Sharing the Joy of the Season

Blog archive: December, 2010

For the past few years, Design for Good with Swerve Design, have done something a little different at Christmas time. There was a time when we sent gifts to our clients to thank them for their business but ever since I came back from my first trip to Africa in 2007 we decided that instead of sending gifts to clients, we would simply thank them and send toys to the kids on their behalf instead. This just felt right and was very well received by our clients.

We decided this time that while I was in Uganda I would personally hand deliver the toys and since we were at the school to see the water projects we would hand them out to the kids there.

We had filled 2 suitcases with hundreds of toys for the primary students and musical instruments and school supplies for the middle school. This morning we spent some time and played with the primary kids and listened to them sing us songs and welcome us to their school. There, in the playground were some of the toys we had sent last year since the toys are not given to the students but instead become part of the community and are shared by all the kids. The head master spoke to the kids and told them how great they have been since they did not break or steal any of the toys from last year and that we had traveled all the way from Canada to be here today. The children clapped and smiled with anticipation. I opened the bags of toys and the kids quickly gathered around and, surprisingly, waited patiently to receive a new toy. I also handed out enough new years party blow whistles for each of them and they knew just what to do. Soon we had over 30 kids whistling away and I’m sure their teacher was thinking this would give her a headache soon enough. The students thanked us and ran behind us as we headed back to the middle school students.

When we met up with the middle school children they were still outside practicing their music lessons and they greeted us with drumming and singing a great song about the trees and the environment. When they were finished, the head master told them why we were here. Joseph took a moment to quiz the students to see if any of them knew what the flute we brought was and if anyone was willing to try to play one. I’m not sure if they were shy or didn’t know the answer but they all stood there in silence. After much coaxing Joseph encouraged one young boy to come up and try to play the recorder. He held it backwards but did blow in the right spot and managed to make some sounds. We congratulated him and told them all that we had brought a class set of recorders along with hundreds of notebooks, pencils and pencil crayons for all the students to share. The headmaster thanked us for our donation while the students clapped and waved us off.

It was amazing to be there first-hand and see the expressions on the student’s faces – something I will never forget.