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Bangladesh, 2019: Thursday, Planning Ahead


Today was a non-distribution day, but the SKD team wanted a good sense of our next site where we would be handing out 1300 bedkits. We drove the three plus hours and ferried across two rivers to reach our destination.


Some families live all their lives on boats such as this, traversing the many waterways of this country.



This is the classroom that will become one of the changing rooms for the children.




Three "mature students" are part of the team assessing the site facilities.




The photo below is of one of the many unheralded workers hauling sand to fill in the wet spots of the site.




Village children are always curious when visitors arrive on their doorstep!




The passenger ferry crossing the first river; the larger ferry for trucks, buses, and cars followed shortly afterward.



Chris Hills,
Team Bangladesh, 2019


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Bangladesh, 2019: 1200 Bedkits Distributed in Sunny Bhola

The day dawned warm and sunny (sorry Ontario) as we set off early to take speedboats upriver for the Bhola distribution. In less than an hour we were docked and into the vans taking us to the school in Bhola Sadar Upazila.


This distribution marked another "first" for the SKD team in Bangladesh, who had taken the initiative to split the 1200 bedkits into two photos sites. Two cameras, and two bedkits laid out, with simultaneous picture taking helped bring smiles to many faces! 











The flow of children was excellent! The two groups of children filed through the photo sites and went off to receive their bedkits. 





The school had arranged for many, many student volunteers who helped tremendously in ensuring a steady stream of children to the various stations in the distribution cycle.



Chris Hills
Team Bangladesh, 2019

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South Africa 2019: Final day of distributions

Today we were back to the township schools to distribute our last group of bedkits. The children were so excited and had been eagerly awaiting our arrival.


 Our primary contact at the school was Abigail, a social worker who described the dire circumstances in the homes of the children we met. She optimistically pointed out that through education, the lives of these children can be changed.



She described a program in the school where parents can volunteer to work at the school providing assistance with cleaning, cooking and organizing and using the limited skills that they have. These parents accumulate volunteer hours and are paid in “moolah” which they can spend to purchase grocery items from the local grocery store. This program restores the dignity for marginalized women and allows them to be positive role models for their children while empowering individuals to make choices and save for special items. We were very impressed with the focus on dignity and empowerment. And as an added bonus, the school is immaculate!

 What a wonderful distribution site to end our time in Johannesburg with!


 Team South Africa 2019

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Bangladesh, 2019: Patuakhali, Distribution Day 5


A four hour drive from Khulna brought us to our hotel in readiness for a series of distributions nearby.  Today (Tuesday) the SKD team handed out 640 bedkits in Patuakhali. 



















































The road there took us through the area recently devastated by Cyclone Bulbul, trees down and buildings damaged, with a major clean-up under way.


We took the ferry across the Barisal River, but not before stopping at a cha booth.




Patuakhali gave us yet another well organized and successful distribution!



Chris Hills
Team Bangladesh, 2019
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Bangladesh, 2019: A Perfect Day and One to Remember


Today offered a complete contrast to the previous day . . .the sun came out, the streets dried up and we were able to complete our distribution.



Our distribution was held at a non-governmental school with 900 students, mainly orphans. What a delightful, cheerful and welcoming throng of students, all eager to show us their school work which included English lessons, Mathematics, Bengali, and Science. 









This site was well laid out with a smooth flow of children, arriving, changing into their new clothes, having their photos taken, and then receiving their bedkits. 








A perfect day in every way!




Chris Hills
Team Bangladesh, 2019


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Bangladesh, 2019: Distribution Day 3, 700 Bedkits distributed!



The SKD team together with many, many, volunteers continued to bring smiles to the children of Bangladesh. 





The cyclone kept the day on the rainy side, but with the help of two portable shelters we were able to take the photos, and hand out the bedkits while remaining dry.






The site had to be cleared...meaning the removal (by hand) of several motorbikes. 


A colourful reminder of home:

Chris Hills
Team Bangladesh, 2019

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South Africa 2019: Time to rest and enjoy the sights

The SCAW team had a wonderful free day as it is Saturday. One of the Rotarians had us all over for a lovely dinner and a sleep-over. We woke up early to make the journey north to visit an Elephant sanctuary. These are all rescue elephants that now live on the massive property. We also saw a monkey sanctuary. Then we were off for a tour of the exhibit entitled “Cradle of Humankind”. What a wonderful day was had by all.






 Team South Africa 2019

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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

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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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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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