As published in the Stratford Beacon HeraldOctober 20, 2009
By LAURA CUDWORTH
Two Stratford residents will bombard some of the poorest regions of Bangladesh with "bed kits" this week.
Doug MacDougald and Sue Orr (pictured at right after they arrived in Bangladesh) will distribute a total of 9,000 bed kits in about two weeks. The kits are from Sleeping Children Around the World and contain a mosquito net, mat or mattress, blanket, pillow, clothes, towel and school supplies.
This will be Mr. MacDougald's third trip distributing bed kits and his second to Bangladesh. This trip is extra special because one of the areas Mr. MacDougald will be working in is the city of Jessore. It's the same city his father was posted in during the Second World War and he heard about it growing up.
Fittingly as well, it was his parents who got him interested in contributing to and distributing bed kits.
Bangladesh will pose its own set of challenges. It's hot, has poor infrastructure and it's the most densely populated country in the world. There are an estimated 162 million people crammed into 148,000 square kilometres. That's double the size of New Brunswick which has a population of 748,000 people.
All of that poses logistical challenges but there are bigger hurdles to overcome.
"The big challenge is reconciling myself to the lives these kids have. Luck of the draw they're born in Bangladesh and have their lives. Luck of the draw we're born in Canada and have our lives," Mr. MacDougald said from the airport yesterday afternoon.
The kits cost $35 and many churches, schools and other organizations in Stratford and area have purchased them. All of the money goes toward the contents of the kits. None of the $35 donation goes toward administration or distribution so volunteers pay their own way.
"I think the return is worth more in the end," Ms. Orr said while waiting to clear security.
The fact all the money goes to the bed kits was the draw for Ms. Orr.
This is her second trip to distribute bed kits but her first trip to Bangladesh. Not sure what to expect, she packed a jar of peanut butter and some power bars to eat while there.
Each child is photographed with their kit and the photo is sent to a donor. Ms. Orr noted the kits help the whole family not just one child.
"It's like they've hit the lottery," she said.
Many of the kids can't believe everything laid out is actually for them, Mr. MacDougald said.
The bed kits last about eight years.
Bangladesh was originally part of India but separated as part of Pakistan in 1947.
Economic neglect and discrimination led to war in 1971 and the formation of present day Bangladesh.
For more information about bed kits go to the Sleeping Children Around the World website at www.scaw.org.
Follow their trip as it happens on Sleeping Children's Live Reports blog.
