SCAW Blog: Chennai 2025: February 17, 18

After a hiatus of four years, SCAW has returned to Chennai, India. We are looking forward to our first distribution with great anticipation.

In preparation for a distribution of 5,000 bedkits, the SCAW team lead by Sue Small met with representatives of our OVP, the Rotary Club of Ambattur. 

SCAW and OVPs - the Rotary Club of Ambattur

Following the planning session, the team travelled to a building donated by the Hyundai Service Centre in the Ambattur Industrial Park to witness the assembly of the bedkits.

The bedkits for this distribution consist of:

  A jamakkalam

   A quilt

   Two blankets

   Two towels

   Fleece blanket

   A pillow with two pillow cases

   Mosquito net

   Pajama set

   Formal shirt, shorts and cap

   8 note books

   10 pencils, 12 colour pencils with erasers and sharpeners

The SCAW team was very impressed with both the quality of the contents of these bedkits, the efficiency of the assembly process and the spirit of all involved.

 The bedkits were being assembled by a team of women on the second floor of the building and then dropped from a window for loading on trucks for transport to the eight separate distribution sites, the first of which will take place at Maduravoyl tomorrow morning.

The Rotary Club of Ambattur was our host overseas partner and we were greeted by many helping hands of all ages.

The venue for this distribution was a new facility and great efforts were made to have beautiful canopies erected to provide shade.

Children from outlying areas were bused in from 28 other schools, some bearing the gift of plants from their gardens.

All of the children went home with great smiles on their faces.

 SCAW Blog: Chennai 2025: February 18

Our second day of delivering donated bedkits went very smoothly. The children were wonderful and we were pros at making everything work.

We are in Puducherry, an old French settlement where a lot of city streets have French names. Walking through old city streets one can frequently see a French influence in the architecture.

It surprised me when during an interview with two bedkit recipients I was told that their favourite topic in school was French.

Today there were more than the usual volunteer helpers. The distribution was held at a school or teachers’ college. These students took a day from their studies to volunteer.

The female students wore beautiful saris and the males wore blue shirts and black pants.

The Rotarians here in Puducherry have given us the royal treatment and when we leave tomorrow after finishing one more distribution we will be sad to say goodbye.

Team Chennai, 2025

Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 17

Today’s distribution was a two and a half hour drive away from our hotel. On this drive we were taken through prosperous farm country, observing freshly cultivated soil, young plants being irrigated and harvesting of grain and sugar cane.

View fullsize

View fullsize

We observed both arduous labour by devout farmers using hand tools as well as modern day machinery tilling, ploughing and harvesting. They used both tractors and harnessed cows to get the jobs done and to market or storage. The beauty of the bounty was astounding.

View fullsize

View fullsize

I especially liked the fields of sunflowers and the painted cows.

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 15, 16

Today we were in Gokak giving out bedkits to 600 deserving children.  Each site is very different but similar at the same time.  A lot of effort is put in by the Rotarians to make the site is functional, organized and beautiful. Our team leaders quickly evaluate the site, the camera and bedkit are set up and the process of lining up the children begins. Today, the air was filled with laughter and excitement.  

It can be chaotic for the first thirty minutes as the two teams strive to coordinate their efforts in a way that best serves the children. Everyone wants to help, and we appreciate all the effort.  Slowly, a flow emerges, we settle in, the children learn by watching, and time passes quickly.

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 16

Distribution 6 in Hubbali is wrapped up with another 500 bedkits distributed. We had a great time interacting with the children.

They tend to be very serious while having their photos taken and moving through the various stations. Once they receive their bedkit and can see that they will be moving into the welcoming arms of their parents they become all smiles. The children are very excited when they arrive with lots of chatter and they respond enthusiastically when we have a chance to interact with them.

They are all chatter and enthusiasm when they leave and we can again chat with them. Today was a great day with an enthusiastic group of children and volunteers.

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 15

Distributions are done. Thanks to everyone involved, there are 5,000 children in the areas around Pune better equipped to sleep well and more ready to learn at school. 

The team had a day of packing, a trip to the Indian market, a wrap-up meeting with the Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment, and a delightful dinner with many heartfelt speeches.

We all fly out tomorrow, but will be saying our good-byes at the airport in India, before heading home via different flights. 

Thanks go out to our families who support us in our travels. 

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 14

Today is day 7 and sadly, our last distribution on this trip to Pune. Although this was a small distribution site, 64 schools came to collect over 700 bedkits. We happened to arrive early before any of the children and we found the organizers hard at work preparing shaded areas. It was such a pleasure to engage with the children as they trickled in. We looked at photos of snow, icebergs and sea ice which they were fascinated by but it was the videos of penguins, seals and whales which captured their imaginations.

As I was following my curiosity and poking around the classrooms, I came upon a small group of kids playing in a classroom. We shared a lively rendition of the alphabet song and counting to 30 before reviewing their vocabulary words on the chalkboard. They were very proud to practice their English skills with me.

Clearly, they have a talented English teacher at this school as this is the most English we have discovered. While many of the children (and parents) show their gratitude by saying thank you in English while collecting their bedkits, these kids wanted to practice engaging by answering my “How are you?” question with a “Fine” reply, and a “How are you?” grinning from ear to ear. What an advantage these children will have.

On this Valentine’s Day, the focus was really on the children and it was a heartwarming day all around.

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 14

Happy Valentine’s Day from Team Belgaum.

This was our second day to have 1300 bedkits to distribute. None of us had ever had that number before. The first day it took 6 1/2 hrs to finish and today it took 4 hrs, with 2 of our 4 person team not feeling 100%.

1,300 bedkits, ready to go

There were  3 factors that made the difference. 

1. This distribution was outside with more space available to lay things out.

2. The children had a greater distance to exit the premises once receiving their bedkits.

3. The number of people to help get the bedkits to us and then to assist the children by carrying the bedkits to the exit point was larger.

The most important of the 3 was the number of helpers. The day before we only had 6 people at any given time to assist the children down 5 outside steps to vacate the building, then approximately 50 yards to the exit the premises. Their time to work seemed to end shortly after 12 p.m.

Today we had 18 young men to get the bedkits to us and to assist the children to the exit point immediately after receiving their bedkits . The young men remained to the end to help. 

For any distribution, help is key, but even more so for larger than normal numbers.

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 12

We had a wonderful welcome in Bhigwan and lots of help during the distribution from our Rotarian friends. Each Rotary Club that hosts a distribution showcases their local culture and shows us heartfelt hospitality.

Today Eileen was able to interview some parents to understand how the families live, work and sleep. This information provides insight into the benefit of the items in the bedkit.

As a child moves through the process of getting their bedkits, a parent or guardian is always close at hand to support them and of course carry the large and heavy bedkit back home!

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 13

We had a large distribution today of 1,300 bedkits! It was a sight to behold, all those bed kits set up and ready for distribution. And upstairs there was a small sea of children excitedly waiting for their turn.

As always, we started slow while we got all of our volunteers and friends organized and everyone got used to their particular role in making this a successful distribution. An adjustment here and there, a bit of fiddling with some of the finer details and we were on a roll. The children are incredibly patient and often so serious.

Our overseas partner lead had a great time eliciting smiles and some giggles out of the children for their photos. The demand on the volunteers is great for a distribution this large but they were up for the challenge and managed to find more helpers when we had a backup in our flow. We had one little girl come back after receiving her bedkit to thank us and shake our hands. Her father accompanied her and also offered his thanks and you could see the gratitude in his eyes.

Hearing the excited chattering of the children as they loaded up for their rides home was music to our ears!

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 13

We were again greeted by sun this AM as we started our journey to Dhom in a mountainous area of Pune. The drive up the mountain pass was interesting to say the least. There three lanes of one way traffic with transport trucks, cars, vans and scooters all vying for a place at the top but in true Indian style they worked it out and all were safe. 

Once there we had our usual greetings from the school band and performers. The girls from the school where the distribution was held.performed a cultural dance of the Adivasis , an indigenous people who live in the surrounding mountains. This dance seemed to have a similarity, to me, to some our our Canadian aboriginal dances.

My job today was to hand the backpacks to the children and it is definitely my favourite as I have the opportunity to interact with the children and their parents. Today I was assisted in this role by three teachers from some of the 65 surrounding schools and they happily shared their local knowledge with me. Their caring and concern for “ my children” as these men called  them was inspiring. We enjoyed having our pictures with the smiling children. It is with sadness that I realize that we have only one distribution day left.

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 12

Today was a rest day in preparation for our first of two big days. Tomorrow we will distribute 1300 bedkits, the largest distribution I have ever participated in.

We visited the manufacturing establishment used to produce the beautiful clothing in the children’s bedkits. The fabric and workmanship was of great quality. We drank coconut milk and ate bananas while visiting with the craftspeople and some rotary members.

We also visited the beautiful temple at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama and listened intently to the lessons of religious philosophies of India presented very wisely and humbly by one of our Rotarians and a temple Swami. We learned about the value of meditation.

We were then transported to a gold and silver shop owned by one of our Rotarian friends which held beautiful merchandise and then back to our hotel for a rest and an opportunity to take our group photo outside in the gardens of the hotel.

Enroute we took great pleasure in handing out some hand-knit donated dolls to mothers with small children and had many laughs at the traffic antics of our driver who assisted us.

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 11

Working in India is an honour and a gift.  The willingness the SCAW team and the Rotarians have to work together to help deserving children is built on respect, willingness, brainstorming, laughter and faith.

Volunteers are pivotal in the process of making each distribution site a successful event.

When we listen to the voices and see the tears of the children, it can touch a deep longing to make the world a better place at a time of international struggle.

It is a choice!  It is love! It is teamwork!

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 11

Today was our 4th day of distribution. We left early in the morning and headed to Kanhewadi, which is a small village north west of Pune, surrounded by very lush farmland. We were given a very warm welcome, and were then escorted to the distribution site by a marching, bell ringing, band of students. 

During the day, we heard about some particularly generous people in the area. When they heard we were coming, the local school board declared a holiday so that the students could come. Some of the teachers got together and provided food for the children and parents. Other teachers, realizing that they had no transportation, drove children and parents to the distribution on their scooters. 

The bedkit this year in Pune is also quite generous. It has a larger number of items than I have ever seen before. It includes the usual things - bedding, mosquito net, clothing, backpack and school supplies, but also includes a few unique things: a hoodie, that the children apparently love, a rain poncho, a really good pair of waterproof shoes, and nail clippers to help minimize the dirt that can end up being ingested. 

 Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 11

Today was a rest day so the SCAW Team visited a Naturopathic Clinic which practices Ayurvedic medicine. A few people from the team participated in a restorative and Nidra yoga class. We all fell asleep!

Later we visited a spirited vender who supplied the 5000 knapsacks required for the Pune distribution. The happy adult team of 4 sewers, 2 cutters and 1 trimmer were hard at work in a clean and airy environment.

We are looking forward to delivering the bedkits to the children.

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 10

We did our first distribution of 500 bedkits today. The Rotary Club in Belgaum have organized a method of how to do a distribution that was unfamiliar to us but after hearing how it worked, we decided to give it a try. The method we had been familiar with was having the bedkits completed and ready to be given to the children once photos had been completed.

The Rotary method was to have the bedkits partly completed and left with our volunteer at the exit. An assembly line was made up of alĺ the clothing in sizes small, medium and large and given out to the children as they came through. They then proceeded to meet one of our volunteers who had the partially completed bedkit, and placed their new clothing in the kit to complete it before they exited.

We were a bit apprehensive but agreed to try their method since it had already been set up in that manner. It did work well, the pro being that each child got the proper size of clothing that they placed in a small bag containing their clothing worn to the site, then easily added to the kit bag. The con is that it takes a lot  more volunteers which these Rotarians had planned to take on, but we aren’t sure Rotarians in other locations will have enough volunteers. It’s definitely something to ponder for future distributions.

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 9

After our safe arrival we spent a couple of days in Mumbai getting acclimatized and through most of our jet lag. We spent a fulsome day doing some sightseeing.

We have now officially started our distribution in Belgaum with a pre-distribution meeting with our overseas partners this evening. We met with a very organized group of volunteers who have worked very hard to supply a bed kit that I think the children will be thrilled with.

Tomorrow will see us delivering our first 500 bedkits. Looking forward to seeing the expression on the children’s faces when they receive their gift.

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 9

Today was a day off from distributions for us as it is Sunday and teachers are busy preparing for national exams for the children tomorrow. It was a day for us to enjoy the history, sights and sounds of Pune and the hospitality of the members of the Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment. Rotarians Dr. Rajeshsee Kakde, Gayatri Tiwari and Farzana Limbdiwala were our drivers and tour guides for this enjoyable day.We first visited the Iskcon Temple where we viewed the deities and the reverence of people praying as well as enjoying the delicious food served.

View fullsize

View fullsize

After a Starbuck’s Coffee we went to the magnificent Aga Khan Palace and grounds and learned the history of this site and its role in Mahatma Gandhi’s Free India Movement and his imprisonment there during World War II. We had some fun walking the manicured grounds.

We then went to the Phenix Mall where we enjoyed live entertainment and refreshments followed by a traditional Indian meal at the Rajdhani Thali. The meal looked scrumptious and the tastes and aromas of spices, vegetables and sweets “warmed” the palate.

Following this we went to the home of Rotarian Dr. Nitin Shah and his wife for a delicious homemade High Tea. There some of us renewed old friendships, as Nitin shared his dedication to SCAW and Rotary and their shared desire to help children receive restful sleep to better meet their full potential.

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Bangladesh, 2025: February 9

2024-25 Distribution Overview at a Glance

Target number of Bedkits 6000

Completed so far 5438 (91%)

Bedkits to go 562

Target date of completion 21st February

Resilient Bangladesh

"What an incredible distribution we are achieving in 2025!"

Despite facing political challenges within the country, 6,000 of Bangladesh’s most deserving children received their bedkits. Although this number was lower than last year, the unprecedented political shifts and severe flash floods in some of our target distribution areas added significant obstacles and opportunities to the process. However, undeterred by these challenges, the indomitable Rotary Club of Dhaka’s Sleeping Kits Distribution (SKD) team comprised of spirited, courageous, experienced, and innovative volunteers demonstrated remarkable dedication, ensuring that this remote distribution was successfully carried out. As always, thanks to the generosity of SCAW’s donors, 6,000 bedkits are being successfully distributed across 11 camp-sites in the southern, central, and eastern regions of Bangladesh. So far these remote distributions were carried out with remarkable precision, made possible by the dedication of our incredible volunteers. A heartfelt thanks to my fellow team members! Every child was documented through the required number of photographs, expertly taken by our core SKD team photographers—Rowly, Ranjan, and Nahar. As in previous years, each well-packed -10 kg bedkit included bedding essentials, summer and winter sleeping clothes, school supplies, and other exciting items. Additionally, all 6,000 children received snack food and drinks while waiting for their turn. Thanks to a favorable exchange rate, we could do more.

This year, we deeply missed the vibrant presence of SCAW volunteers, who were unable to join us due to travel restrictions caused by the political situation. Nevertheless, they placed immense trust and confidence in the Bangladesh team under the Remote Distribution Model, providing unwavering support and assistance to ensure the success of the distribution.

A Heartwarming Discovery at the Mymensingh Camp

At the Mymensingh distribution camp, our team was both overwhelmed and deeply moved by an unexpected discovery. Out of the 500 children receiving bedkits, 210 were physically and mentally challenged. What struck us even more was that most of them came from just two remote sub-districts in the Mymensingh region-places where hardship is a daily reality, and support for children with special needs is scarce. As we interacted with these children, we saw the resilience in their eyes, the joy in their smiles, and the quiet gratitude in their gestures.

Many of them arrived carried in the arms of parents who had traveled great distances, some walking for hours, just to receive these bedkits. For these families, the gift of a comfortable bed, warm clothing, and school essentials was more than just material aid—it was a symbol of care, dignity, and inclusion. One mother, with tears in her eyes, shared how her 10-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy, “had never had a proper bed of his own," she said. "Tonight, for the first time, he will sleep comfortably." Her words reminded us why we do what we do.

Despite the challenges, this experience reaffirmed our commitment to reaching the most vulnerable children. The Mymensingh distribution was not just about numbers - it was about touching lives, restoring hope, and proving that every child, regardless of their abilities, deserves comfort and care.

Team Bangladesh, 2025

Rtn. Sheikh Nahar Mahmud SKD Distribution Chair, 2024-25

Rotary Club of Dhaka 🇧🇩 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 8

Today might be a day off from distributions, but not a day off of SCAW promotion!

Our Rotary friend Sameer Rupani took us to the 17th Annual District 3131 Rotaract Conference. This is a two-day leadership development, learning and networking event for approximately 300 Rotaracts (18-30 years).

When we walked into the conference centre, we could feel the energy and enthusiasm of these young adults. The District Rotaract President, Drishti Singh warmly welcomed us.

Sameer had arranged that he and our SCAW team make a 40 minute presentation. Starting with our PPT (made into a video), we then had a fireside chat (Q&A) with Sameer about the work of the organization and our strong partnership with the Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment and other area clubs. The presentation ended with a video of the bedkit packing process in Pune.

Our timing was great, as we also met and briefly chatted with the Honourable Minister of Women and Children, Aditi Tatkare. She is a young female politician who is working hard to make positive changes in her State of Maharashtra, India. She had a SCAW brochure in her hand before she left.  We also met Dr. Manesh Kotbasi, a recent Past Director of Rotary International.

After the session we enjoyed some fabulous Indian street food prepared by the Center.

View fullsize

View fullsize

This was a wonderful opportunity to engage with many of the Rotaracts and talk more about SCAW. I think we even convinced a few to join us later in the week for a distribution day!

For the children . . .

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 7

Today, the team travelled to an agricultural village in a mountainous area north of Pune. This was our third and largest day of distributions so far. Over 700 children should sleep more comfortably tonight than they have in the past. 

The bedkit that has been put together in Pune this year has so many items, that logistically the only way it can be handled is by having a parent or other adult accompany each child through the various stages of the distribution process. I had the privilege of handing the bedkits out today. 

I have often heard other travelling volunteers say that the favourite thing about a SCAW distribution is the smiles of the children as they receive their very own bedkit. However, today, what struck me were the smiles on the parents’ faces. I think it could easily be thought of as “Sleeping Parents Around the World,” because I’m sure that many of the parents we saw today will sleep better tonight, knowing that their child has some very basic supplies in place. 

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Pune, 2025: February 6

Heading 90 km outside of Pune to our day 2 distribution site of Gohe, we met an unusual pachyderm at our rest stop. This robotic life-size elephant enjoyed the rural breeze by flapping his ears and brought smiles to Team SCAW and our partners.

After a drive of a couple of hours, we were met by a robust marching band featuring several drums and a creative horn player. Children and parents were excitedly gathered around in anticipation of the bedkit distribution. More celebrations ensued by dancing troupes from 2 of the 64 schools in attendance

After all the marching, dancing, and recognition ceremonies of the various partners necessary to create and accommodate the multiple aspects of a distribution were completed, almost 700 children and their families benefited from receiving SCAW bedkits today. All of the various gifts were well appreciated by all!

Team Pune, 2025

Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦