Sri Lanka: International Children's Day in Sri Lanka

How wonderful to have one of our distributions coincide with this special day!
School was hopping with singing competitions, games and ice cream treats.  Teachers and children alike were caught up in the Sfestivities.  It didn’t take long for the SCAW team to join the fun.

It was particularly meaningful as 444 of the bedkits were from St. Brigid School in Georgetown, ON.  Children helping children!


On our way out, all the school children were dancing to music from the radio, so we had to join in the festivities. Enjoy the photos and the video!

Team Sri Lanka 2015

Post your comments here:

Sri Lanka: Polonnaruwa

Team Sri Lanka is pleased to report that we have completed our third day of distributions in the Polonnaruwa area - 2400 bedkits have been distributed and we only have 2100 left to go! We are sorry for the sporadic updates to the blog, weather has been wet and stormy, and as a consequence our access to internet has been scarce.

We know that friends and family will have been checking the blog for photos and updates, so we’ll give you what you came for with a run down of our typical day and some shots of Team SL 2015 in action.

Typically our day starts early and we work fast to beat the afternoon rain. Each day we arrive to schools at the start of the day and work through the hot morning sunshine to try and get our photography done outside. We have heard from locals on several occasions that “the rain has come early”, which means mother nature has thwarted our plans to complete the distribution before the inter-monsoon season sets in. Though our t-shirts are soaked, our spirits are not dampened! 

SCAW supporters will know the daily routine: meet the children, set up, take photographs, monitor the process and hand out bed kits: all aided by the Rotarians who have hosted us and arranged the distributions with the Sri Lankan military. Here are some photos of the SCAW team in action:

While the children wait in line for their bed kits, it is important to keep them entertained. Chris H does a great job of this, with the aid of our toy bag.

Linda heads up the photography station, with help from Chris W who has also been taking shots. 

Linda is photographer-bombed by a young boy who wants to get his own shot.

Gail, Julie and Elizabeth all do a wonderful job of handing out bedkits, sharing the gifts sent by your donations.

Today, Susan helped by interviewing bedkit recipients to find out more about them and gather feedback to help improve future distributions. 

But enough about the team, the real stars of each day are the children who come to collect their bedkits.

Rain or shine, the results is always rewarding!

More updates to come soon, thank you for all your comments and messages.

- Chris W (and the SL 2015 Team!)
Post your comments here:

Sri Lanka: Distributions Day 1 and 2!

At the end of day we have distributed 1600 bed kits to very happy children.  Even the monsoon rains couldn't prevent us from completing the task.

Here are some pictures so far from Thopawewa and Kegalugama.  More to come tomorrow.

Team Sri Lanka 2015
Post your comments here:

Sri Lanka: A Brief Message From The Team!

In spite of the monsoon, we reached our first destination and distributed 800 bedkits. All is well. A tired but exhilarated team is off to bed. Hope to  send photos tomorrow.

Team Sri Lanka 2015
Post your comments here:

Sri Lanka: The Team Has Arrived!!

Team Sri Lanka is finally together! 

Chris Webb, Susan Simpson, Elizabeth Mukondiwa, Chris Hills

Front row: Gail Hills, Julie Carney, Linda Webb

Susan flew into Peason from BC.  At the layover in Heathrow, Chris W met up with us.

Chris W. and Susan inspecting the clothing

Elizabeth from Zimbabwe, joined us in Colombo.

Chris H, Gail and Elizabeth checking the quality of the mosquito net.

We think Chris is checking visibility

We received a warm welcome at the airport from Sarath, Ravi and Panni from the Rotary Club of Kelaniya.  We have had a close alliance with this group for many years and are looking forward to many memorable moments as we work together to distribute 4,500 bedkits.

Julie adjusting bedkit setup

Team Sri Lanka 2015

Post your comments here:

Sri Lanka 2015: Post Your Comments Here:

Please add your name to the end of your comments.  Thank you!

Honduras: Day 7 - A Bittersweet Final Day!

With the continued passion of the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa, 4000 bedkits have been given out to the children of Honduras.  A BIG thank you to all the SCAW donors!

With continued support these smiling faces with continue to light up our lives!

Theresa Carravetta for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras: Day 6 - Dreams!!

Today the sky was blue and a gentle breeze was blowing and in the background you could hear the laughter of the children waiting in anticipation for what was about to begin

These children have no cell phones game boys or any electronic devices just the thrill of knowing that they were about to receive something special. As the time approached the children's excitement increased and then it came; they were receiving what they had come for - their SCAW bedkits. The look on each face tells the story. Some are all smiles and others are not exactly sure what to do, however tonight each child has a mattress and a pillow to go to sleep on, and school supplies for another day at school.  It was a great day.

Jill Power for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras: Children Singing Their National Anthem!

Post your comments here:

Honduras: Day 5 - Canada!

The other day, I learned "Old MacDonald had a farm....." is the same in Spanish
as it is in English.

The kids know the Canadian flag and a few things about us. They are happy to receive Canadian flag stickers from us.

As a group we have lots of fun, we work hard and we each experience the joy
that comes from giving on your behalf.

We are grateful for all the support from the two military policemen who not only control the crowd and keep everyone safe but assisted in guiding the children out to their parents.

The smiles, hugs and little gestures of gratitude make a hard days work so worth while.

Ted Nelson for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras: Day 4 - Sights and Sounds!

As we traveled the fifty kilometers through the Honduran countryside, I wondered what the day would bring.  Just like the three previous days, I saw the uncertainty in the children's beautiful faces until "Hola" was spoken, and they lit up with bright smiles.   I heard their laughter, and saw how lovingly they had been prepared for this day.

But nothing could have prepared me for the three homes of former bedkit recipients that we visited.  I saw trash littering small yards and emaciated dogs laying in the dust.  I walked on uneven dirt floors in homes with no running water or electricity.   I saw a room no bigger than a closet where a grandmother and her three grandchildren slept.

I witnessed extreme poverty, but in my shock I saw the love between the women and children, I felt the hugs of three little girls, and I saw the beauty and resiliency of the Honduran people.

Rosanne Waugh for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras: Day 3 - Boys Will Be Boys!

Today was another successful day of distribution at a school in Tegucigalpa. As we have seen every day, the children are beautiful and so excited to be receiving this gift of their bedkit. Sometimes it is hard to quell their enthusiasm especially the little boys, but others are very shy and bewildered by all the commotion.

Rotarians and Team volunteer helpers, helped them with the first part of the process followed by the carrying out of the bedkit to be greeted at the end gate by their parents.

Today I interviewed two mothers. Both were so extremely thankful that their child was chosen to be one of the recipients. They especially liked the mattress.

It was obvious that a few children were not well. We saw 3 or 4 with Chicken Pox. 

Thanks to our generous  donors, 600 more children are sleeping well tonight.

Marilyn Olivare for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras Day 2 - A Challenging Location, But Successful!

Today we arrived to throngs of children and parents waiting patiently for their turn to enter through the school gate and receive their bedkit.

The first of a number of large group photographs scheduled for the distribution  proved to be very challenging especially for the children having to sit in the hot sun while we arranged them for the perfect picture. Everyone's patience paid off in the end and the children were off to receive their eagerly anticipated bedkits.

Once again we asked them to wait patiently until the previous group had been processed. Even though, as one of them said "it's like Christmas", and the excitement was building.

Finally each of the children received the eagerly anticipated bedkit and in this case this little boy received the hot commodity of the " Minion bedkit".

And now tightly holding on to their "prize" they head out to show their parents after a big "thank you" to the SCAW team in both English and Spanish.

Neil Waugh for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras: Day 1 - A Success!

Waiting in line has never felt this good as you can see by the smiles on their faces as they wait with their new clothes to get their pictures taken. The children of Honduras eagerly await the next step of the process on the way to get their bedkits.

These two boys want to give all the SCAW donors a 'thumbs up" and a sincere "muchas gracias" for our new clothes!

650 children left today's distribution expressing their excitement with  a "thank you " and huge smiles on their faces!

John O'Donnell for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras: The Day Before ...

Today we had the pleasure of visiting the warehouse where 4000 bedkits are stored. Within this colorful display, there are 4000 mattresses. The Rotarians have worked endlessly to dress the mattresses in a zippered cover. Stuffed inside these rolls are more contents of the bedkits - a bedsheet, a pillow, a pillow case and a blanket. The rest of the items are all packed in a backpack (the mosquito net and many school supplies!

As we are leaving, the volunteers are stuffing the truck with 650 bedkits for tomorrow's distribution. These will be loaded and then unloaded into classrooms at the first school. Military will guard these bedkits overnight until our arrival in the morning! And then the fun begins as the children arrive with smiling faces and the thrill that they will sleep in comfort!

We are so fortunate to be able to partner with The Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa. Stay tuned for the pictures of the results of all their hard work!!

Theres Carravetta for Team Honduras 2015
Post your comments here:

Honduras: The Team Has Arrived!!

Back row: L-R Theresa Carravetta (Team Leader) Marilyn Olivares, Jill Power, Rosanne Waugh

Fronto Row: L-R John O'Donnell, Ted Nelson, Neil Waugh

Post your comments here:

Honduras 2015: Post Your Comments Here:

Please add your name to the end of your comments.