Last month’s newsletter focused on how the Urukundo music program grew. This month’s newsletter looks at the creation of Urukundo’s Center for the Arts, which includes a library.
My home for girls was an idea that, over time, became a reality — the first “Hope Made Real.” Our first home in Gitarama had no books. There were none and none available. My first plea for help was, “Please send me some story books, especially Bible story books.” The response was heartwarming. Books came. My bedroom became my office and a place for books.
In those early days, space was limited. I put a small shelf in my bedroom, and our first library was established. Really, you had to use your imagination to call it a library, but it was the beginning. I collected reading material in Kinyarwanda, but more in English. The library kept growing; with every move, we always made space for library books.
Most of the books we received then were picture books. Kids can read pictures whèn words are not understood. The library stayed in my bedroom for many years.
The shelves just kept getting bigger. Moving to a house of my own when we added boys gave me an empty room and a space for the library where the kids could sit and enjoy the books. That didn’t last long because we moved the boys to our present location, and both the office and the library went back into my bedroom.
Our first real library was in the original Hope House, which is now the head office. This building was our first attempt at a multi-purpose building. A place where kids could play, have parties, have devotions, and an area to have shelves set up for books and a mat to sit on to read. It really did feel like a library. This happened after we moved to our present location. Finally, the library was out of my bedroom.
Even here, visitor Jeanne Willis, a volunteer, sat on the floor to share books with the children.
After several years and the establishment of a learning center, the library was moved into the school compound. This made it more accessible for our students.
Pastor Margarie Glascow, a dear friend, gifted Urukundo Foundation in her last days with a donation, which was used to establish the Glascow Center for the Arts, which became a Hope Made Real. This refurbished building included the library.
Thanks to Carol Falke, president of the International Board of Hope Made Real, excellent books arrived.
Carol brought precious books in suitcases.
As the school grew, a place for study and research became necessary.
The space between the library and the retaining wall would work.
This required taking down the library outer wall and building a new retaining wall to hold the mountain. While visiting with Pierce and Katie Keeting’s family in the Philadelphia area earlier in the year, I received a large donation to improve the library. Work started at once. Thank you, Keetings.
We now have a study space with tables, chairs, and a quiet environment.
Visitor Erin Friday and teacher I’rene inspected the new study area. It appeared this should be a completed library project, but it wasn’t. The library also contained many educational toys and games, but only the teachers had access to them.
Urukundo needed four more classrooms, so we built five rooms close to the library, but they are not connected to it and are on a slightly different level.
By now I am sure you have guessed where this is going. The library was overwhelmed with activities and had little space to read and enjoy books. With an extra room, we could have an activity room where kids could use our educational toys and games, work with puzzles, and enjoy break times.
In no time, we realized the activity room and the library should be one to operate efficiently. Both the library and the activity room were too small. To meet the need, we again found space between the buildings to enlarge the activity room. The process began.
Front construction. Back view. When all the walls were removed and the roof was extended, it became one big room.
The expanded Center for the Arts was finished in June 2025.
Cream-colored area is the library; the first large window is usable space that connects the library and activity room. The area after the two columns is the activity room.
Inside the refurbished activity room
A place for art
Stenciling, coloring, and drawing
Floor games and table games.
Miniature train track sets teach our future engineers.
Instructor Clyde Santana from the USA introduced theater through puppets, a great art form. The enlarged and combined Center for the Arts made this possible.
The Center for the Arts: an exciting place to be.
Here are some comments from library and activity room students; a librarian; and a volunteer.
Queen Karen, the 2025-26 academic year’s best reader:
“The library is a place where I feel at home. When I sit here for reading, I feel happy,” she said.
“In the library, I can make friends with whom we would read together. My friend is called Arcange. She likes books about animals,” she said.
Other students also have lots of comments about Urukundo’s library.
“I think there is more in Urukundo’s library.”
“I can talk about library, but let me talk about some.”
“I can speak English because of reading books.”
“I learn new words when I read.”
"I like pretending to cook with pots and pans."
"Playing with kitchen toys helps me learn about cooking."
"I enjoy making imaginary meals for my family and friends."
"Kitchen play is fun because I can be a chef."
"I learn the names of different kitchen tools while playing."
"Playing with kitchen utensils helps me be creative."
"I like mixing, stirring, and serving food in my pretend kitchen."
"I like playing with baby dolls because I can pretend to take care of a baby."
“Playing with dolls teaches me how to be kind and responsible."
"I enjoy dressing, feeding, and putting my doll to sleep."
"Baby dolls help me use my imagination."
"I like pretending that my doll is part of my family."
"Playing with dolls is fun and helps me learn caring skills."
After spending time in the library with the children, Doreen Mileto, one of the volunteers from the USA, said, "I am impressed by this library. It offers a wide variety of books and provides a peaceful place for students to read, learn, and succeed."
Clemantine, the library assistant, is a real asset. She organizes activities and connects reading material with activities. She welcomes everyone and offers help where it is needed. Thank you, Clemantine.
