Togo: 7 — Distribution is complete

For the 3,000 children in Togo, who just received a SCAW bedkit, life has changed:

• No more sores on their tiny bodies from sleeping on the ground.
• They won’t wake up in the middle of the night because they are cold.
• They now have a few more clothes to wear.
• They also have some school supplies which their parents really appreciated.
• We brought trust and hope back into their lives. We actually delivered. Promises were made and kept.
• A parent commented that bedkits helped unite the whole family.

According to our Overseas Volunteer Organization, AED-Togo, Sleeping Children Around the World was one of the first not-for-profit organizations to return to Togo since the political unrest in the nineties.

The team is now playing tourist for the last few days while we wait for the Air France to come and get us.

SCAW Togo travelling team

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Togo: Photo Album 5

Togo — Album 5

Togo: 6 — Malaria prevention

Malaria in the whole of Africa is killing many children on a daily basis. As a result, mosquito nets are used to protect the children when they are sleeping.

While speaking to parents of the 500 children receiving bedkits today, we asked, "How many of you have mosquito nets at home?"

Not one hand went up.

So the Long Lasting Insecticidal Mosquito Net that is in the Togo bedkit is greatly appreciated by both the parents and the children.

SCAW Togo travelling team

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Togo: Photo Album 4

Togo 2007 — Album 4

Uganda: Photo Album 9

Uganda 2007 — Album 9

Uganda: 9 — Memories of Uganda

They are many . . .

• The spontaneous waves and smiles
• The overloaded bicycles
• The large baskets balanced upon women’s heads
• The children pumping water at the well
• The babies ... and more babies
• Throat music
• People walking by the roadside – all day and all night
• Roadside markets
• Everyone talking at once
• Matoki – the favourite food!
• Rice fields, tea plantations, mountain side farming plots
• Bumpy roads ... red dust ... everywhere!
• The rooster ... our morning alarm
• Extended hands of gratitude
• Loss of electricity ... again!
• Friendships

                  ... we will never forget!

Sleeping Children's 2007 Uganda travelling team

Thanks, once again, to Felix Rwamafa for emailing the Uganda Live Reports and photos to Canada. He says:

"This is the last report as the SCAW Team in Uganda is packing to come back to Canada. It's been lovely giving my service to the team. Looking forward seeing them next year and do the same work.

"I wish them a safe journey."

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Togo: Photo Album 3

Togo — Album 3

Togo: 5 — Parents give thanks

From Togo — Album 3

After experiencing torrential downpours on Monday — monsoons started early — the past two days have been beautiful for picture taking.

Here are some parent comments as they watched their children get their bedkits:

• "My son now owns more than I do."
• Two parents wished for God to make them a child again.
• "This is a miracle. I did not expect you to show up because we are promised stuff all the time and never get it."

Thank you, donors, for giving the Togo team the opportunity to deliver these gifts to the children of Lome, Togo.

SCAW Togo travelling team

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Uganda: 8 — The Inner Wheel of Kampala

Uganda 2007 — Album 8

Our overseas partner in Uganda is an organization of women called the Inner Wheel of Kampala. This is a Rotary club composed of women who place "service above self."

Strong, capable, and exceptionally well organized, these women have completed the demanding responsibilities leading up to the distribution. They have obtained competitive quotes to achieve the best price and quality of bedkit items. They have worked with remote village administrators to gain their trust so the distribution can go forward. Their efforts have resulted in the selection of 5,000 very needy children who will receive the precious gifts. They also provided a detailed financial report.

These Angels of Africa are important models for the young girls in the villages we visit.

This may be the very first time they have seen a women in a leadership role!

Sleeping Children's 2007 Uganda travelling team

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Uganda: 7 — The Colours of Uganda

For those who have never seen Uganda, you may imagine an African nation that suffers from drought and depression. Our experience tells a far different story!

Although poverty is ever-present and AIDS and malaria are urgent medical challenges, the nation has an emerging vitality!

Ugandans love their vibrant colours. Their clothing is bright and attractive and often clean. The geography is spectacular. The rice fields, small farms and gently rolling landscapes in the east are beautiful. Small villages, towns, and cities are alive with markets and small vending stations.

People are everywhere!

Uganda 2007 — Album 7

The west has mountains that are captivating. Tea and coffee plantations are plentiful — together with the ever-present matoki fields.

Those of us who are fortunate to travel to this nation of “friends” will never forget this “pearl of Africa”.

Sleeping Children's 2007 Uganda travelling team

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Togo: 4 — First day's distribution

From Togo 2007 — Photo Album 2

The children welcomed us with: a banner, signs, flowers, songs and dances.

• The children were absolutely adorable.
• We had a few logistical issues to sort out but our primary objective was achieved. We distributed 500 bed kits to 500 needy children.
• Heavy rains forced us inside for more than half of the pictures.
• The team worked as if they had done this many times before.
• Warren is cooking spaghetti for supper — no weight will be lost on this trip.
• Everyone is staying healthy and loving the children.
• The team has to practice “O Canada” — Eileen said we were very flat.

The Sleeping Children 2007 Togo travelling team.

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Togo: Photo Album 2

Togo 2007 — Photo Album 2

From Togo 2007 — Photo Album 2

Togo: 3 — Togo’s Overseas Volunteer Organization

From Togo 2007 — Photo Album 1

SCAW’s new found partner in Togo is a not-for-profit organization called Action Enfance et Développement Togo (AED-Togo) whose primary goal is the care of women and children affected with AIDS. They arrange things such as:

• The adoption of children left without parents who have died of AIDS.
• Help children get their birth certificates. (If a birth certificate is not obtained within 30 days of the child’s birth it is very costly and time-consuming process in Togo.)
• Help supply water for women.
• Promote income-generating activities for women.
• Provide school supplies and pay school fees.
• Arrange Christmas parties, meals, and gifts for children.

All indications are that plans are all in place and everyone is anxious to get started.

The team’s first day in Togo was a day of relaxation and acclimatization, so we did the following:

• Went grocery shopping.
• Had a pre-distribution meeting with AED to plan for the next two weeks.
• Out for Lunch.
• Exchanged some US$ to Togo Francs (CFA’s) with a street vendor.
• Back to hotel for a siesta.
• Off to visit a small community made up of a church, two schools (primary & secondary), hospital and an orphanage in a very poor area of Togo.

Cannot wait to see the children!

Sleeping Children travelling team: Clarence Deyoung (Team leader), Carolyn Carere, Sonya Heleno, Iain Maciver, Eileen Rademacher, Warren Wagstaff.

Togo: Photo Album 1

Togo 2007 — Photo Album 1

From Togo 2007 — Photo Album 1

Uganda: Leave your comment here

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the link to "Post a comment."

After you click on the word "comments" or the link "Post a comment" you will be sent to a page that includes a graphic like the one at right.

1. Type your comments in the box.
2. Type the blue letters you see as Word Verification (to prove you're a human).
3. Choose an identity.
   1. Your Google/Blogger account (if you have one),
   2. Your name and a link to your website if you have one, or
   3. Anonymous. In this case, please be sure to include your name inside the box with your comment.
4. Click on the blue button to preview or click on the orange button to publish your comment.

Note: You cannot post comments on the Picasa pages when you are looking at the photo albums.

Togo: Leave your comment here

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the link to "Post a comment."

After you click on the word "comments" or the link "Post a comment" you will be sent to a page that includes a graphic like the one at right.

1. Type your comments in the box.
2. Type the blue letters you see as Word Verification (to prove you're a human).
3. Choose an identity.
   1. Your Google/Blogger account (if you have one),
   2. Your name and a link to your website (if you have one), or
   3. Anonymous. In this case, please be sure to include your name at the bottom of your comment.
4. Click on the blue button to preview or click on the orange button to publish your comment.

Note: You cannot post comments on the Picasa pages.

Uganda: 6 — Out west ...

From Uganda 2007 - Photo Album 6

The SCAW 2007 Uganda travelling team is west of Kampala, Uganda right now and away from internet connections.

They should be back with another report on the 6^th of June.

Stand by ...

Uganda: Photo Album 6

Uganda 2007 - Album 6

From Uganda 2007 - Album 6

Togo: 2 — Arrival in Lome

Current Weather:

Internet connections in Togo run rather slowly even compared to Canadian dialup according to a brief report sent to us this morning. The flight from Paris was good and the team arrived at 5:30 am local time which is only three hours ahead of Toronto and two hours behind Paris.

Since it's the first time SCAW has had a bedkit distribution in Togo we have no previous experiences to draw on. It is all new to us. But first impressions are very favourable. Accommodation is very good with each team member having their own room with bathroom and air conditioning. The team bought food at a supermarket this morning and spent CFA25,000 (about $50 CDN) so they'll have breakfast supplies for the next four or five days. The temperature is about the same as Toronto but a bit humid.

They did a quick orentation tour of Lome this morning with Mr. DEKALIKAN Kouma from our Overseas Volunteer Organization, Action Enfance et Développement-TOGO (AED-TOGO), along with his wife Gladys. Everything is organized for the first distribution tomorrow.

"Mr. DEKALIKAN Kouma did a great job. The bedkit looks fabulous," they told us. More posts will follow as we receive them.

... from the Sleeping Children 2007 Togo travelling team.

Togo: 1 — The team connects in Paris

From Togo - Album 1

All members of the team arrived at Paris airport and met up for the last leg of the trip to Togo. You can see some of their unique "sleeping" positions while waiting for their connection in the Photo Album.

The team, left to right: (Back) Warren Wagstaff, Carolyn Carere, Clarence Deyoung, (Middle) Sonya Heleno, Eileen Rademacher, (Front) Iain Maciver.

Uganda: Photo Album 5

Uganda 2007 - Album 5

From Uganda 2007 - Album 5