SCAW Blog: Philippines, 2025: April 6

It feels like we just arrived and now it is time to go!

Today we had our two final distributions.  At both we arrived at a school full of children already dressed in their new pjs and a multitude of volunteers to help with the distribution.  A lovely young girl said the opening prayer and we sang both national anthems. 

The distributions went extremely fast due to the help of volunteers including the Coast Guard, the Fire Brigade and several Kiwanis clubs.  After all was said and done, there was the requisite paparazzi.  

During our short time here, we have learned that Filipinos love to eat.  Today alone we had chicken, pasta (2 types),  pizza (2 types), garlic bread, and more types of noodles than we can count. And that was just lunch! 

We are so touched by the hospitality, generosity, and enthusiasm of our OVPs, and by the excitement of everyone involved in making this such a success.

Team Philippines, 2025

World of Sweet Dreams 🇵🇭 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Philippines, 2025: April 5

SCAW donations deliver immediately at the household-level.

To me, one of the most fascinating parts of the always fascinating SCAW distributions is having the chance to talk with parents who usually wait by the dozens at our distribution sites. These conversations can give us a real understanding of the immediate impact that the arrival of donated bedkits can have in the homes of the recipients.

This conversation starts initially with unpacking a bedkit in front of groups of parents so they can see what’s inside - item by item. The level of cheering after seeing each item shows how useful each will be in their family settings. This is then followed up by one-on-one interviews with parents with the support of our overseas volunteer partners who help encourage parents to participate and who can also serve as translators.

Today, in the course of our second day of distributions in the Philippines, I interviewed 4 parents. We started with developing an understanding of their household situations - number of adults and children in the home and current sleeping arrangements. This was followed by their assessments of which items in the bedkit would be the most useful (today blankets topped the list) and which would be less so - a difficult question to answer because they were all so grateful for everything that has been included. But the most interesting questions to me are those that uncover just how much the household will change for the better, immediately upon the arrival of the bedkit. A young girl who has spent her life sleeping on a broken couch now has her own bed. A young boy who has always shared his mattress with two growing siblings will sleep alone tonight on his new mattress while his siblings find their own shared bed less crowded by one.

Eventually, over the course of a 10 minute interview more comfort builds in the dialogue. Soon you don’t need any more interview questions to feel the smiles of gratitude and see the tears in the eyes that let you know that we are making real, immediate impacts not just with the individual child to whom we present the bedkit but more broadly across their entire home and family.

Team Philippines, 2025

World of Sweet Dreams 🇵🇭 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Philippines, 2025; April 4 - Photos

These photos should have accompanied the blog that was posted yesterday.

Team Philippines, 2025

World of Sweet Dreams 🇵🇭 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Philippines, 2025: April, 4

Our day began by meeting some friendly faces, and some familiar ones too. These were Kiwanis Club representatives - some having spent decades supporting SCAW's work - who kicked the day off with a brand of joyfulness that so perfectly reflected the warmth of the Filipino spirit that we had only started to uncover.

Then came the factory tour where we met cousins Marvin and Fred, stewards of a 40-year-old family business that has evolved from producing rice sacks to manufacturing apparel for some of the Philippines' largest distributors. While impressive in itself, it was their business plan that left me feeling like our overseas partners had secured a terrific supplier. The cousins explained how they were growing a collaborative network of cottage industries across Luzon - already employing over 100 people - outlining their business model that provisioned equipment and training to rural Filipinos with an aim of stemming the tide of labour migrants forced to leave their families and their villages for the grinding metropolis of Manila.

The afternoon brought our first distribution. We delivered 300 bedkits to 300 smiling faces whose patience seemed improbable in the 33 degree heat. We talked to many of these children and their curiosity was truly contagious and their ability to play rock paper scissors impressive.

It's been one day since we landed, and we're one distribution in. I've been struck by the kindness of the Filipino people, but I'm truly in awe of their resiliency. It's going to be a great distribution, and we're in the right place.

Team Philippines, 2025

World of Sweet Dreams 🇵🇭 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Philippines, 2025: April 3

After a very long travel day, the team arrived in Manila extremely tired and excited to begin.  We were graciously met and warmly welcomed by our OVP.  It was far too early in the morning for our hotel rooms to be ready so we spent time visiting the warehouse where the bedkits are put together.  The kits look amazing so the children will be very excited! The warehouse was buzzing with activity, there being only one day until the distributions begin.

From left to right: Cindy H., Ian C., Stuart C., Diane B.

Team  Philippines, 2025

World of Sweet Dreams 🇵🇭 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Chennai, 2025: February 26

Last evening was a felicitous evening, a celebration for the successful completion of the delivery of 5000 bedkits. It was heart-warming to be present at a ceremony thanking everyone in the room for their volunteer participation. The project leader, who had just completed his 39th distribution, spoke graciously, fully naming each participant and asking them to rise and be recognized for their contribution. In turn, the District Governor was very appreciative of the project leader’s selfless determination to make this distribution happen.

This distribution was precedent setting as it was the first in the community since the beginning of Covid. There were so many hurdles to overcome to get permission for our distribution. Many volunteer hours were needed to make it happen. They volunteered because they believe SCAW’s tenet that every child deserves hope and a good night’s sleep. It was wonderful to be part of such a group and to celebrate with them.

Team Chennai, 2025

Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Chennai, 2025: February 24

Today was our last big distribution.  We started out at 8 o’clock and made it to the site in approximately an hour. It is interesting to notice the difference in the morning traffic compared to the traffic later in the day. In the morning our van is surrounded by motorcycles going in both directions. Later in the day cars and Tuk-Tuks fill the streets and help make the traffic incredibly slow.

Before we started giving out the bedkits we were served a lovely local breakfast, hosted by the owner of the school as well as the principal. The principal told us joyfully that she has a 2 week-old grandson in Medicine Hat.

Today the heat was bothersome for all of us. For the first time we distributed the bedkits in a location that was not completely in shade. The lack of shade and the humidity made us drink gallons of water.

However, we managed just fine and are ready to hand out the last of the 5000 bedkits tomorrow.

Team Chennai, 2025

Rotary Club of Ambattur 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Belgaum, 2025: February 26

Our distribution of 5,000 bedkits is done. It seemed like a whirlwind, starting our first day of distributions such a short while ago and now it’s complete. Our team gelled as we went along and now it will soon be time to go our separate ways with many great memories from our time together and wonderful memories of the joy of giving to the children.

We leave Belgaum for a short stay in Goa before heading home. The drive to Goa through mountains and a nature reserve was amazing. The beaches of Goa are lovely and a favourite of British citizens. So glad we took the time to visit this lovely area after our distribution.

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Bangladesh, 2025: February 26

We have successfully completed the distribution of 6,000 bedkits with our final camp at Sreemangal. Even though it was spread over a longer period of time due to various circumstances we are pleased to meet our goal.

 It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to see the smiles and joy on the children's faces during the distribution. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this meaningful initiative. Of course we miss seeing our SCAW 🇨🇦 partners but we have been glad to keep in contact remotely.

Team Bangladesh, 2025

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

Rotary Club of Dhaka 🇧🇩 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Chennai, 2025: February 21

Our day 6 distribution is in Trichy, a six hour drive from Chennai. This distribution ends our 5 days of distributions outside of Chennai. We are approximately at the half-way mark in the distribution.

Again 600 children were delighted to receive a bedkit. It is amazing to watch their reaction to receiving the gift of a bedkit. Many process it quickly and understand it is all for them and they will get to keep these most prized gifts. Some get even giddy!

When discussing the items that are most prized the notebooks and the pens are quickly identified. That being said, the yellow caps were a hit with all.

It is heart warming to see so many happy faces thanks to the generosity of SCAW donors .

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.

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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.

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

Team Belgaum, 2025

Rotary Club of Belgaum 🇮🇳 and SCAW 🇨🇦

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 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 🇨🇦