The 5000th Bedkit was purchased by our team as a thank you gift to the overseas volunteers here in Tanzania. The jobs of the volunteers included: helping children get dressed into their brand new clothes; carrying, folding and tying 715 mattresses each morning; cutting off the bracelets used to identity Bedkit recipients; helping the children find their backpacks and baggies (Swahili for bag!) with their school uniforms; sizing the children to receive their Bedkit (large or small); and helping our team to learn Swahili (some of us can count all the way to 20, and a few of us know 5-6 colours). Many of the volunteers are also employed from January to July, preparing the bedkits- cutting fabric, sewing clothes, and packing the 5000 bedkits. Other volunteers gave up possible work days, proud to be able to help children who need it. I asked one volunteer if he was sad because it was our last day of distribution, and he told me no- that he was happy because he knows the children are happy, and he cares about them. Each volunteer has a story, each has given of themselves to ensure 5000 Tanzanian children can sleep better and dream bigger thanks to the generous gift of a Bedkit.
The gift of a Bedkit is a gift that keeps on giving. In some ways, this thank-you gift to our overseas volunteer team had 4 recipients, and we could see the impact for all four immediately- the volunteers, the child, her family, and the SCAW volunteers. The volunteers were beaming with pride, smiling for the camera ("Cheka!" - Swahili for smile), and so grateful for their thank you gift to be a gift for a child. The child was delighted, happily posing for the camera, arms around SCAW volunteers, and giving the thumbs up. Walking away with her new "godoro" (mattress) balanced on her head and her "mifuko" (bag) on her back, we saw her mama greet her happily. We know that the Bedkit will help her family- and we can only imagine the ripple effect of this gift. We as SCAW volunteers were gifted with the opportunity to see- for the 5000th time in 7 days- the incredible joy of receiving a Bedkit. The young girl shook our hands, looked us in the eyes and warmly told us, "thank you".The gifts we have given this week, thanks to generous donors, have been gifts for us, too. We have been gifted with love and laughter, with hope and humility, and been gifted with new friendships to cherish for years to come. 5000 bedkits delivered to 5000 children adds up to so much more.
Asante Sana.
Thank you.
Team Tanzania 2016
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