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Tanzania
DAY TEN CELEBRATION
How wonderful to see the children‘s excitement as they go through their backpacks. The notebooks and the school uniforms were certainly a hit.
We are proud to have completed successfully 7500 Bedkits for a grand total of 128, 500 over 24 years.
The sky is the limit for Sleeping Children and our partners in Tanzania-Upendo 🇹🇿 under the leadership of Mama Wandoa.
Lala Salama
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCHOOL BELLS ARE RINGING🔔
Back in 2019 a team member became very interested in the unique materials that the schools used for ringing their bells. Irene made a point of trying out every bell at each site.
Two Sleeping Children volunteers/teachers read her article in our Trip Newsletter and wanted to donate their handbells, which were given to them as retirement gifts, to two Tanzanian schools. We were happy to have Mama Wandoa present one to an appreciative principal and students.
During this year’s distribution it was fun to find, see and hear the bells being used at our schools.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
Meet Khalfani
Khalfani has been our driver since we arrived in Tanzania July 20th and will continue to August 3rd.
He was born in Tanzania, is married and a father of six. Khalfani has a warm disposition. He stays calm through the most chaotic journeys to our distribution sites. This is his first time driving for Upendo and Sleeping Children.
He was a bit shy at first but has really opened up over the days with the help of our team member who speaks Swahili. He has become an integral part of our team at the distribution sites, helping wherever he’s needed, especially when the children are lining up to have their pictures taken.
Lala Salama
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿+ SCAW 🇨🇦
Our visit to the mattress factory was once again an eye opener. The host , Dhilip, was the owner and was extremely gracious and welcoming.
He took us on a tour of his facility which included 380 employees working in a plastics area and a mattress making area.
He has a 23 year relationship with the Tanzanian Overseas Partners which we value.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
LOVE!!
By: Nathan Kisaka (Age 17 - son of Benjamin, grandson of Mama Wandoa)
Today I’m going to talk about love, because I want all of you who are reading this to experience true love.
I thought it best to give you some insight into what I feel whenever I carry out my job during the distribution. If you do not already know, then you might become curious, by donating, or even coming to a distribution site, and you will see what true love is like.
My job is the backpack station and I help the children by putting the backpack on them before sending them to receive their mattresses. I call them over to me with words, or sign language, and I never forget to smile at them, I mean really beam at them. Some children may look at you confused, but when you smile at them, the majority will reciprocate your love. It is a confusing day for them, and the children aren’t always the best at regulating their emotions, as I’m sure you parents out there know all too well.
A lot of you may not realize this but these kids often see you as angels. They are thankful, ever so grateful for you.
I pick up a backpack and I talk to them in a soothing, gentle tone since they are only children. When I send them away I take one last glimpse at their eyes as now the child will go home and finally sleep well at night.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
On our day off we wanted to learn more about the history and culture of Tanzania by exploring two museums, going to local arts co-operatives, listening to stories from our guide Tetula, attending church services (Catholic and Lutheran) and having some team fun by eating home made crisps at Coco Beach!
We are back to work on Monday. We will have a guest from Zambia joining us as his charity might be interested in partnering with Sleeping Children.
Looking forward to seeing the children’s smiles again tomorrow.
Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
In our first home visit we followed a teacher and his 11 year old student through many alleys and dirt roads to a 2 room house. There lived a mother and 7 other people. The mother was housing her 3 children - the 11 year old, a child in secondary school, an older daughter who had a job at a local Chinese factory, and the daughter’s little 2 year old!
Also living there were her 2 nephews whom she was supporting because her sister had passed away, and lastly, there was another nephew who has malaria!
She showed us where the new mattress would be placed and was extremely happy and very grateful for all the contents in the bedkit.
There was no kitchen in the area but a small hallway where we expected she did some cooking on a stove like in the picture below!
When we spoke to the teacher he did confirm that the children at the school received a meager lunch that was subsidized by the government. This might be the only meal the young student received for the day!
After our visit the teacher walked the young boy back to school as his school day was not yet finished. They go to school from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It was certainly an enlightening visit.
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
A Special Celebration🌺
At the request of Mama Wandoa, we started our morning honouring the memory of Dave Dryden. Mama wants everyone to know that she and her family miss him very much.
Another successful day with lots of wonderful interactions with our children. As always our Upendo volunteers work very hard alongside us.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2024
Upendo🇹🇿 + SCAW🇨🇦
Today we visited a school with a population of 3444 kindergarten to grade 7 students that included 31 totally blind and visually impaired students who live at the school during the week and may go home on the weekend.
Team Tanzania, 2023: Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
The staff were amazing and very accommodating to our group.
At the end of the day we enjoyed some fun with the level 7 class of 384 students who were in an outdoor class studying for their high school enrolment exams. They were outside because there simply was not a classroom big enough for them.
We taught them the Hand Jive and they sang us a song called I Love my School. And although we were hot and tired we left revitalized and satisfied that 750 children including the 31 visually impaired children would have a better sleep tonight.
Thank you SCAW donors.
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
I feel privileged and blessed to be part of the SCAW Tanzania 2024 team. Being a new volunteer with SCAW, I have learned much and been thoroughly impressed with the distribution process in Tanzania.
On each of the two days to date, 750 mattresses and backpacks were unloaded, the site for picture taking was set up and a short meeting held with parents to explain the importance of sleep and how their children will get the bedkit items. Then the children were guided by team members and volunteers through the process, which meant having their names called and being registered, lining up to have a picture taken in front of a displayed bedkit with a label displaying the donor's information.
The amount of the donation determines how many children are in the picture. Volunteers organized the children in appropriate sized groups and ensured they were placed well for the photo. A photographer took the picture, the label was removed and the donation number recorded by a team member referred to as a checker. Next, the children were guided to where they were each given their mattress and backpack which was filled with items. Backpacks were color-coded for size (big/small) and ones for girls were identified with colored ties. The flow of the distribution process was truly impressive; but that wasn't all! At both distributions to date, we ended with a perfect count ... 750 children's pictures taken to match 750 donations made and 750 gender-appropriate bedkits for 750 children.
As a newbie to SCAW I am not sure what I expected, but the ease of flow and the accuracy of the distribution process have exceeded my expectations and were truly impressive. I am glad to be part of this team. Way to go Team Tanzania 2024!!!!!!
Lala salama,
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo🇹🇿 + SCAW🇨🇦
And so it begins … Day 1 of the actual distribution saw 750 children heading home for a good night’s sleep.
Mama Wandoa’s son Benjamin, who flies to Tanzania every summer to help, explained to the parents in Swahili, interpreting what the team leader was saying about the contents of the bedkit and what their child would be receiving, emphasizing that every item presented to them would be in the bedkit for their child. He was very specific about the importance of sleep and the benefits it provides for their children, especially during the school day.
Benjamin speaking Swahili to inform the parents/guardians.
Although the temps were hot and the day was long, our team of 5 felt so satisfied that the 750 children today would not only sleep well with their new mattresses and mosquito nets but that they would be well prepared for their next days in school.
Contents of bedkit
Stay tuned for more adventures from our Tanzania team!
Lala Salama -Sleep Well
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
WE ARE READY TO GO!
Such a special day to go to Mama Wandoa’s house and to have our team all together. Here we are at the end of our Pre-Distribution meeting celebrating fellowship and a promise that 7500 children will be sleeping better because of our hard work over the next two weeks.
WE SALUTE MAMA WANDOA AND UPENDO🇹🇿
Today was very special as we spent the afternoon at Mama Wandoa’s home hearing her talk about her history of working with Sleeping Children for 24 years. Benjamin, Wendy and Nathan explained how the cottage industry put together 7500 backpacks starting back in January using rooms for cutting patterns, sewing and ironing, all in Mama’s home.
You really have to see it to believe what an incredible feat this is. Ten tailors worked diligently to ensure that the children will receive quality clothing, covers and kangas. The children will receive 16 items in their backpacks and you will hear more tomorrow about the contents after Day One of our distribution.
All the backpacks are stored in her bedrooms right now and starting early tomorrow 750 backpacks will be loaded onto Mama’s truck.
We are very excited to be working so closely with Upendo as we view ourselves as one big team.
Tonight we go to sleep early as our van leaves at 7:00 am.
Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
We have arrived safely in Dar and all our luggage made it too. 👍🌺
Wendy and Benjamin met us at the airport and we are now at the hostel getting settled. The team is coming together nicely.
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
GETTING READY
All the preparation work for our distribution of 7500 bedkits is taking place right now in Mama Wandoa’s house. Mama’s son Benjamin, along with her wonderful Upendo volunteers, are in the process of putting all the items for the children into backpacks. They will be stored in the bedrooms of her house until we arrive.
The team from Canada 🇨🇦 is getting very excited to be travelling to Tanzania next week.
Asante Sana Upendo.🇹🇿 (See you soon).
Team Tanzania, 2024
Upendo 🇹🇿 + SCAW 🇨🇦
IT IS A WRAP!
After ending our final distribution day we celebrated with a group photo of our team but then Mama Wandoa insisted that we include Dave Dryden as well.
Then we were off for our ‘50 +3’ birthday celebration with all the Upendo volunteers at Mama’s house for soft drinks and cake.
Peggy presented Mama with the 50th anniversary book with a message from Debbie and Sandra.
A very successful post-distribution meeting followed, including some new ideas for next year.
This is one of the memories we will hold in our hearts ❤️ as we leave beautiful Tanzania.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW 🇨🇦
THE WEATHER TODAY - WE HAD IT ALL.
A very rough road took us to our distribution today. The skies opened up on our arrival, just after our first set-up. We quickly moved the parents’ meeting inside a classroom and it worked out quite well.
After our second set up we were ready to go but fortunately we found a covered verandah area for the photos as the rain continued on and off.
Our sheltered area was only available until 12:30 when all the children would be fed so we did not waste any time. The Upendo/SCAW efficient teamwork prevailed and we finished at 12:29!
Wendy and Benjamin had arranged a home visit for us at Rashid’s house. He was thrilled to receive a bedkit today. His grandmother and mother gave permission for us to take photos to show everyone where they lived.
Rashid’s new bedkit will allow him to sleep alone on his own mattress.
It is humbling to visit these communities and drive on their roads.
Another successful and uplifting day and 750 children are sleeping peacefully tonight.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW 🇨🇦
BACK TO WORK
Two schools had their photographs taken today so a very, very busy day.
Here are some glimpses of how the distribution went. . . .
Mama Wandoa was asked to sign one of the school’s guest book.
Kathy and Jerome are working hard in the intense heat.
Our wonderful Upendo volunteers are always there for us.
We are loving all the kangas on the children. Wendy and her team do a great job of tying 750 kangas.
Happy children are heading home. Our hearts are overflowing.
Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW🇨🇦
OUR DAY OFF🌺
Saturday was our day to explore the city of Dar with Tetula Okama, a local guide. We visited the National Museum, saw a wood carvers’ cooperative in action, toured a beautiful cathedral and the Village Museum depicting the historical homes from the 16th to the 20th century. We ended our day by dipping our toes in the Indian Ocean and walking on the beach. It was lovely seeing all the children playing in the water.
As always we had with us our wonderful, kind driver, Abbas. Not only is he a conscientious and safe driver but he also has assisted us every day by helping to organize the children for the photos. You can imagine the excitement with large groups of ten children and how much patience, kindness and gentleness is required. He is a good team member.
Asante sana, Abbas👍.
Monday we are back to work.
Lala Salama.
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿+SCAW🇨🇦
IN TANZANIA 🇹🇿 EVERYONE CAN BE FAMILY
Mama has been involved with Sleeping Children for 23 years. Over these many years she has involved more and more members of her family as it kept growing. There are now five generations involved in this bedkit distribution.
Her son, Benjamin, and daughter, Wendy, are the co-leaders with Mama.
For this distribution, cousins Prisca and Jerome were very involved.
Prisca excelled at the important role of checking the labels and coordinating with Peggy.
Here we see Jerome handing out backpacks from the truck. It was raining off and on and this kept them dry for the children.
Mama Wandoa has so much love in her heart that all the Upendo volunteers are family as well. The whole team gathered together around Mama as she presented the volunteers with a special Canadian 🇨🇦 button. Peggy thanked them as well.
Principal Moir is part of Mama’s family now as she has worked with him before. At this distribution he contributed to the fuel costs for the truck and provided a lunch for volunteers from his own salary. Mama originally thought that his school was too far to come but he wanted his children to receive bedkits. All the parents of the 750 children were there as well.
Another inspiring day.
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿/SCAW🇨🇦
NO CHILD IS EVER LEFT BEHIND
Did you know the word ‘Upendo’ means ‘love’ in Swahili?
At the Remote Distribution in 2022, young Amina was so excited to get her mattress she ran right to the mattress, bypassing the backpacks. Amina’s mother went over to Mama Wandoa to explain what happened and asked if her daughter could have one. In order to maintain the integrity of the process, Mama had to ask Amina’s mother to wait. Sadly, with a newborn, she could not stay.
Mama took her contact information and promised to get the backpack to Amina.
This year Mama Wandoa wanted to honour her promise. She contacted Amina’s mother making arrangements for them to come to a distribution so Amina would receive her backpack and a special 50+3 Sleeping Children button. With permission from her mother we were able to take photos of this touching occasion.
THESE are the moments we will remember.❤️
Lala Salama,
Team Tanzania 2023
Upendo🇹🇿/SCAW🇨🇦
