Bangladesh 2019: Distribution Day 2 - Battling the Elements, Day 4

Today we battled the elements to find a suitable site for our second day's distribution. A cyclone is sweeping this area of Bangladesh so we had steady rain most of the day, making the original site impossible. 

The children were kept dry throughout the day making for many more happy smiles. 

Those selected for a bedkit wear a lanyard identifying them, their parents, and their school. 

This is the well-guarded "passport" to the photo site.

Chris Hills
Team Bangladesh, 2019

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South Africa 2019: An especially exciting day

Today we visited two more schools and distributed over 400 bedkits. Things got a bit hectic because both schools were holding graduation exercises and awards assemblies as well.

The school year ends in late November with all students writing exams. This was a doubly exciting day, as many received proficiency awards for their studies as well as bedkits. This will certainly be a day they will not soon forget!

Team South Africa 2019

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Bangladesh 2019: First Distribution Day at Noapara, Day 3

We flew south to Jessore to start our first distribution at Noapara. We were greeted at the school entrance by the school band who welcomed us with a great rendition of Queen's "We will rock you!" (Freddie Mercury would have been proud).

It was a rousing welcome from children, parents, teachers and local volunteers. 

       

As we made our way inside, flower petals were showered on us! 

Today we were eased into the flow of the 2019 distribution handing out 340 bedkits.

Chris Hills

Team Bangladesh, 2019

Bangladesh 2019: A Visit to Headquarters, Day 2

Today we visited the Rotary Club of Dhaka's headquarters. 

Here we met Zakir Hussain, who has been the club secretary for all the years that the club has been connected with SCAW. (He has met everybody!)

After visiting the offices of the Rotary Club of Dhaka, the evening was taken up with their regular weekly meeting, where on-going projects and reports were presented to the members.  The imminent start of the annual SKD of bedkits was discussed as were reports on the many months of planning that lead to today.  The roles of the various SKD team were recognized and applauded.

A sample of the bedkit was presented along with the SCAW ORP, by President Rtn. Niaz Abdur Rahman, Secretary Muhammad Sameer Uddin, SKD 2019 Chairman Jawaherul Ghani, and MD Salimullah.  Of special note was that MD Salimullah brought the very first SCAW distribution to Bangladesh in 1979 . . . . . 50 bedkits!!

Rtn. Mehdi demonstrate the bedkit carrying technique!

The club is especially grateful to Mehdi for his generosity in donating the warehousing (a spacious, clean, dry, secure location in the centre of Dhaka) for the bedkits for the past eight years.

Chris Hills
Team Bangladesh, 2019

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Bangladesh 2019: Warm Welcome and Preparation, Day 1

The warmth of Bangladesh and the warmth from several members of the SKD team welcomed us to Dhaka.  Our flights all went smoothly and were on time.

After a few hours of sleep we were up and off to visit the SKD warehouse to see what 8,000 bedkits look like.  The last few were being put together, ready for shipment the next day.

Pictured here are most of the SKD team (a few absentees) making final preparations for the distribution.

The names of the team in the group are (L to R) Khaliq, Shaheed Siddiq, Gail, Mehdi, Ghani, Chris, Nasim, Nahar, Badrul. (Missing are Rowly, Ranjan, Anwar, Masud, Bayazid)

Chris Hills
Team Bangladesh, November 2019

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South Africa 2019: Reaching children in need

Today we did two distributions, one in the morning at a school, and the second one in the afternoon at a unique location. At the school, we gave out 220 bedkits to deserving children, and were then treated to a delicious lunch.

Our second distribution was about two hours away at a farm called Philadelphia Ark. This is a charitable non-profit company which provides shelter and food and a working environment for destitute people who have suffered some type of trauma in their life. Families who live here are given a chance to regroup, receive counselling, and try to resume a productive life. Most leave in a year or less. There are over 500 people living here at this settlement, and 120 are children of all ages.

We felt that at both of these venues, the need was great. Another successful distribution!

Suzanne Andrew

Team South Africa 2019

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South Africa 2019: Second day of distributions - rewarded with smiles

Today we enjoyed another beautiful weather day in the Johannesburg area. SCAW's OVP's, Shirley and Rufus, drove us to the distribution site. A typical school day here begins at 7:30 am with breakfast being served to the children. When we arrived, the children were already dressed in their new clothes and anxiously awaiting our arrival. You could tell by their smiles that they were thrilled with their new clothes.

The principal had excellent rapport with both teachers and students alike, and was obviously well respected. The belief at this school was that a well-fed child will achieve better academic results. They are fortunate that because of the high needs in this community, they have the support of NGO's and other volunteers. They give the children breakfast, snack and lunch every day, which for some children may be their only food each week. The gift of a bedkit will benefit each of these well deserving children. 

Anne Andrew. 

Team South Africa 2019

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South Africa 2019 - Distributions begin

We were off and running today for our first distribution of 174 bedkits. It was at a large complex containing regular schools through to high school, but we worked out of a school called Pure Hope for very underprivileged children.

Eleanor joined us to help from Rotary. She is a doctor supporting a clinic for this school as well as a large settlement about 200 metres away. This settlement contains homes constructed of nothing but cardboard and scrap material. There isn’t any electricity, running water, or sewage systems. It is unknown exactly how many people live there, as most are unregistered, meaning they are faceless and don’t exist in the system.

The settlement is the main source of students for our school. The students start at two years of age and come having never seen running water or toilets, many suffering from malnourishment. The children get two meals a day at school, and this is usually the only food they have each day. Eleanor related a story of a mother who brought her baby to the clinic yesterday, but sadly the child died shortly after from malnutrition.

The children are being looked after by the school but go home to nothing. A bedkit must mean so much more to them than we can ever imagine. Eleanor suggested a lot of them have never had anything “new” in their lives.

Our distribution for the day had a few problems to solve, it being the first time we have been to South Africa, but we worked through them. Tomorrow should be easier.

Jim Miller

Team South Africa 2019

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South Africa 2019: On the ground and preparing for bedkit distributions

The SCAW team had a truly wonderful day today enjoying their new friends from South Africa. The day began with a pre-distribution meeting at the home of Shirley Downie, the South African Team Coordinator. Plans for the upcoming distribution were discussed and final details sorted to give out 1500 bedkits to needy children in South Africa.

The teams then bonded and ate salads and sausage and ribs cooked over a wood “braii” (barbecue).

An afternoon drive though one of the “townships” and a tour of a local mosque (the largest in the Southern Hemisphere) was very interesting.

Both teams are looking forward to our first two school visits in the townships tomorrow, and are excited to meet the children.

Beth Poad

Team Leader

Team South Africa 2019

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South Africa 2019: On our way!

Team South Africa 2019 departed from Toronto with smiles and anticipation.

L-R: Beth Poad (Team Leader), Suzanne Andrew, Anne Andrew, and Jim Miller

Many hours and some re-routing later, they were welcomed to Johannesburg by their hosts.

Beth Poad

Team Leader

Team South Africa 2019

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South Africa 2019 - Post your comments here

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Sri Lanka 2019: A better night's sleep for 7,000 children

Completed! 7,000 children have now received a bedkit in the Sri Lanka 2019 distribution, thanks to the generosity of our donors. 

Pictured here with the child receiving the last bedkit to be distributed are, left to right: Ted Swanston (Assistant Team Leader), Iain Maciver, Karen Morgan (Team Leader), Carol Swanston, Eileen St. Croix, and Lloyd White.

Together, the SCAW and Rotarian teams celebrate the completion of Sri Lanka 2019 distribution.

Team Sri Lanka 2019

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Sri Lanka 2019: A peek behind the scenes

Rains came in cloud bursts, causing flooding in the city streets.

Karen working the camera

Eileen doing the counter sheets 

The factory where this year’s backpacks were made.
Note: The child in the picture below is the son of the owner of the factory, and not a worker there.

Team Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka 2019: A musical welcome

Today we returned to a different school Yakwila. We were greeted by children with flowers, accompanied by an all-girl marching band who looked beautiful in their light and darker green costumes.

We delivered 766 bedkits to the smiling children who delighted us with their "thank yous”. We were treated to a delicious lunch prepared by the teachers and parents who also helped us immensely during the distribution.

Eileen & Lloyd

Team Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka 2019: Each day a blessing

The SCAW team receives a variety of greetings at the different sites, which are selected for us. Being honoured by marching school drum bands, and receiving leis, lotus flowers and/or beetle leaves from the school children are just a few of the special ways to start our day. 

Today, we participated in a candle-lighting ceremony, requesting a blessing for the distribution that is about to take place. This was followed by two young female students thanking donors for their gift.

Ted Swanston
Team Sri Lanka



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Sri Lanka 2019: Rain? Not a problem...

Thunder overnight and heavy rains as we drove to our site made the team wonder what challenges the day might bring. Our Rotary partners feared the conditions may prevent some children from reaching the distribution site and receiving their precious gift. Our concerns were put to rest as we entered a large, sparsely lit auditorium filled with excited Sri Lankan children. The bedkits were stacked in rows, as their future beneficiaries lined up to be fitted with their new school shoes before their photo was taken. 700 more children will have a better night’s sleep. 

Shoe fitting before getting bedkit

Children were given some food and drink while waiting...

Kolonnawa Rotary and Lloyd just finishing up distributing today’s last bedkit

Ted Swanston

Team Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka 2019: Getting to know the culture

Yesterday was Rest Day, which we spent touring the Botanical Gardens and sightseeing in Kandy. There, we saw a magnificent garden with thousands of what are to us indoor plants, over many acres.

Today was a long one, with an early start and two distributions. Rains taunted us all day.

When we were done, the local teachers gave us afternoon tea. It was a gesture of thanks from them. The new ESL teacher, a local woman, told us that her classes averaged 40 students. Foreigners, much less tourists were seldom seen, but they felt learning English might be a good start to change that.

Here, we see children demonstrating an act of respect to the (foreign) elders:

Team Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka 2019: A true team effort

Today, the SCAW team delivered 939 bedkits to central Sri Lankan children. Lots of smiling faces!!  

We could not have accomplished this distribution without the organization and help of the Rotary members of Kelaniya and the local Rotary and Rotorac volunteers.

A small snack was provided to all children receiving a bedkit.

We thank donors who have made this distribution possible.

Team Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka 2019: A day in pictures

Lloyd and Iain being welcomed.

Curious boys

The Matale Hindu Temple distribution site

Lloyd settling a young lady

Eileen and Lloyd managing the flow of kids for Karen, our photographer

Carol enjoying king coconut water, replenishing body minerals, etc. Far better than water.

Playing cricket with the kids. Iain actually hitting the ball.

Team Sri Lanka

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