SCAW Blog: South Africa, 2024: May 26

May 27, 2024

After getting our feet wet at our first two distributions yesterday we were excited and eager to head out for our second day at Zandspruit Nooitgedacht Public School. Here we distributed bedkits to the grade one students. Being that it was Sunday we were very appreciative of the teachers who donated their time to come and assist their students in getting ready for the distribution, helping them change into their new track suits and getting them lined up and ready. Their assistance was invaluable. Judging by the exceptional behaviour of these children you could see the amazing rapport established between the children and their teachers. There are 6 classes of grade one students and each class consists of around 40 learners. I truly admire these teachers for the work they do daily. As one of them stated "it is a labour of love.”

Following a short presentation to the parents and children, explaining the process for the day, what SCAW is, why we do what we do and showing the items that they would be receiving, we were presented with a special gift. The students had created an amazing piece of art to thank us for coming.

Look closely at this beautiful tree and you will be able to see a colourful thumbprint made by each grade one student

Then it was time to get busy. The children gave us wonderful smiles for the photographs that will be sent to our donors, then they were on their way to receive their special gift of a bedkit. Julie was giving out bedkits today and one child in particular really warmed her heart. As he approached to receive his gift he was quite hesitant and uncertain but when he saw what he was receiving he lit up with the biggest smile imaginable.

It took many hands to make today happen and to bring joy to the students of Nooitgedacht P.S. A special thanks to the teachers for their assistance in organizing the children and to our rotary volunteers for assisting in today’s distribution. Special recognition goes to the Rotary E-Club of Eagle Canyon and their President Sanette Mostert for all the hard work over the past months in preparation.

Team South Africa

Rotary E-Club of Eagle Canyon 🇿🇦 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: South Africa, 2024: May 25

May 26, 2024

Sleeping Children has returned to South Africa for our second distribution after four years away due to Covid. As the volunteers from our Overseas Volunteer Partner, the Rotary E-Club of Eagle Canyon, are all new to the project we started off with two smaller distributions.

South Africa OVP and SCAW

Our morning was at Mampudi Public School in Vosloorus, a school with 1000 students in a southern suburb of Johannesburg. Three children were ill with chickenpox and were unable to attend; however we made sure they received their bedkits. During a pause in the distribution, I was able to chat with some of the Grade 5 and 6 students, who spoke English well. I explained Sleeping Children’s mission to provide a good night of sleep to children around the world. We examined each item of the bedkit. When the girls in the front row realized that they would each be taking a bedkit home, one of the girls clutched her friend’s hand and remarked “She is going to cry”. When I said I hadn’t wanted to make her sad, she corrected me: “tears of joy”. She was not the only one with tears, although mine were from a mixture of emotions. The children were truly grateful and looked forward to testing the bedkit out that night, especially the warm blanket.

After a successful morning, we drove half an hour to the Ebenezer Hannah Home, a unique community operated by pastor Thomas Merime and his wife. This nonprofit provides housing, food, and social services to children who are orphaned or neglected and seniors living in poverty with no family support. It also provides subsidized housing for community members in need of support, who then work at the centre in exchange for the lowered rent. The Home operates a preschool and a bakery and sewing centre, where residents and community women are trained in skills that can benefit the Home as well as provide outside income. We had the privilege of joining this community for lunch, and it was a pleasure to watch the adults and children enjoying a healthy lunch together. The seniors fill the role of grandparents for the children, and one couple have helped raise almost 100 children while living in the community. They truly have built a family here.

Ebenezer Hannah Home

Before we distributed the bedkits, we were entertained by an impromptu concert by the children, led by our team member Jan. The children energetically participated in typical English action songs like “Old Macdonald” and “Twinkle Twinkle”. When it was their turn to choose the songs, our team was in awe of the beautiful harmony of the children singing gospel songs in their local language. We have no doubt that the bedkits will be put to good use in this family community.

While the number of bedkits may have started small, the impact for these two communities was large. Congratulations to our Overseas Volunteer Partners on a successful first day.

Team South Africa

Rotary E-Club of Eagle Canyon 🇿🇦 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: South Africa, 2024: May 24

May 24, 2024

The world may be getting smaller but it still takes a day to fly from Toronto to Johannesburg, South Africa. We arrived quite late but Sanette, from Rotary Club of Johannesburg, greeted us at the hotel. On our first full day, Sanette, with Sizwe, Nobesuthu (Nobes), and our driver, Linden, welcomed us as we toured Europa Foam. The sprawling facility, which employs 100 to 150 workers, provides mattresses for the children. Nisha was our guide.

Our next stop was Rainbow Blankets, where we met Mehmet, the owner. The company has been in operation for 30 years and produces 10,000 blankets a year.

After lunch overlooking the scenic golf course at Eagle Canyon, the SCAW team of four met to prepare, followed by a meeting with Sanette and other local partners.

We are happy to be in South Africa and looking forward to this distribution and to a fruitful ongoing partnership with Rotary Club of Johannesburg.

Rotary E-Club of Eagle Canyon 🇿🇦 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 17

April 17, 2024

Today we distributed our last 550 bedkits. Your 8,000 bedkits have been greatly appreciated by the children and their parents. The days ahead will begin with a good night’s sleep.

My most memorable moment today was when a small child with challenges was soothed by a cookie and bottle of water. He could then calmly receive your generous gift. He went away very happily with his Mom.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 17

April 17, 2024

Wow! What a day. . . . Again we travelled up the mountain roads to a site that had a 360 degree view of valleys and green mountains. The sun shone all day and the pictures all had this spectacular background. It was probably the best distribution yet as all the pieces fell together. To top it off, we were treated to a phenomenon most of us had never seen . . . a Circum Zenithal Arc . . . to us a rainbow that instead of touching the ground at each end remains as a circle above us.

Circum Zenithal Arc

We had a bit of a scare when we arrived at the site . . . our large truck carting the 550 bedkits was completely on its side in a ditch! Apparently they had off-loaded all the kits and then turned the wrong way out onto the road and tipped over. Heaven knows when they got out, but that was the only wrinkle in the whole day!

We were then treated to a performance by a group of women who sang, danced and brought gifts of fruit and vegetables, not for us but for their community. It was a joyous occasion for all.

Gifts of food for the family

We then went on to a lunch again hosted by one of the women in the Inner Wheel which was followed by a home visit right next door. The woman had 6 children living in a 2 room mud hut and her husband had died during Covid. Needless to say, she was overwhelmed by the gifts of food given to her and her children. This is always one of many sobering moments in our distributions. However, there are also a number of joyous moments such as seeing the children’s faces and the faces of their families, when they receive their bedkits.

It was a perfect day from every aspect!

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 13

April 17, 2024

Bananas are a staple food in Uganda and that is obvious when you see the many, many banana palms planted in every nook and cranny around the country.

There are five different types of bananas grown here, each with a specific use.

Gonja bananas are for roasting on a grill or in the oven. This variety can also be fried.

Embidde bananas are fermented to make a local brew. The ripe bananas are mashed with grass releasing the juice which can be consumed or have sorghum added to it to begin the fermentation process. The resulting brew is distilled producing the local drink.

Ndizzi bananas are very small and eaten as a raw fruit.

Bogoya bananas are larger that the ndizzi variety and also eaten raw as a fruit.

Matooke bananas are steamed, mashed and eaten hot.

We have had the pleasure of having many of these varieties at our distribution lunch feasts.

Bananas are transported in every imaginable method from boda bodas, on the backs of bicycles, in baskets on the top of women's heads, to large transport trucks.

Bananas being transported by boda boda.

Bananas figure prominently in local art as well (picture).

Clearly, bananas are an important part of this culture.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 15

April 15, 2024

We had the opportunity to go on another home visit after today’s distribution. We all remembered the family: their son has a disability - his Dad got to be in the photo with him, as he couldn’t sit unsupported. Their house was a duplex made of clay and their side had two rooms. There was a cooking area out back, some goats, and a pumpkin garden.

The family consists of mom and dad and four children - the two youngest are disabled. They are 11 and 6, but look considerably smaller. The team referred to them as “having vulnerabilities”. The children were so happy and it was a joy to meet them. We sang “if you’re happy and you know it” and they clapped during the whole song.

There were three home visitors at their home, part of a government initiative. It’s a peer mentorship program, with folks from the community mentoring their neighbours, mostly on health-related topics. They visit each family monthly and teach them.

We gave the family some money and two Canada T-shirts and a Canada ball cap. Plus, they now have a bedkit. One of our team members told the mom that the bedkit is for the child but that the items could be shared. Mom shook her head. We don’t speak the language, but if we understood her, she was saying, “No thank you - this is for my child.”

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 14

April 14, 2024

Yesterday, after our distribution in a remote village, we got to do another home visit. We had to climb a steep hill which was very rocky and muddy. Unfortunately, we arrived to find the mom was taking one of her children to hospital and the father wasn’t home. Luckily, grandma was home to take care of the other three children. We brought the family a gift of food to say thank you for letting us visit their home.

It was a sort of compound - two small homes made of mud and sticks, and a “shed” with a fire burning. Mom and Dad’s home had a cooking area and a bedroom, and Grandma’s home had 2 bedrooms and a main room. We saw that the new SCAW mattress was still rolled and sitting on a bed. The bedkit recipient was already wearing her new shoes! Shoes continue to be the hottest item and the one that the children AND their families cheer the loudest for.

On a related note, one of our team members spoke with a community volunteer today at the site who said there are many children with intellectual disabilities in the community, largely due to maternal malnutrition during pregnancy. We hope the gift of a bedkit relieves some of their burdens and allows for healthy development overall.

It is a gift to visit these families and have them open their doors - humble as they may be. It is illuminating and bittersweet: knowing we made a difference yet seeing just how much work there is to do.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 12

April 12, 2024

Today was day 6, distributions 7 and 8. We hit a wee snag when the truck carrying the mattresses and bedkits broke down a few kilometres from the site! The team set up as best we could and the children got dressed while we all waited, fingers crossed and breath held. Luckily, the truck arrived about an hour after the team, and we all set to work: Inner Wheel, SCAW, and families. We rolled and tied 550 mattresses in no time at all, thanks to all the helpers.

Then we put the bedkits into the basins, again a team effort that moved smoothly and was much quicker thanks to families jumping in to help.

When the distribution happens, we have community volunteers, all of whom had children receiving a bedkit today. They stayed with our team for the whole distribution - lifting bedkits to be given out, and helping children carry their new bedkit and mattress. The help was most welcome as the bedkits are heavy- they are so filled with gifts for the children! $40 can go so far and gives children amazing opportunities to rest and to learn at school.

It was a smooth distribution, thanks to the amazing volunteers.

It takes a village to make a distribution.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 11

April 11, 2024

Some quirky things we’ve seen along the way.

The traffic in Kampala was dense and chaotic; cars, buses, and motorcycles sharing the road. And oh my, let’s talk about the roads! Many were constructed with the red dirt of Uganda, and the potholes (craters?) were massive. It was common to see 2 or 3, or even a family of 4, on a motorcycle. But it’s the cargo that has been so entertaining. I wish I could’ve photographed all of the things we have seen! We see people carrying crates of fresh eggs, bananas, or other food (sometimes prepared food for sale), live animals such as chickens and turkeys, construction materials like slabs of drywall or 10 feet rebar (carried sideways), furniture, and even a stack of boxed mini-fridges.

The condition of the roads slows the traffic down considerably, and so an economy has emerged where people sell goods as they walk through the traffic. We were offered everything from food and clothing (men’s boxers), to windshield wipers and rat poisoning. Also to be seen on our long bus drives is the beautiful landscape of Uganda, lush green plants, rolling hills, and the red mud. We’ve also spotted both Toronto and Montreal hockey jerseys! And of course, we’ve seen several SCAW bedkits making their way home on motorcycles.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 10

April 11, 2024

Well we had quite a day today with a start at 6 a.m. We headed north from Kampala to the Rwentobo Centre, one of the schools in the Ntungamo district. The ride was a real change from previous days not only in terms of traffic and roads but the scenery was spectacular. We moved up in elevation and into lush green hills and valleys. The temperature dropped too which we found very pleasant but the Ugandans find it cool and were donning sweaters and jackets.

The farming became tiered and housing was well spread out. It reminded me of the book, How Green was My Valley. The ride was VERY long, about 9 hours total, but we were entertained by the Inner Wheel with gospel songs and sometimes up-tempo dancing. They enjoy life so much!

Tiered farming

We did stop at the Ugandan Equator and had a group photo taken and finally drove on to the school, arriving about an hour late, but it did not lessen the excitement and we were greeted with the usual clapping and cheers. Emily, one of our team, had a great time entertaining the kids by blowing bubbles while they were being lined up.

Emily blowing bubbles

The Community is so grateful for what SCAW does for them. As volunteers, that alone makes our day worthwhile but then the children get super excited when we display the gifts they are going to receive. I spent some time watching them greet their parents after they received their bedkit and headed off by various modes of transportation - bikes, motorcycles, trucks and of course walking. Some have walked a long distance to get here and we would pass them on the bus miles down the road on our way back to our hotel with the basin on their heads and mattress rolled up. Many also had hard climbs as they live up the steep hills.

Another successful day !

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 5

April 9, 2024

This blog was sent on April 5th and was lost. I apologize and will post it now. This is the second day of the distribution.

Our adventure began early this morning after a lovely breakfast. We boarded the bus for our first interaction with the group representing the Inner Wheel and had a hands-on tour of the factories where the the school uniforms and back-packs were made. A very enlightening conversation with the owner ensued, and he has only good things to say about SCAW and its continuing support of the business he self-started with the idea of employing untrained Ugandan women and men. It was very uplifting to see how it was a win-win operation for all parties. We then moved on to the mattress factory to see the process from beginning to final product and again saw the behind-the-scenes operation.

The photos posted above show the kits put together, the finished mattresses, and the cutting of fabric.

We ended the visits with a wonderful introduction to all the Inner Wheel women and were treated to a luncheon. They are a force to be reckoned with in their dedication to SCAW. We are very blessed to have such industrious partners!

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 9

April 9, 2024

Before each distribution begins, we speak to all the families and children. We tell them “a day of hope begins with a good night’s sleep” and that sleep is good for their brains and their bodies. We show them all the incredible items in the bedkit. From both the families and the children, the biggest cheer seems to come when we announce the new “ngato” (shoes). In fact, we’re not even sure that the children know they’re new - they are so accustomed to “new to them”. The shoes in the bedkit are sandals which seem quite durable and come in red, black, or navy blue.

We have noticed that many children wear no shoes at all. Others wear winter boots. Some wear dressy Mary-Janes. Many wear crocs. Some wear socks, though that is a rarity - a perhaps frivolous extra piece of clothing that would cost more money. One child was seen wearing men’s shoes - many sizes too big for her small feet. One of our team members noted that sometimes a family has “family shoes”- one pair of shoes shared amongst all members. The person with the most important event gets to wear the shoes. Getting a bedkit is a big event - worthy of the family shoes.

Each item in the bedkit changes the life of both the child and their family. The cheers, dancing, and “waveles” (thank yous) tell us that your donation is making a difference.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 7

April 8, 2024

Our 7 member Canadian SCAW team was up and ready to board the bus at 6:30 this morning, ready to do a ”double distribution” today. That means that 500 bedkits are given out in the morning and 500 bedkits given out at a different site to 500 more children in the afternoon. It’s a challenging task but one which means we can maximize our time in a region and know that an amazing 1000 children will be having a good night’s sleep tonight.

It was a 3 hour drive to our first bedkit distribution site and when we got there, we were greeted by crowds of parents singing and clapping for us, even a few dancers in the crowd. The 500 children selected to receive their bedkit in the morning were already in their new shorts and t-shirts or dresses, singing a joyful and boisterous song of thanks to us.

We were greeted similarly in the afternoon with the addition of posters held up by the kids.

Parents with tears in their eyes, some doing “happy dances” were seen amidst all the hundreds of smiles surrounding us when children received their bedkits and returned to their patiently waiting parents.

I even got a special wink from one little girl as I lined her up to get her picture taken and then went to pick up her bedkit. Another child did a formal bow as he moved on. It’s moments like these and the opportunity to make a real difference that makes SCAW the incredible charity that it is.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 8

April 8, 2024

Day 3 of the distribution took us to the region of Wakiso, where I spoke with one of the teachers about sleep in children at his school. The teacher described the children at this school as “extra poor”. He told me that he often does home visits and that most children had no mattress for sleeping, but if they did, it was often for 3 or more kids. Children often improvised for bedding, for example using clothing as covers. He also told me that the mattresses from SCAW would be “exceedingly helpful for people”. When the teacher heard that the Ladies of the Inner Wheel of Kampala were coming with SCAW to distribute bedkits, he told his students the good news. He asked them how many had ever had a new blanket or sheet for their bed? None of them ever had. He told me that the mattress and bedding would “transform their sleep”.

Later that day, we had the opportunity to visit the home of a single mother living in an 8x8 single-room house with her 6 children (two of whom were new-born twins).

Nalongo (meaning ‘the mother of twins’ in Lugandan) showed me the house, explaining that she slept on the old small couch, and all of the children slept together on a mat on the floor. Nolongo’s oldest child had received a bedkit that day, and I could see firsthand how the mattress and bedding would indeed be transformative for the entire family.

Team Uganda
Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 6

April 7, 2024

It was very early on a dark morning with rain threatening when we started off for our first distribution. After three and a half hours on some suspension-punishing roads we arrived.

And, oh, what a welcome we had! The guardians/parents lined the driveway to cheer us in and the children were gathered, singing a wonderful song to greet us.

Wonderfully warm welcome

We gave the guardians and children a preview of the items in the bedkit.

Bedkit Items - Preview

Each item was received with thundering cheering and clapping, confirming that the ladies of the Inner Wheel had chosen well. After, the children changed into their new clothes and we set up the bedkit display, the distribution began.

Heading home with the bedkits

We were treated to a delicious lunch after the distribution.

Lunch

As I write this blog we are on the way back to our accommodation as the rain that held off all day has finally begun to fall in torrents.

We are thrilled to know that 500 children will be home tonight having a restful sleep to awaken to a new day tomorrow refreshed and ready to face the day.

Team Uganda

Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Uganda, 2024: April 4

April 4, 2024

After a variety of travel arrangements, the group finally met in Amsterdam and off we went on the last leg of our journey to Uganda.

We arrived to a wonderfully warm welcome from the women of the Inner Wheel of Kampala.

Today was a day of rest and settling in to our comfortable accommodations. Tomorrow the work begins in earnest. We are looking forward to seeing the children at our first distribution.

Inner Wheel of Kampala 🇺🇬 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2024: February 21

February 21, 2024

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 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Bangladesh, 2023: February 19

February 20, 2024

Our last distribution day took us to an area 5 hours north of Dhaka to a beautifully serene farm generously donated by a Rotarian for the distributions.

The last day of a distribution is usually emotionally charged as you long to be home with your own family but yet are sad to leave the camaraderie of the Rotarians and, of course, the children with their sweet greetings and smiles.

Today we met some severely challenged children. often carried by wizened grandparents, themselves on crutches, or mamas carrying children as big as themselves.

It was a difficult time for us as we tried to keep our tears in check and make them as comfortable as possible. A wheelchair or set of crutches would have been so practical.

We can only hope that they feel wrapped in love when they go to bed tonight.

A day to last forever.

Team Bangladesh, 2024

Rotary Club of Dhaka 🇧🇩 and SCAW 🇨🇦

SCAW Blog: Kenya, 2024: February 19

February 19, 2024

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 🇨🇦