Kenya: All Done

From Kenya 2012

All done!

Today we met with the Nairobi Rotarians to share reports of the successful distribution and to thank those Rotarians who worked so hard to make it so.

Pictured in the centre is Larry Donahoo, who for the past two years has co-ordinated the Overseas Volunteer efforts. Flanking him are some of the Rotarians who worked especially hard.

They and we are looking forward to next year.

Including the 5,000 bedkits delivered by
the Kenya team this year, our total is
now 1,216,130 bedkits since Sleeping
Children began in 1970.

Brian & Pat Tuddenham,
for Team Kenya 2012

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Kenya: Kajiado

From Kenya 2012

Today we did the last and perhaps one of the most touching distributions, in Kajiado at the disabled children's child care center.

It was amazing to watch how capably these young children got around in wheelchairs or with canes. Some children had spina bifid and another was blind but they, like all the other children that we have dealt with, were enthusiastic and happy -- always willing to play a game or shake your hand. The parents the children and the staff were all quick to let us know how much they appreciated the bedkit.

From Kenya 2012

We are happy to say that now 5,000 more children can have a good night's sleep.

Brian & Pat Tuddenham,
for Team Kenya 2012

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Kenya: Huruma

From Kenya 2012

Today we headed out once again through the crushing Nairobi traffic, to visit our fourth Nairobi slum.

We needed, as usual, to pick up a guide to help us negotiate the narrow rabbit-warren streets lined with endless small ramshackle businesses. We saw people cutting up old tires to salvage the rubber, people making charcoal, and others selling used shoes. The children's shoes, the lack of them or the poor condition of them, is something that has been very striking throughout this distribution.

From Kenya 2012

When we arrived, the children could barely contain their excitement and were eager to get their bedkits but at the same time were anxious about what was going to happen. When their turn finally arrived it was a pleasure to see the smiling faces of children often barely big enough to hold the bedkit happily take it home.

Our only regret was that we didn't have more to give to those who waited on the sidelines.

Brian & Pat Tuddenham,
for Team Kenya 2012

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Kenya: Gilgil

Our sixth distribution was to the city of Gilgil, 6,600 feet above sea level.

From Kenya 2012

It was a day of very mixed emotions for our SCAW team. As always, happy to be able to deliver bedkits from generous donors so far away from here and happy to see 700 excited, smiling children ready to receive them.

Sadness? As with all SCAW distributions, our team had an opportunity to visit several local homes where bedkits had just been received. In fact, as we arrived some of the children and parents were just arriving home, after having walked nearly 10 km. along dusty paths through open desert-like plains.

From Kenya 2012

We spent about an hour walking in and out of many homes of 55 families in a “camp for IDP’s” (Internally Displaced Persons) -- homes of sticks and used plastic sheeting, most no bigger than ten feet square. Homes in a dry, remote and dusty half acre plot of land, three km. away from a water source.

Happiness? Knowing that many of these homes will now have a mattress and a mosquito net. Best of all, listening to the melodious swahili songs sung by these desperately poor families as they spontaneously gathered to bid us farewell and thank you.

Patti Jones,
for Team Kenya 2012

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Kenya: Kitui

After an overnight stay in Kitui, we headed down to the town stadium.

From Kenya 2012

There we were greeted by many parents and their children who were all dressed in their bright yellow, blue and orange outfits. The governor and the mayor said a few words and the SCAW team were back working hard distributing 600 bedkits.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned in our blogs to date is the fact that, at each distribution, we try to interview a few parents to learn which items in the bedkits are most valuable and what possible improvements might be made in the future. Through the course of those interviews, we also learned that now is beginning of their dry season and March is the most difficult month for them as they don't have much access to water.

But today these worries could be briefly put aside, with the sun shining, the music playing, and the children smiling and dancing.

The SCAW team had another truly joyous experience.

Dustin Van Leeuwen
for Team Kenya 2012

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Kenya: On the road

The SCAW 2012 Kenya team has been on the road for the past couple of days. These photos show their trip so far including their latest distribution in Kitui.



Team Kenya 2012

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Kenya: Thika

From Kenya 2012

Our fourth distribution was in Thika and included among the 600 children who received bedkits today were thirty children with special needs.

We are so pleased that one of the items in this year’s bedkits is a pair of flip-flops. We saw so many young chldren with toughened bare feet, others dragging along in well-worn over-sized adult shoes and many in heavy, large rubber boots. Despite this, the most important item in the bedkit is still the foam mattress.

“Cheka” our photographer shouts to the “watato” as he tries to capture their smiles (cheka) for the photographs.

But the really big smiles come when the children (watato) are handed their own big bedkits to take home.

“Kulala salama” (Sleep Well)

Patti Jones,
for Team Kenya 2012

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