Kolkata: After 4000 Bedkits, A Day of Rest!

A well deserved day off...after 4000 bedkits...

Our day took us to the warehouse where the bedkits are assembled.  This was great to see.  They have a security person, insure the location and hire 8 workers for six weeks to assemble the units.  The workers were very accommodating to show us how they do the process in an assembly line....

Next we drove to a street where they make the festival idols, which were all very beautifully painted and decorated.

Our next stop was to experience a 200 year old coffee house on College Street, then we stopped at a Goverment run arts and crafts shop before a wonderful lunch at Flavors of India... Another great day in Kolkata!

Kolkata 2018
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Pune: Wai

It was all about colour, hospitality and the children today in Wai.

After an enthusiastic performance by some of the children, speeches and presentations, pictures were taken by our Team Leader Chris Hills and the bedkits were handed out to the delight of child and parent alike. On these Pune distributions the child is reunited with his/her parent after the photo is taken and accompanies them as they pick up shoes, sweater, ground mat, knapsack and main bedkit bag containing blankets, mosquito net and more. This eases any worries on the part of the child and all leave happy.

The final picture shows the team and some of the many Rotarians and local volunteers who made this distribution  happen today.

One more day!

Team Pune 2018
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Kolkata: Day 7&8 - Bolpur & Sonamukhi

We were on the road again, staying outside of Kolkata, having distributions in both Bolpur and Sonamukhi...our local hosts were very gracious at each site by providing us delicious lunches...we are most grateful at the end of the day for nourishment before our drive to the next location.

Yesterday we did 523 bedkits and today we gave out 703! 

In addition we handed out Canadian pencils to the first 150 children today!

We also had the opportunity to visit 2 homes which were close to the site.  One child received a bedkit last year and one received one today....very happy families to be chosen.  They permitted us into their homes to view the inside and to see where they do their cooking... Their home is about 200 square feet and the cooking kitchen is about 2 ft by 2 ft.   It is very evident that we are doing a great thing!  There is such need!  

Our return drive was 3.5 hours, which was considerably shorter than planned for a Sunday but tomorrow is a holiday as they celebrate the Goddess of Knowledge, music, art, wisdom, learning, philosophy, creativity and nature ... Saraswati .. We will enjoy a well earned rest day tomorrow.

Team Kolkata 2018
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Chennai: We Have Arrived!!

Considering the 21 plus hour journey the Chennai team arrived and were greeted by men from the Rotary Club of Ambattur in the early hours of  Sunday morning!

Stay tuned for our first day of distribution on Tuesday!

Team Chennai 2018
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Pune: Another Joyful Day!

Day 5 has come to a close...another joyful day for over 850 children heading home with the greatest gift many have ever received. The thanks to Sleeping Children"s generous donors shows in their eyes, their whispered "thank-you's" and the humbling (to us) touching of our feet.

Team Pune 2018
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Pune: Velhe

Our 4th distribution was in the remote town of Velhe. Our drive there was through mountainous narrow bumpy roads. Once we arrived we were met by an enthusiastic group of parents and children. 

The distribution was very well organized with the excellent planning and staffing of our Rotarian partners and other volunteers from local high schools. The next picture shows SCAW team member Anne Kell with her helpers handing out the bedkits on behalf of our donors (picture 2).

Picture 3 shows our Rotarian partners with the children in their new outfits and backpacks, smiles all around.

The SCAW team donated 8 bedkits to the Pune Rotarians, shown in picture #4 - they are great partners, we could not do it without them.

The final photo #5, is of the local high school volunteer group that assisted us through the day.

Team Pune 2018
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Kolkata: Burdwan Traffic...

Today we travelled to Burdwan for the distribution. A warmer day, and the children were so excited to attend the bedkit festival!

Traffic getting to and from these locations always opens our eyes, and sometimes stops our hearts! Wow, we have a new appreciation for our driver Dillip! We drive on the left hand side in India, which is ok, but....you have a dance to weave and maneuver toto's, trucks, tractors, trailers,  rickshaws, pedestrians, goats, cows, trains, buses and everything else to keep us safe! Through it all, everyone HONKS!

After lunch we drove to the next site which we will visit tomorrow...tonight we are staying in Santiniketan.  This location is a university town famous for Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Rabindranath Tagore. Here our wonderful hosts took us to a Tribal local arts and crafts market.  Some haggled for their purchases before we all got in a toto (electric tuk tuk) for the drive back to our lodge.

We also enjoyed an evening of music and dance...a group of very young tribal children sang to us tonight and melted our hearts...... Till tomorrow

Team Kolkata 2018
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Pune: Everyone Smiles in the Same Language!

Namaste! Welcome to the village of Takli Dhokeshwar. We are greeted by the beautiful, smiling faces of the local children. Some have traveled for over 2.5 hours, via school transportation, to receive their much appreciated bed kit from the generous supporters of SCAW.

Today, I had the privilege of interviewing several of the recipients. All are immensely thankful for their gift. Every item is found useful. The shoes are a favourite for many of the boys. The girls, often preferring the new set of clothing. Everyone said they would sleep better tonight because of the comfy bed mats.

Despite the long but productive day, I am restless, excited to start a new distribution  in the morning. I remember all the smiles. Hassa! Everyone smiles in the same language.

Theresa Moran for Team Pune 2018
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