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SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2024: February 21

Greetings from SCAW Kenya 2024

Our busiest day of distributions took place at two different schools within Nairobi. Both of the schools took in children from one of the most economically challenged communities in the city.  Currently there are approximately 2 million people living in extremely impoverished settlements throughout Nairobi.

 At the first school we distributed 1000 bedkits, and then it was onto the second school where we distributed 500 more. It was a hot day for all the volunteers but we got the job done without any problems that we couldn’t handle.

 It is always a joy to distribute the bedkits to the children, especially when you can see how great the need is. The day was very well organized by the Rotary Team Leaders together with the teachers at both of the schools. It was a busy day for distributions, but  it is always such a great feeling when you see the children heading home with their parents and their bedkits!

We’ve had a great team in Kenya and each member has been very willing to take on each and every task of our bedkit distributions. Like a herd of elephants (tusks) we worked very well together - all 8 distributions were completed on time with few problems.

We were very fortunate to see several herds of elephants on this trip and harmony was clearly evident, much like our SCAW “herd”.

As for Tusker, this famous Kenyan lager was enjoyed after working hard in the African sun.

Tasks, tusks and Tuskers - all elements of our wonderful time together!!


Team Kenya 2024

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 and SCAW 🇨🇦

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SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2024: February 19

After our team distribution of 1000 bedkits on a beautiful sunny Kenyan day we were welcomed by the local rotary club, head teachers, Minister of Education and others who thanked the many donors and volunteers for supplying a special gift to the children in Kenya. 

 

After the speeches we were entertained by enthusiastic well-rehearsed children singing, dancing and thanking us for the bedkits which will help provide many benefits throughout the day and, most importantly, help provide a good night’s sleep. 

 Team Kenya 2024

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 and SCAW 🇨🇦

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SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2024: February

Today was a travel and factory visit day for Team Kenya.  We left the Masai Mara and traveled through the beautiful Kenyan countryside to our base in Nairobi.  On arrival, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to tour one of the plastic factories that manufactures a portion of the bedkit contents.  

Along with our Rotary representative, we were able to see where the cups, bowls, water bottle and other pieces of the bedkit are made.  The team was able to see the start of the process which begins with bags of pellets.  These pellets and assorted colors went into hoppers and were heated to melting.   The plastic was then extruded from the equipment and cooled.  Factory workers inspected each piece and then packed each for shipping.  It was an interesting day and reassuring to see the care that was taken to produce the bedkit contents.  

Now, as our team members assist in handing out the bedkits, we have a much better awareness of the labor and care that went into each item in each one. Thank you to our Rotary partners in Kenya for working so hard to procure the best products for the children!

Team Kenya 2024

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 and SCAW 🇨🇦

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SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2024: February 17

We embarked on our journey to Kenya with a mission to distribute 8000 bedkits to children in need. Today, we are overjoyed to announce that we have surpassed that goal by completing the delivery of another 1000 bedkits. Thanks to outstanding leadership and seamless teamwork with our Rotary partners, we navigated through any challenges with ease.

Despite the relentless heat, our dedication remained unwavering as we organized the bedkit distribution and worked tirelessly under the scorching sun. The children, displaying remarkable patience, greeted us with radiant smiles from ear to ear as they received their bedkits, making our every effort worthwhile!

Team Kenya 2024

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 and SCAW 🇨🇦

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SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2024: February 16

Pre-distribution

Team Kenya arrived in Nairobi ready to begin our distribution of 8000 bedkits to Kenya‘s most deserving children. We were welcomed at the airport by our driver, Charles and his family.

Welcome to Kenya

The next day, the two teams met to get to know each other, review the itinerary for the next two weeks and look over the contents of this year’s bedkits. We were told that each $40 donation was stretched to manufacture and purchase an expanded array of items, in part due to the great negotiation skills of a few of the Rotary members.

One of the goals for 2024 was to visit more remote communities in Kenya outside of the inner city of Nairobi for some of our distributions. This involved long drives on bumpy roads, at times, cleverly navigated by our skilled driver, Charles.  

Some days we traveled 3 to  5 hours to get to sites north of the equator and south to the territory of the Maasai peoples.

Yesterday, as we drove through the Maasai Mara National Park to get to our destination on the other side, we encountered a very interesting road block!


Team Kenya 2024

Rotary Club of Nairobi 🇰🇪 and SCAW 🇨🇦



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SCAW Blog: Kenya - Distributions 1 and 2 - May 2023 - Blog #1

When we arrived in Nairobi our gracious hosts met us at the airport.

Our first distribution was at a school in Talek. This school is a 6-hour drive from Nairobi. We had a beautiful drive through savannahs and passed by the Great Rift Valley that stretches 9,300 miles from Syria to Mozambique. There are many trucks on the road as it is the main highway to transport goods across land- locked countries in Africa.

Our first overnight stay was in a tent camp overlooking the savannah.

The school where our first distribution was held is on the edge of the Masai Mara game reserve. Children in their new outfits greeted us. The outfits this year are red, green, blue and yellow t-shirts and shorts. The smiles on the children's faces were precious as they greeted us. Even the youngest of the children were able to balance the bedkit on their heads.

During our forays out in the game reserve we were fortunate to see lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, hyenas and water buffalo.

We travelled back to Nairobi and the next day headed to Isolo. The drive is straight north through beautiful lush forests and rows of greenhouses where roses are grown for export.

We distributed another 1000 bedkits to the children who greeted us with song on our arrival.

The distribution and organization by the Rotary is commendable. The bedkits are all securely stored and they were ready to distribute on our arrival. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, another 1000 children will get a good night's sleep.

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SCAW Blog: Kenya - Distribution 3 - May 2023 - Blog #2

Back in Nairobi

After our two rural distributions with many miles travelled, the SCAW team is grateful to be back in our “home” guesthouse in Nairobi. Our first distribution in the city was at Riruta Satellite Primary School.

It was a short ride on this clear, warm day through the city to a quieter, poorer area of the Nairobi.

The gated school had a muddy area where bedkits had been securely stored and from which their noon meal was served.

All the children greeted us warmly with an opening programme in the open, cement quad.

Much fun was had by engaging a teacher to teach the eager crowd a raucous chant of “Go Leafs Go! Go Leafs Go!!!”

1000 bedkits were distributed in 3 hours with the help of teachers and Rotarians. Rotarian Winston was the point person for this school’s successful distribution.

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