14 beautiful children who received bedkits in memory of a sweetheart of a girl named Olivia. She loved children and supported Sleeping Children. Her parents donated the bedkits in memory of her.

After telling them Olivia's story via a translator, I asked them a series of questions. The last question I asked the children (all 6 and 7 years old) was, is there anything you would like to say to Olivia's parents? Here are some of their responses:

“she was beautiful”

“she was very pretty”

“I would have liked to play with her”

“tell them we will say a prayer for her”

Thankfully, I was not needed out in the open to help with the distribution. I volunteered myself to go help move bedkits where I was alone and had time to gather myself.

Sweet dreams, children

Clarence Deyoung

Team Honduras 2019

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Team Honduras: Day 2 of distribution

Day 2 had our Team on the road at 6:30 am, as our distribution site was outside the capital city of Tegucigalpa, in the Amarateca Valley. Here, the farmers grow onions, corn, guava and mangoes.

Our first task upon arrival was threading straps for the 600 children’s backpacks! Luckily, we had the help of our wonderful Rotaracts!

The Rotaracts are part of our overseas partners, the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa.

The school we were at today was built with the assistance of a Honduran benefactor and the government. There have been additions over the years, as the original building was destroyed by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. When we arrived, one of the classrooms was full of the mattresses waiting for our distribution. 

At the end of the day, another 600 Honduran children went home with smiles on their faces and their arms full of their new bedkits.

Thank you to our generous donors!

Joy Squire-Smith

Team Honduras 2019


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Honduras 2019: A joyous beginning

Today was our first day getting to meet the kids – all 600 bubbly, giggly, excited little girls and boys who bounced their way into the schoolyard where we were working. They charmed us with their smiles and their manners, their thank-yous and hugs. At every step our Canadian and Honduras teams mirrored the joy on the faces of the kids.

It was great to look around the schoolyard and see the adults high-fiving the kids, playing puppets with them, talking and smiling, and just having a great day all together. And it was even better seeing the smiles on each of the kids’ faces as the backpack was put on their back, and they carried their cozy new mattress out the school gates to their family waiting outside.

It really was "teamwork makes the dream work" in action! We are looking forward to traveling outside the city tomorrow and meeting another 600 terrific kids! 

Debbie Will-Dryden
Team Honduras 2019

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Team Honduras 2019: Ready and eager to go!

The team for the Honduras distribution was together for the first time this morning after travelling from areas right across the country.  

With no time to waste, we were off to meet with our Rotary and Rotaract partners. There was a thorough discussion of the upcoming distribution and we were able to see the wonderful bedkit the children will be receiving. We were then treated to a delicious lunch at the home of one of our Rotary partners.

In the evening, we reviewed each role for the distribution and did a mock set-up of a bedkit for the pictures.

We're all excited and ready to go for our first day tomorrow!

Susan Simpson
Team Honduras 2019

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Honduras 2019 -- Post your comments here:

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Tanzania: Signing Off!!

Our work here is finished and we leave Tanzania with cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

We would not have been able to enrich the lives of 7500 children without coming together as a united, strong team. 

Thank you to everyone for your energy, your commitment and your love of children.

Asante sana,
Peggy Morrison - Team Leader for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: Priceless!

Every parent wants the best for their child. At the SCAW distributions, a parent/guardian is required to attend in order to understand the purpose of the program, to learn about the research connected to our promotion of a good night's sleep, and to assist with the transportation of the bedkit home. 

When we first meet the parents, they are somewhat reserved, yet very polite, and perhaps a bit suspicious (too good to be true, perhaps?!)

Our SCAW partners, and our team leader, Peggy, explain our purpose and intent to the moms and dads, grandparents and guardians:

Then, the realization that their child, and their family, is about to receive a useful and practical gift that promotes a healthy sleep sets in...and we are so fortunate to be hanging around to be able see the true joy in the faces of these most appreciative parents and guardians:
  

The absolute best, though, is watching it all sink it on a child's face...

Quite the impact for $35.00CDN.  Priceless, actually!

Irene S. for 
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: A Tanzania Classroom!

What does a Tanzanian classroom look like? 

Being a teacher myself in Canada, I was interested in learning about this. I figured this was a simple enough question but soon learned the answer is not. 

After visiting 7 different school sites, I soon came to realize that there is no "typical classroom."  The learning can be in a class with desks and chairs.... like Canada, or it can take place in a classroom sitting on the floor as there are very few desks. 

In some schools, there aren't enough classrooms, so they teaching takes place outside!

The biggest surprise to me about the Tanzanian classroom is the number of students. Chatting with the teachers, I was told that some classes have over 50 students! I was shocked until other teachers told me of 100+ students in one room. I started to think that this might be a language problem - a miscommunication - until I saw a class with 200 students.... not just one classroom but an entire school with every classroom filled with wall to wall students. 

God bless these teachers!!!!!

Allison M. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: Conversations!!

As a SCAW group of travelling volunteers there are a number of activities we do beyond distributing the bedkits to the children. There are home visits to meet prior year recipients, reviews of financial records of our volunteer partners, writing these blogs, checking and re-checking the photos to make sure they are complete and accurate, etc.

One other activity that each of us gets to do is to engage in “conversations” with parents, guardians, and/or teachers of the current year’s children. Today was my day for these conversations. Some guideline questions are as follows:

Normally the conversation will go down a path where the adult is most comfortable, and not all questions will get addressed, but we usually get some very good and thoughtful insight into how our efforts will likely impact the home life of the children.

The conversations are facilitated by one of our local partner representatives, who help with translation, and who also benefit from the feedback that we receive. Mama’s son, Benjamin, has been helping us with our conversations throughout this distribution. 

My two conversations today were both with single mothers who each have 4 children at home. In both homes there are at least two people sharing each bed/mat, and a good night’s sleep is a challenge because of the cold and cramped conditions.

In reviewing the various responses received by team members during their conversations, there are some consistent themes that arise:

• all are extremely grateful for the bedkits and indicate that it will definitely improve their living conditions and the children’s school opportunity for learning.
• school supplies are expensive and many children go without.
• the water bottles are a big hit (thanks, Raymond James!).
• most parents are reluctant to “rank” the items in the bedkit. Our sense is that everything is cherished and they don’t want us to think some things are not valued.

My biggest takeaway from these conversations is that, if we think the children are excited with their new possessions, the parents are ecstatic!!!

Signing off on Day 8,
James C. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: Flag Day!

We arrived today just in time to witness the raising of the Tanzanian flag. 

At several of the schools we have watched the children sing their national anthem, and other songs like “Tanzania, Tanzania” accompanied by students playing the drums. 
 
 

This morning morning we had about 20 boys helping unload the backpacks and tie up the mattresses up for distribution. 

John attached Canadian flag pins on the boys’ lapels.  They were so excited! 
 

Allison hung our Canadian flag at one of the distribution stations. 

Louise and John for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Team Tanzania: Time Flies When We're Having Fun!

We finished our first week of distributions and our team wants to thank Mama Wandoa, her son Benjamin and her group of volunteers for all of their help. It is uncanny the way they anticipate our needs and we could not ask for better partners. Asante sana.

On Friday afternoon our team walked a long way through a village to visit the homes of previous bedkit recipients. How humbling it was to see where our children live.

Saturday was our day off and this hard-working group wanted to experience some of the sights in Tanzania. Up bright and early we met our guide, Tetula, and with our trusty driver, Abbas, off we went on our adventure.

First stop was the Mwenge Woodcarvers Cooperative where we watched the artists create animals from ebony wood. Some of our team made some purchases to support their work.

We took a drive through the campus of the beautiful Dar es Salaam University as Tetula’s son hopes to study Economics there in the fall.

The next place we visited was the Village Museum and we saw an impressive display of dwellings starting in the 1700s to the present day. John and Irene had to duck in the doorways.

We learned that this team sure can dance!!!!

The Tinga Tinga Arts Cooperative is an explosion of vibrant colours with a very distinctive style of art. John and Peggy were able to purchase their Christmas tree ornaments. 

At the National Museum we learned about Tanzania’ s history and appreciated Tetula’s knowledge of her country.

John had to have a Tanzanian flag to display on Independence Day which is December 9th.

The last stop was the Fish Market with lots of people, noise and interesting ‘catches of the day’.

Tomorrow is a rest day.  As a sleep organization we know that ‘a healthy team needs a healthy sleep’. Lala salama (sleep well).

We are excited to see our children on Monday for the last five days of distributions.

Peggy M.
Team Leader
For the 7500 Children

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Tanzania: Every Distribution Is Unique!

Every distribution day is unique. A different location with new recipients, new adventures, and new stories.  However, what remains constant, is the tried and true "method of delivery". If it ain't broke...!

Upon arrival at the distribution site, we first take some time to meet, and to mingle with, the families of the bedkit recipients. 
 

If we're at a school, we watch the opening exercises, and we practice our Swahili while the students switch roles and become our (amused) teachers. 
 

Then it's on to the business at hand. Our local SCAW partners have always beaten us to the delivery site. They unload the bedkits and mattresses and start to set up the stations. Children are then ushered into change rooms where they receive their first, of two, new outfits. 

The children then proceed, with both hesitation and excitement, to the photo station. Yes, it can all be a little overwhelming for everybody involved, whether you're 6 or 60!

However, when greeted by someone as happy and as warm as John, how can one not feel more relaxed?!

Photos are taken...

Then the children are reunited with their belongings and sent on to the check-in station.

  

A quick swipe with a Sharpie (colour choice is one of the perks of working at this station!) confirms that the child is ready to move on.
 

Backpacks first (different colours indicate sizing of school uniforms inside)...

Mattresses next...

"Mom? Dad? I'm ready!"

Repeat. 780 times a day. 

Nope, it never gets old.
 
Irene S.for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: 780 More Bedkits Distributed!

Today’s adventure started (not so) bright and early - up at 4:50 a.m. and on the road by 5:30 a.m. Everyone made wake-up call and we headed down into the southern coastal region. Even at this hour the streets are busy and there are people everywhere beginning their day.

We arrived at today’s school - Kilimahewa - by 7:45 a.m. The roads were less busy than anticipated which gave us extra time to spend with the children before beginning the distribution.

The children are fantastic all the time, but they have extra energy first thing in the morning and they love to help us get organized.

This is also the time when our team’s “child whisperer” starts her engagement with the children.

We had a special treat this morning as the children provided us with a half hour of songs, anthems and dance. A number of our group joined in the dancing and our team leader, Peggy, taught our new friends the hand jive to add to their repertoire!

I had the fun job of “mattress-giver” for the day. Always one of the best spots as you get to see the smiles on the children's faces as they receive their backpack and mattress.

The day progressed smoothly as the team delivered 780 bed kits in under 3 and a half hours - kudos to Mama, Benjamin and their team of volunteers who keep everything running like clockwork. Even the trip home was quicker than anticipated - all in all a great day.

James C. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: Another 760 Bedkits Distributed!!

For our distribution today, we travelled two hours into the coastal area of Tanzania. We left the dust and concrete of the large city for lush green mango trees and rich red soil!

We passed monkeys and houses made of red clay on our way to the village school.

The school itself teaches just under 200 students but they invited six other remote schools to join in on the distribution. The other schools arrived by bus. It was quite a sight to see all of the students, their parents, teachers and bedkits trying to fit onto the bus for the trip home!

We were lucky enough to have chance to meet a few Maasai tribes people. Some were now living amongst the villagers and sending their kids to school for an education.

 All in all it was another great day! In total, we handed out 760 bedkits to very enthusiastic kids and appreciative families.

Allison M. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: First Distribution!!

Our day began with a trip to Mama Wandoa's home. We arrived just in time to help load the truck with the backpacks and supplies

After a quick tour of Mama's home, we were shown upstairs to her cottage industry where the women and men sew the backpacks, bedding, and children's clothes.

Then it was on to the distribution. Today was a smaller group of children - 500! These bedkits were added on at the last minute. We were greeted by the parents with a warm welcome.

Backpacks and mattresses were organized, and then it was off to the races!

  

We knew it would be fun, we knew it would be rewarding, but not in our wildest dreams did we expect how much.

The day at school ends with the last child receiving his/her bedkit to the sound of ringing of the "tire-rim bell".

On our way home we stopped at the mattress factory that produces all the mattresses for all of the distributions in Tanzania – 7500 for this trip! We were shown the manufacturing of the mattresses from beginning to finished product. So many bright colours!

Louise W. & John M. 

for Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: We Have Arrived And Ready To Go!!

After two long, but (thankfully), uneventful flights, Team Tanzania arrived in Dar es Salaam on Saturday evening. The walk across the blistering airport tarmac in Dubai, coupled with the wait on the stairs to board the connecting plane in 38+ degree heat, didn't cast a chill over our excitement! As we flew over Tanzania we spotted the tip of Mount Kilimanjaro poking out above the cloud cover to say, "Jambo" (hello)!

Some of us were surprised to find the sun setting before 7pm, as our Canadian summer days are still gloriously long. We were greeted right at the arrival gate by Mama Wandoa, her son, Benjamin, and our driver, Abbas. Mama Wandoa and her family have been SCAW partners since 2000 and we were honoured to meet her, and humbled that she and Benjamin took the time to personally escort us from the airport to our "home away from home". We promptly proceeded to overcome our jetlag with showers and sleep.

Sunday morning began with a team meeting, followed by a trip to the local plaza for water and a few provisions. Someone, not me, forgot their toothbrush! Team Leader, Peggy, treated us to gelato, which is just as refreshing and delicious here as it is pretty much anywhere in the world! Abbas (pictured below with Team Tanzania and the van which will be transporting us all over the country over the next two weeks) also gave us a quick tour of Coco Beach, where we dipped our toes into the Indian Ocean. 

Team Tanzania 2019: Irene S., James C., Louise W.,  Abbas, Lynn B., Peggy M., Allison M., John M

We held another planning meeting in the evening, with Mama and Benjamin, to discuss particulars about the first distribution, including a factory visit, and upcoming home visits of former bedkit recipients. We were awed to learn that one of our Tanzanian partner volunteers, with whom we will be working alongside this week, received a bedkit when she was a child - full circle giving!

Monday morning, and our first distribution, can't come soon enough!

Off to the plaza (and gelato)!.

Irene S. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Philippines: Signing Off!!

After wrapping up distributions a few days ago and having some time to see some sights and rest, we were back on official business today with two factory visits.  We were able to visit the backpack factory and the factory where the mattress, sheet, pillow and shirts were produced.  Both were small cottage industries.  The backpack production took place in a small building and also in the front room of the managers' house. The manager lived in the house rent free.  Two sewing machines were in operation when we visited at the front of the house.  

The mattress production took place in three rooms of a building which also housed several of the workers and their families.   No worries about getting to work on time when you live in the building where you work.  Also a flexible work schedule was available.

Both had hired workers on contract but the workers usually had steady employment as orders were good.  After the big order for our bedkits workers received a bonus and a bit of time off.  Both were paid by piece work and therefore overtime opportunities were welcomed. 

Some of our mattresses were piled up against a wall and these had been rejected due to flaws.  I was pleased to hear that the workers would receive these mattresses.  

There was a fan at each sewing machine and lighting seemed good.  

As this was our last official duty, Team Philippines is signing off.  Homeward bound soon.

Team Philippines 2019
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