Category: Kids’ World

SCAW 2014

Posted in Beautiful people, Community service, Culture, Kids' World, Rotaract, Rotary, Travel, World peaceTagged , , , , , 2 Comments

“There is nothing more peaceful than a sleeping child”.-Murray Dryden, SCAW Co-founder.

Once again, Rotary Club of Nairobi in conjunction with Rotaract Clubs and Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) have lived their “service above self” motto. The Canadian charity, SCAW, together with the Rotary Club of Nairobi and Rotaract Club of Nairobi Central helped distribute bed-kits to children from underprivileged communities around the country including Nairobi slums (Kibera, Kayole and Mathare), Kajiado and Kakamega. This was achieved through support from various donors, which saw 5000 children benefit from bed-kits. Each bed-kit consisted of a mattress, blanket, mosquito net, clothes outfit, and stationary.

The packaged bed-kits
The packaged bed-kits
Bed-kit contents
Bed-kit contents

The distribution was made a success not just by the donors and volunteers but also by the kids who braved the long queues and the heat; you couldn’t wipe off their excited smiles.

A group of a hundred beneficiaries in Kakamega
A group of a hundred beneficiaries in Kakamega
A group of beneficiaries in Kajiado.
A group of beneficiaries in Kajiado.

Since its formation by Murray and Margaret Dryden in 1970, SCAW has raised over 23 million dollars to provide bed-kits for children in 33 countries; the millionth child was reached in 2009. More information about SCAW can be found on their website.

Some of the distribution volunteers
Some of the distribution volunteers

Some light moments from the distribution exercise.

Volunteers' excursion before distribution in Kakamega.
Volunteers’ excursion before distribution in Kakamega.
Together we happily take on the world!
Together we happily take on the world!
New lessons learnt, Evan learning to sharpen a knife on a bike ;)
New lessons learnt, Evan learning to sharpen a knife on a bike 😉
This is where I come from
This is where I come from
These beautiful smiles brightened our day
These beautiful smiles brightened our day
And more smiles shared!
And more smiles shared!
One of the "baby" in our volunteer group :)
One of the “baby” in our volunteer group 🙂
Some volunteers were made in Canada ;)
Some volunteers were made in Canada 😉
No, it wasn't a 'clean' job
No, it wasn’t a ‘clean’ job
The funniest moment when some kids told Brenda (mom) and Evan (son) that they looked like husband and wife :D
The funniest moment when some kids told Brenda (mom) and Evan (son) that they looked like husband and wife 😀
These desks are nostalgic!
These desks are nostalgic!
High fives for a job well done.
High fives for a job well done.
These beautiful clouds in Kakamega have a sad story. Check back soon for the story.
These beautiful clouds in Kakamega have a sad story. Check back soon for the story.

The Triplets

Posted in Culture, Kids' World, Travel8 Comments

I’ve always loved kids and they have always loved me back. I met these triplets in Hurghada, Egypt on my way to Cairo. They were on the bus that I caught from Marsa Alam. The minute the bus stopped for more passengers in Marsal Alam, I first saw two of the triplets, waving at me while holding their dad’s hands. I waved back and as if that’s what they were waiting for, they came to me and sat on my lap. I must say, I was surprised but not as much as their dad was; one minute their dad was holding their hands and the next minute they were seated comfortably on my lap.

I greeted them with the only Arabic I could remember at that time. Being kids, they continued speaking to me in Arabic, thankfully their dad understood English, he translated. Well, the only thing they asked was, “Why is she speaking English?” I’m glad I was not the dad, I didn’t even have an answer to that!! But he explained that I was from Kenya and that we speak English in our country. Still they couldn’t understand why I spoke English and not Arabic.

Music is a neutral language. On the bus ride to Cairo, the radio played Arabic music and the triplets held my hands and danced in the bus, other passengers could only smile and watch us, as they too didn’t speak English. They got to their destination too quickly and I went back to enjoying the music, the triplets’ happy faces engraved in my memory-forever :).