Team Tanzania: Time Flies When We're Having Fun!

We finished our first week of distributions and our team wants to thank Mama Wandoa, her son Benjamin and her group of volunteers for all of their help. It is uncanny the way they anticipate our needs and we could not ask for better partners. Asante sana.

On Friday afternoon our team walked a long way through a village to visit the homes of previous bedkit recipients. How humbling it was to see where our children live.

Saturday was our day off and this hard-working group wanted to experience some of the sights in Tanzania. Up bright and early we met our guide, Tetula, and with our trusty driver, Abbas, off we went on our adventure.

First stop was the Mwenge Woodcarvers Cooperative where we watched the artists create animals from ebony wood. Some of our team made some purchases to support their work.

We took a drive through the campus of the beautiful Dar es Salaam University as Tetula’s son hopes to study Economics there in the fall.

The next place we visited was the Village Museum and we saw an impressive display of dwellings starting in the 1700s to the present day. John and Irene had to duck in the doorways.

We learned that this team sure can dance!!!!

The Tinga Tinga Arts Cooperative is an explosion of vibrant colours with a very distinctive style of art. John and Peggy were able to purchase their Christmas tree ornaments. 

At the National Museum we learned about Tanzania’ s history and appreciated Tetula’s knowledge of her country.

John had to have a Tanzanian flag to display on Independence Day which is December 9th.

The last stop was the Fish Market with lots of people, noise and interesting ‘catches of the day’.

Tomorrow is a rest day.  As a sleep organization we know that ‘a healthy team needs a healthy sleep’. Lala salama (sleep well).

We are excited to see our children on Monday for the last five days of distributions.

Peggy M.
Team Leader
For the 7500 Children

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Tanzania: Every Distribution Is Unique!

Every distribution day is unique. A different location with new recipients, new adventures, and new stories.  However, what remains constant, is the tried and true "method of delivery". If it ain't broke...!

Upon arrival at the distribution site, we first take some time to meet, and to mingle with, the families of the bedkit recipients. 
 

If we're at a school, we watch the opening exercises, and we practice our Swahili while the students switch roles and become our (amused) teachers. 
 

Then it's on to the business at hand. Our local SCAW partners have always beaten us to the delivery site. They unload the bedkits and mattresses and start to set up the stations. Children are then ushered into change rooms where they receive their first, of two, new outfits. 

The children then proceed, with both hesitation and excitement, to the photo station. Yes, it can all be a little overwhelming for everybody involved, whether you're 6 or 60!

However, when greeted by someone as happy and as warm as John, how can one not feel more relaxed?!

Photos are taken...

Then the children are reunited with their belongings and sent on to the check-in station.

  

A quick swipe with a Sharpie (colour choice is one of the perks of working at this station!) confirms that the child is ready to move on.
 

Backpacks first (different colours indicate sizing of school uniforms inside)...

Mattresses next...

"Mom? Dad? I'm ready!"

Repeat. 780 times a day. 

Nope, it never gets old.
 
Irene S.for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: 780 More Bedkits Distributed!

Today’s adventure started (not so) bright and early - up at 4:50 a.m. and on the road by 5:30 a.m. Everyone made wake-up call and we headed down into the southern coastal region. Even at this hour the streets are busy and there are people everywhere beginning their day.

We arrived at today’s school - Kilimahewa - by 7:45 a.m. The roads were less busy than anticipated which gave us extra time to spend with the children before beginning the distribution.

The children are fantastic all the time, but they have extra energy first thing in the morning and they love to help us get organized.

This is also the time when our team’s “child whisperer” starts her engagement with the children.

We had a special treat this morning as the children provided us with a half hour of songs, anthems and dance. A number of our group joined in the dancing and our team leader, Peggy, taught our new friends the hand jive to add to their repertoire!

I had the fun job of “mattress-giver” for the day. Always one of the best spots as you get to see the smiles on the children's faces as they receive their backpack and mattress.

The day progressed smoothly as the team delivered 780 bed kits in under 3 and a half hours - kudos to Mama, Benjamin and their team of volunteers who keep everything running like clockwork. Even the trip home was quicker than anticipated - all in all a great day.

James C. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: Another 760 Bedkits Distributed!!

For our distribution today, we travelled two hours into the coastal area of Tanzania. We left the dust and concrete of the large city for lush green mango trees and rich red soil!

We passed monkeys and houses made of red clay on our way to the village school.

The school itself teaches just under 200 students but they invited six other remote schools to join in on the distribution. The other schools arrived by bus. It was quite a sight to see all of the students, their parents, teachers and bedkits trying to fit onto the bus for the trip home!

We were lucky enough to have chance to meet a few Maasai tribes people. Some were now living amongst the villagers and sending their kids to school for an education.

 All in all it was another great day! In total, we handed out 760 bedkits to very enthusiastic kids and appreciative families.

Allison M. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: First Distribution!!

Our day began with a trip to Mama Wandoa's home. We arrived just in time to help load the truck with the backpacks and supplies

After a quick tour of Mama's home, we were shown upstairs to her cottage industry where the women and men sew the backpacks, bedding, and children's clothes.

Then it was on to the distribution. Today was a smaller group of children - 500! These bedkits were added on at the last minute. We were greeted by the parents with a warm welcome.

Backpacks and mattresses were organized, and then it was off to the races!

  

We knew it would be fun, we knew it would be rewarding, but not in our wildest dreams did we expect how much.

The day at school ends with the last child receiving his/her bedkit to the sound of ringing of the "tire-rim bell".

On our way home we stopped at the mattress factory that produces all the mattresses for all of the distributions in Tanzania – 7500 for this trip! We were shown the manufacturing of the mattresses from beginning to finished product. So many bright colours!

Louise W. & John M. 

for Team Tanzania 2019
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Tanzania: We Have Arrived And Ready To Go!!

After two long, but (thankfully), uneventful flights, Team Tanzania arrived in Dar es Salaam on Saturday evening. The walk across the blistering airport tarmac in Dubai, coupled with the wait on the stairs to board the connecting plane in 38+ degree heat, didn't cast a chill over our excitement! As we flew over Tanzania we spotted the tip of Mount Kilimanjaro poking out above the cloud cover to say, "Jambo" (hello)!

Some of us were surprised to find the sun setting before 7pm, as our Canadian summer days are still gloriously long. We were greeted right at the arrival gate by Mama Wandoa, her son, Benjamin, and our driver, Abbas. Mama Wandoa and her family have been SCAW partners since 2000 and we were honoured to meet her, and humbled that she and Benjamin took the time to personally escort us from the airport to our "home away from home". We promptly proceeded to overcome our jetlag with showers and sleep.

Sunday morning began with a team meeting, followed by a trip to the local plaza for water and a few provisions. Someone, not me, forgot their toothbrush! Team Leader, Peggy, treated us to gelato, which is just as refreshing and delicious here as it is pretty much anywhere in the world! Abbas (pictured below with Team Tanzania and the van which will be transporting us all over the country over the next two weeks) also gave us a quick tour of Coco Beach, where we dipped our toes into the Indian Ocean. 

Team Tanzania 2019: Irene S., James C., Louise W.,
 Abbas, Lynn B., Peggy M., Allison M., John M

We held another planning meeting in the evening, with Mama and Benjamin, to discuss particulars about the first distribution, including a factory visit, and upcoming home visits of former bedkit recipients. We were awed to learn that one of our Tanzanian partner volunteers, with whom we will be working alongside this week, received a bedkit when she was a child - full circle giving!

Monday morning, and our first distribution, can't come soon enough!

Off to the plaza (and gelato)!.

Irene S. for
Team Tanzania 2019
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Philippines: Signing Off!!

After wrapping up distributions a few days ago and having some time to see some sights and rest, we were back on official business today with two factory visits.  We were able to visit the backpack factory and the factory where the mattress, sheet, pillow and shirts were produced.  Both were small cottage industries.  The backpack production took place in a small building and also in the front room of the managers' house. The manager lived in the house rent free.  Two sewing machines were in operation when we visited at the front of the house.  

The mattress production took place in three rooms of a building which also housed several of the workers and their families.   No worries about getting to work on time when you live in the building where you work.  Also a flexible work schedule was available.

Both had hired workers on contract but the workers usually had steady employment as orders were good.  After the big order for our bedkits workers received a bonus and a bit of time off.  Both were paid by piece work and therefore overtime opportunities were welcomed. 

Some of our mattresses were piled up against a wall and these had been rejected due to flaws.  I was pleased to hear that the workers would receive these mattresses.  

There was a fan at each sewing machine and lighting seemed good.  

As this was our last official duty, Team Philippines is signing off.  Homeward bound soon.

Team Philippines 2019
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