July newsletter

On June 26, Urukundo Foundation and Urukundo Learning Center held a commemoration to honor the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Four buses transported students from the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center and employees to Kabgayi Genocide Memorial, where many innocent victims are laid to rest.

Upon arrival, we participated in a Walk to Remember, visited the graves, and laid flowers as a sign of respect.

The President of Ibuka spoke. Ibuka translates to “remember”  and is the name of an organization dedicated to the genocide survivors. He explained that the Urukundo Foundation demonstrates its commitment to supporting the Rwanda government’s efforts to preserve the memory of the genocide, not because it is required, but because it reflects the true meaning of its name, Urukundo (which means “love” in Kinyarwanda). He also expressed that Rwanda, especially Muhanga District, is blessed to have the Urukundo Foundation because of its valuable contributions to the community.

The Executive Secretary of Cyeza Sector also thanked the Urukundo Foundation for working hand in hand with the sector in its daily activities. He said he felt blessed to serve as the leader of the sector because of the foundation's presence and requested that his sincere gratitude be conveyed to Mama Arlene for choosing Cyeza as the home of Urukundo Foundation and for the remarkable work being done to support the community.

Some of the genocide survivors who have received financial support from the Urukundo Foundation also shared heartfelt messages of appreciation. They expressed how the assistance has transformed their lives and said they hope to visit Mama one day to personally thank her for the kindness and support that have made such a positive difference in their lives.

Mama and kids

Mama encouraged the kids boarding a bus to take the national exams. This exam is important as it determines if and where our kids will go to secondary school. In past years, our students have done well on the national level exams.

Kindergarten graduates visit Mama’s house. These are the same children you will see singing “We are the World” at the graduation ceremony.

Graduation celebration

We honored our graduates on July 11 with a celebration, including a ceremony, a parade, cultural presentations and awards.

Urukundo has 135 Primary 6 graduates.

There are 120 children in the kindergarten graduation class.

The Tom Nunnally Sewing Center has 14 graduates.

At the exit of Urukundo Learning Center, the cultural drums kept the beat for the parade marchers.

Non-graduating students started the parade.

Kindergarten came next.

Primary 6 graduates marched in.

Community parade

Our parade stopped traffic.

The community saw Urukundo graduates. We are community.

Students entered the main gate to Urukundo Village and the site of the graduation presentation.

Preschool tent

You really need to see these 3- and 4-year-olds. They fill a large tent. They sat on mats and were so very patient. I am so proud of them. Years from now, they will be graduates of Urukundo Learning Center.

Honored graduation guests

Gilbert Mugabo,vice mayor of the Muhanga District

Oswald Ruremesha, president of Urukundo National Board of Directors.

From left: Mama, Headmaster Viateur, Vice Mayor Mugabo and National Board President Oswald

National board members, from left: Juliette, Antoine, Theoneste and Félicité

Some more of our honored guests

Parade on site

A salute to the families, friends, honored guests, and fellow students.

Students paused in the parade to pay their respects to Mama and Vice Mayor Mugabo.

Kindergarten starting the presentation

Our new first graders signed and sang, “We are the World; We are the Children.” 

So beautiful! It made me cry. Should have had an audio. They made a world globe with arms above their heads.

Our star performer, student Divine Mutabazi Ishimwe, sang her winning song from the national music competition for those assembled.

Two students on keyboard

Luc Hategekimana 

Samuel Niyibikora 

Urukundo’s band played through the presentation.

Speakers

Headmaster Viateur welcomed all to the graduation ceremony.

Eugene, president of the Parents Committee, spoke.

Divine and Christa were speakers for Primary 6.

Rwanda traditional culture was the theme for the graduation celebration.

Leading the presentations were traditional dancers. The celebrants in the presentations included teachers and students.

Practice, practice, practice. Near perfect.

The dance is unique.

Boys and girls worked together to succeed.

Showing off a bit. Rwanda students also did modern dancing. Way to go, kids.

Sustaining life

Parade of implements used.

Three mats displayed early life. From left, family life; recreation and early transportation; and agriculture (milk, eggs, beans, sorghum and tools).

Tools on the third mat are visible here.

Sorghum on stone and tub for making banana beer. Auntie teaching the procedure.

Igisoro is a game played in the marketplace.

Traditional wedding presentation

Guests arrived at the wedding with gifts.

Transport for the bride

Announcing the wedding to take place

The bride met the groom for the first time.

Groom’s family viewing the bride

Bride was accepted.

The groom and bride shared a wedding drink. Milk. The cow is a valued part of the marriage ceremony. The groom offers cows as dowry for his intended wife.

Traditional cow dance. You can hear cows mooing in the background.

Our beautiful bride

Clubs presented

English Club

Would-be radio interviewers and journalists

Reporters on the job interviewed the graduates.

Headmaster on the carpet. Great interviews.

French Club

Conversation. Weather report for the day.

A propos du climat

Les élèves se rencontrent et demandent des nouvelles entre eux. Katia dit que ça ne vas pas à cause du soleil, la chaleur est cassante et il y a de la poussière partout. On dit que c’est un problème général même en Europe Les personnes sont mortes.

And a report on the market.


Récitation: Au marché 

Au marché il y a différentes choses comme : des sandales et du savon, des légumes et du poisson .il y a beaucoup de personnes et des bruits. On appelle les clients et on fait l’échange des biens et de la monnaie.

Karate Club

Sewing Center fashion show

Snow White stole the show. Actually, her name. 

Jacob strutting his stuff. Love it.

On behalf of the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center, honored guest Banker Damascene presented Marie Josee, accompanied by her mother, with her own sewing machine. This award is given to the exceptional student annually in honor of the late patron Tom Nunnally of the Forest Hills Rotary, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Teacher Epiphanie, Mama, Executive Director Jean Marie, Theogene, and Headmaster Viateur helped to present each sewing graduate with a starter packet as a reward. The students presented Mama with a gift.

More awards

Other awards were presented by parents, honored guests and the faculty.

A special award was given to the Parent of the Year.

To conclude our program, the guest of honor, Vice Mayor Gilbert Mugabo, Muhanga District, gave a word of encouragement and congratulations to Urukundo Learning Center for a year of achievement

Hats off to our master of ceremonies.

Remy Paul, our MC for the day. Great job!

The program coordinators for the event. Awesome job, well done.

From left, Anuarite, dean of discipline, and Adeline, school secretary

Congratulations to all who made this graduation ceremony possible.

Secondary School ribbon cutting

The official opening of the Urukundo Learning Center O-Level Secondary School took place after the graduation ceremony. The school will serve students in grades 7, 8 and 9 beginning in September.

Ribbon cutting

Guest of honor and Mama cut the ribbon. We are official. God in charge.

New building ready for inspection. Step inside. Here are just a few rooms.

Classroom

Science lab

Study and research library

Computer space is available to students. We are waiting for the arrival of Secondary School computers already purchased. 

Guests are impressed.

Added bonus

Sixteen of my kids came home for the day. Sure made my day end happy. Back row from left, Seraphine, Cecelia, John, Claude, Tresor, Sandra, Bosco, Anitha, me, Esperance #1, Alexander, and Amin, Front row from left, John Paul, Lilliane, Deborah, and Esperance #2. The 16th one, Olivier, is a teacher at our school and was busy doing his job when the picture was taken.

Happy mom.

Message from Mama

The end of the school year is a happy and sad event. Our graduation ceremony included celebrating our 20th anniversary. It has been 20 years since Urukundo became a HOPE MADE REAL.

We also planned a tribute to Barbara Campbell, the donor who funded the construction of the new school. We are sad that Barbara did not live to see the completion of our shared dream. Ebola could not have happened at a worse time. It was not safe for her family to fly here for the celebration. Later in the year, when travel is safe, Urukundo will unveil a memory stone in her honor. That stone will remain on the fence in front of the secondary school forever. Barbara spent time at Urukundo in September 2025. She is loved and missed by Urukundo, her friends, and family.

Gentle rest, Barbara.

Love,
Mama

June newsletter

Hello, everyone.

June’s Newsletter starts with answering a request for details from a music lover and long-time supporter of Urukundo’s music program. Let’s take a look at the history of the music program. The very slow and thoughtful process took 20 years and began in 2006, before we had a school.

Donated bells and kazoos come first

Music began with Ruth Cox, a dear friend and benefactor from Pennsylvania, USA, who gifted our kids with a set of bells crafted for children and kazoos that would let the kids make music of a sort. This took place in 2006 while we were still in Giterama town listening to and watching the musical “The Sound of Music.” We had no school at that time. We were a home for girls. Those girls loved music, sang, danced, and enjoyed the bells and kazoos.

Urukundo honored her contribution in 2016.

Violin donation helps program to grow

In July 2009, Urukundo became Urukundo Home for Children and  moved to the Cyeza sector. Visitors started to arrive.

Keena Thrush, a teacher and accomplished concert violinist from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, USA, came and brought her violin. Her enthusiasm inspired our kids. Keena left the violin at Urukundo when she departed for home.

By 2014, we had a keyboard, kazoos, a set of little bells, and a violin. The kids just enjoyed making a “joyful noise.” That noise reached Keena Thrush back in Pennsylvania. She talked to her friend J.R. Judd, who is the owner of J.R. Judd Violins in Williamsport. By this point, more of our children wanted to play the violin.

Keena gave Sarah, who is Keena’s special friend at Urukundo, a violin of her own.

A gift of violins arrived at Urukundo from Keena and our benefactor, Mr. Judd.

Friends of music – Dale, Barb and Margie, visitors from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – recognized the potential of music at Urukundo and started funding our program. That really was a blessing.

Gifts of more instruments arrive

In 2017, we received a guitar and it soon became a favorite with our kids.

Lucky on guitar

David and his guitar

Urukundo’s good friend Kyle Jerro, who at the time was a linguistic student in Kigali from the USA, played a Fender guitar and sang for the kids.

This Fender guitar was a very special gift.

Learning to play the violin.

Rwandan instruments are included

We also acquired some Rwandan string instruments, encouraging our kids to honor Rwandan music.

Traditional drums were added.

Permanent music teacher hired

In 2018, music finally became part of our teaching program at Urukundo Learning Center. A permanent music teacher was added to our staff. 

Director of Music Emmanuel Iyakaremye

Emmanuel respected both traditional and modern music. A band was established. We had few instruments, but we used what we had. Teaching music was the goal.

Respecting traditional drums, we started teaching a few students.

More children wanted to be drummers. Expansion took place.

The kids liked the traditional drums but wanted a drum set.

Finally, in 2021, thanks to your donations, we were able to purchase a drum set.

Student musicians perform

In June 2019, we presented our first performance as a band or orchestra, with the chorus singing.

In front of this audience.

From 2019 until now, the band has participated in all programs held in the school auditorium and every graduation.

Sound system rented. One day, we will have our own.

Music and kids are a good combination.

First-grader on keyboard. Soso on drums. 

P3 student on electric guitar.

Student on the trombone.

Student learning the saxophone.

In March 2025, more instruments were added, thanks to John Irwin and the Rotary Club of Wilkinsburg-Regent Square, Pennsylvania, USA. 

Here are Teacher Emmanuel  and Rotarian John Irwin with the instruments.

Musical instruments now available include flutes, clarinets, ukuleles, trumpets, recorders, handbells, acoustic guitars, electric guitar, violins, a trombone, a saxophone, and keyboards. We are blessed. We don’t have a full orchestra or a marching band, but we do have a group of enthusiastic musicians with a love of music. Thanks to so many, and our Music Director Emmanuel.

Our music director does minor maintenance of the instruments, and qualified people who can do major maintenance come to the school upon request. Our instruments do not leave the campus and are in safe hands. It is our hope that students in our program may become technicians for musical instruments and music teachers in the future.

Hillside House of Music becomes a reality

Our space for instrument storage and practice was confined to a small space in the teachers' resource building. The space was very limited. 

Now, we really had to have a separate building for our music program. What to do about it? God in charge.

After the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center moved to a permanent location, Hillside House, formerly a classroom for the center, became available.

In 2026, this seemed a perfect location for music. It could be soundproofed and air-conditioned, and we would have the needed space.

Renovation began.

After renovation, it looks like a different house. It is now the HIllside House of Music. 

What it looks like now. Racks to hold shoes, removed before entering a classroom. 

Finished product.

Entrance view walking into the Hillside House of Music.

A different view of the same area.

The area has acoustic floor covering and air conditioning. The whiteboard is for studying music theory. The next item needed was a vacuum cleaner.

Always one thing leads to another.

Lots of space for practice and instruments. It is beautiful.

The program continued expanding. We now have a large chorus of many children who love to sing. 

A band, though small. Room for growth.

Beginning of an orchestra.

This student loves playing the drums.

With the addition of the Hillside House of Music, visitors are welcome and can participate in our teaching program. A sound system was added. Instruments on display for visitors to see.

Preschoolers are an important part

The very best result of the progress in 20 years, from 2006 to 2026, is that we now have space for our youngest to enjoy and learn the pleasure of music. 

In preschool, there were only two small violins for many learners. Judd Violins has come to our aid once again. Violins, the perfect size to fit these little hands, are on their way to Urukundo along with several larger ones. Thank you, Mr Judd.

Daycare kids also like to make music.

We’re No. 1

In the most recent chapter of our music story, we won the National Music Competition in May. The music competitions took place on five levels: Local, Sector, District, Province and National. Urukundo students took first place at all levels.

Team ready to compete on Level 5, the National Level.

Urukundo Learning Center was the national winner on May 23. Urukundo’s music program is No. 1 in the whole country.

This was their first year to compete. They represented our music program well.

Future is bright

We have just begun. Take notice, world.

 I am so proud of all the kids who brought home the trophy for Urukundo Learning Center. Our future looks bright. Do we have goals? Indeed, we do.

I asked Emmanuel, our music director, to share with me where he sees Urukundo’s music program in the next 10 years.

I share his hopes, dreams, and goals with you:

Vision for the Urukundo House of Music

To develop Urukundo Learning Center into a leading center of music education in Rwanda, where every child has the opportunity to discover, learn, and share the gift of music while preserving Rwandan culture and building skills that can serve them throughout their lives.

Through quality music education, performance opportunities, and community engagement, the Urukundo House of Music will inspire creativity, discipline, confidence, teamwork, and excellence in every learner.

Goals for Future Growth

Build a Full Orchestra

  • Increase the number of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. 

  • Create separate sections for violins, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, and drums. 

  • Perform regularly at school and community events. 

  • Create Brass Band sections in secondary school when it starts

Develop a Children's Choir

  • Expand the chorus into a well-trained choir. 

  • Continue to learn songs in Kinyarwanda, English, and other languages. 

  • Participate in regional and national competitions. 

Establish Community Outreach

  • Offer music workshops for neighboring schools. 

  • Host annual music festivals at Urukundo. 

  • Invite musicians and music teachers from Rwanda and abroad. 

Improve Facilities

  • Complete the House of Music with additional equipment and resources.

  • Purchase sound systems, recording equipment and instrument storage. 

  • Create a small recording studio for students. 

Strengthen International Partnerships

  • Continue partnerships with donors, music organizations, and Rotary clubs. 

  • Develop instrument sponsorship programs. 

  • Encourage visiting musicians to teach master classes. 

A Long-Term Dream

One inspiring long-term goal could be:

"By 2035, Urukundo House of Music will be recognized as one of Rwanda's leading youth music centers, producing outstanding musicians, preserving traditional culture, and providing life-changing opportunities for children through music."

Looking at your achievements—from a few bells and kazoos in 2006 to winning Rwanda's National Music Competition in 2026—this dream is realistic. The next step is not only to teach music but to become a center of excellence that helps children, schools, and communities across Rwanda.

I do hope you enjoy this write-up of music program details.

Seeing is believing. Come spend some time with our students.

Any questions? Please ask.

To our readers, if there is an aspect of Urukundo you would like more information about, please let me know. Email me at brown.arlene30@gmail.com.