May newsletter

The end of April was a busy time for our visitors, who arrived in April: Carol Falke, from State College, Pennsylvania, USA, and Marilyn and Ward Yorks from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA. Carol and Marilyn are members of the International Board of Hope Made Real. Ward is a retired teacher.

They made a visit to a local village, and a driving tour of Muhanga town and the super highways (tongue in cheek) in rural Muhanga.

Our HR person Juliette greeted them at the gate to her home.

Juliette entertained Carol (left), Marilyn and Ward at her home and in her village. Fanta and peanuts were a treat.

The village

Village children ran to greet our volunteers.

Children

Adults did their part.

Carol is a hiker. On one of her hikes, she visited the water source at the bottom of the mountain.

Forest Hills Rotary in the United States, Kigali Virunga Rotary in Rwanda, and Rotary International made this water source possible.

The vehicle of the tour group Let's Go There Africa was the transportation to Akagera National Park and a big animal safari.

Too close for comfort. Wow!

On his last day, the little boy in Ward wanted to sit on a moto bike and dream of younger days. Motos are our main source of local transportation. Wish granted.

Marilyn and Ward, who visited for nearly two weeks, and Carol, who stayed a few days longer, got ready for their journey back to the USA. We bid them a fond farewell.

Secondary School progress

We continued to make progress on the construction of the new Secondary O Level School that will serve grades 7, 8, and 9.

May 1

While we were watching the progress on the first classrooms, the other four were being constructed. Now paying attention, we are seeing the progress already made. Astonishing.

Front view of all four classrooms and the inside stairway on May 1.

May 19, front view, lower floor.

May 19, top view.

May 26, general view as to where the Secondary School is located. The library and school office are on the left in the photo.

May 26

Mama & Baby Project

Why the Mama & Baby Project is so needed.

This little one came into the world at about 6 pounds. She is wrapped in her mama’s shirt.

She is tiny and beautiful. “Thank you” to the many for the newborn clothes shared with Urukundo (love).

Carol also visited a newborn and her mama at the birthing center.

More May visitors

Valli Meeks and Clyde Santana arrived on May 6 for 11 days. Dr. Valli is a clinical professor in the School of Dentistry at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, in the United States. Her husband, Clyde, is a man of many talents, including serving as an adjunct instructor at Norfolk State University in Virginia, USA. (Put his name in the search bar and learn more about this remarkable man.)

They brought disassembled chairs in boxes for the daycare.

At the top of their agenda was putting these chairs for the daycare back together. Dr. Valli commented, “Taking them apart was easier than putting them back together.”

Benjamin gets an assist.

The chairs are great and a welcome addition to the daycare.

Happy smiles.

Urukundo's dear friend and donor in Germany, Angelique Westmark, started a puppet ministry at Urukundo many years ago. So we had puppets, but we needed a puppeteer to make them productive. Prayers are answered if you are patient.

Working with children to create hope and encourage imagination, Clyde shared so much with the children at the Urukundo Learning Center. During his time with us, “Hope Imagination Theater” – HIT – became real for our students and our teachers.

He even included the daycare kids in his sharing.

Dr. Valli acted as the photographer at the daycare play area.

While Clyde volunteered with the school, Dr Valli spent precious time at the dental clinic.

They did take a bit of time to visit Akagera National Park.

Richard and the tour group Let’s Go There Africa were the perfect hosts for the safari.

Their volunteer time was too short, but so appreciated

Message from Mama

Another school year is coming to an end. The graduation ceremony will be on July 9. Urukundo celebrates its graduates (kindergarten, Primary 6, and the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center) with a full day of activities. If you want to experience the Urukundo Foundation and Urukundo Learning Center, Graduation Day is the day to see the many talents of our students and teaching staff. The guest house is inviting. Make your reservation ASAP.

I would be delighted to welcome you.

Love,

Mama

April Newsletter

April is a time of new birth in nature. I love the beauty and smell of flowering trees. That is, of course, my thought as I remember my childhood in Pennsylvania, USA.

That awakens thoughts and memories in Rwanda and the history of the stones. Please remember with me.

Things do get set aside as time moves on. The stone project was one of those things. The project was started as a fundraiser called “A Path to Learning.” It was started as an actual path of stones on the ground in the middle of the school play area. However, when kids played and walked on the stones, the writing was soon destroyed. The stones were then moved to a bank outside of where I thought kids would venture. Not so. We have moved them temporarily several times since. There has been no permanent place for them. As Urukundo grew, so did the number of stone requests.

The suggested donation to have a stone placed in honor or memory of someone loved and lost is US$100. My kids in the USA and I started the fundraiser along with the donor of our first stone, Ellen Galloway, who was a visitor at the time.

This fundraiser continues today. At present, there are more than 100 stones.Through the stones, US$1,000 was raised in support of education in Rwanda.

You, too, can be included on the wall of your choice if you send a donation of US$100 and what you want written on your stone. The donation can be sent to Hope Made Real, PO Box 3222, Williamsport, PA, USA. Send what you would like to have written on your stone to brown.arlene30@gmail.com. A photo of your stone will be sent to you.

Now, with retaining walls in different areas of the compound, we can place them on the appropriate wall. In March, the patron stones were placed on the wall leading to my house. There is space to add more when that honor is designated.

In April, we placed the “Path to Learning” stones on the wall at the preschool. That is where the first stones of Mama and her USA children are located. The main wall at the Urukundo Learning Center is dedicated to education.

Here are a few samples:

“In honor of” or “in memory of” will go on a special wall. There are retaining walls at the Dental Clinic, school playground, library, daycare, and Secondary School. Stones are being refreshed and will be placed on the appropriate walls. These are cemented to the wall and secured to a base on the ground. No more moves will be necessary. They have a permanent home.

Secondary School progress report

Here’s this month’s progress on construction of the new Secondary O Level School that will serve grades 7, 8, and 9.

April 1

This photo shows the preparation for laying the floor for the second floor and the ceiling for the first floor.  Love the view. My beautiful land of a thousand hills.

April 5

April 6

Visitors Margie and Bruce Krogh from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, visit the building site along with Pastor Yves.

The bridge to the second level. Looks a bit iffy, but it is a bridge for workers to transport cement and bricks from the ground level to the second level. Not permanent but necessary.

April 19

Many hands and a cement mixer prepared to start the second level of the two-story building.

Now we’re ready. The cement mixer was moved to the top side of the building. Yep, that's me. I am not supervising, just observing.

The cement for the floor of the second level is being poured. How glorious!

April 23

Bricks being laid on the second level.

April 26

Walls are going up. The bricks are beautiful. Watch for the next update in the May newsletter.

Sports News

Urukundo Learning Center volleyball and basketball teams competed in an area sports event. Five primary school teams participated: Zion, Urukundo, Ecole, Lite, and ENDG Nganzo.

Our teams believe practice makes a team ready for the competition. They hoped to do well in boys’ basketball and girls' volleyball.

Practice and a pep talk are part of preparation.

The boys' basketball team became the champs and will move on in the competitions. Our girls played well but were not the winners. Well done, everyone.

Visitors in April

Ollie helps greet Bruce and Margie Krogh from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, USA. They are very special friends of Urukundo.

Also visiting were Mr. and Mrs. Ward Yorks from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA. Mrs. Yorks is better known as Marilyn Ely, a long-time friend of Urukundo. They are newlyweds. Congratulations, Yorks.

It was my pleasure to welcome Carol Falke, who is from State College, Pennsylvania, USA, as well as Marilyn and Ward at the airport.

Carol and Marilyn are members of the International Board of Hope Made Real. Ward is a retired teacher.

Their service is appreciated.

Urukundo family photos

A great photo op. Three generations of Urukundo kids: Esperance, a college graduate; Claude, a soon-to-be secondary school graduate; and Jennette, a primary school student.

Secondary school kids home for break.

Six of my kids were home for a short time: Claude, Kaboss, Kenny, Soso, Kenilla, and Rebecca. They sure made my April very special. How much they have grown!

Urukundo sisters Giselle and Cecelia also were home for a brief visit.

Love it.

Adventures of our April volunteers

Ward and Marilyn greeted the children who came to sing and dance for us.

Unpacking suitcases, we found many treasures.

Master builders at work. Carol, Benjamin, Ward, and Marilyn together built a dollhouse.

Success. Well done, team.

Sharing time with the children in the daycare is an adventure for volunteers and for the children.

Marilyn sharing love at the daycare.

A vehicle for riding needs a bit of instruction. Thank you, Carol.

Years ago, whiteboards did not exist. They are a great teaching tool in our preschool. They are another treasure that came with our visitors.

The preschool received magnetic whiteboards with letters and numbers thanks to donors who care. Thank you so much. A wonderful tool for our teachers.

Village visit

Walking and observing in a local village. Homes are different according to the culture and available building materials.

Meeting local children and sharing photos is an added pleasure.

Nyanza tour

Entering the gate to the ancient King's Palace.

The guide at the King's Palace shared the story of a time when a king ruled Rwanda.

The King's cows are an example of the amazing.

The Culture Center at Nyanza proved interesting to our visitors. There is so much to see and enjoy on this one-day tour.

School projects

Projects with the students are such fun.

Our current visitors are here until May, so look for more on their visit in the May newsletter.