July 2022 Newsletter

In July, a lot of activity took place at Urukundo Foundation, both at the school and in the village.

I do hope you enjoy the journey through the month with me.

Work continues on the renovation of my old residence for it to become the new location of the Dental Clinic.

Inside work is underway.

Floors are being prepared and waiting for the tile.

The required tile does make a difference.

The new roof is on now. Ceiling panels are needed.

From this to …

THIS! Beautiful.

Gate entrance to the new Dental Clinic from the main road. Looking good. What cleaning the bricks can do!

Same wall looking toward the gate. A lot of work but worth the effort.

Inside the gate. Ollie checking it out.

Developing space for parking. Hard labor. From this to …

THIS! Off-street parking.

Handicap accessible entrance from the parking lot to the waiting room. Ramp in place.

As in all areas of Urukundo, the Dental Clinic has an accessible entrance. Cement not dry yet.

August will see the end of construction and the opening of the improved Dental Clinic. Thanks to all who helped make this possible. I am grateful.

June 2022 Newsletter: Dental Clinic renovation

June is a month mixed with joy as the renovation starts on the relocation of the Dental Clinic and sadness as I watch the destruction of my lovely yard and the beautiful old tree become firewood.

I walked down the mountain to stand in what was the great room in my former dwelling. The window is gone and a larger one will take its place.

Jean Marie stands with me viewing what was my beautiful front yard. This room will now be the patient waiting room. Sad to see the garden go but necessary.

It was a big beautiful tree with problems. Remember when in July 2018 a large section yielded to the storm and landed in the driveway? Same tree, but we won’t have to worry about it falling on the house anymore.

This will be the parking area for dental patients. The tree limbs will make good firewood when propane gas runs out.

Area being prepared for off-street parking.

Welders making frames for new windows.

Small windows give way to larger ones. The workers are replacing windows and adding more ventilators.

Air conditioning is not needed, but airflow is so important

Windows and ventilators completed.

The very old roof was removed. Ready for metal sheets that will protect the interior from rain and wind.

Blue metal sheets arrive.

Frame support work in place. This is work to be completed before a new roof can be placed.

In process.

The new roof is on. Work inside to begin.

Dental Clinic update

May I introduce trainees Rahab Nyiransengiyumva (dental assistant) and Pascal Ubuzima (dentist in training)?

The other two, Ishmael Niyitegeka (chairside assistant) and Oliver Kansiime (our dentist) you have met before.

In the picture, Rahab is on the left, followed by Ishmael, Oliver and Pascal.

We are delighted to add our dental chair assistant, Rahab, and dentist in training,,Pascal. They are needed additions to the dental staff. Rahab has held other positions at Urukundo, starting as a cleaner and then shopkeeper at the Sewing Center, a caregiver in the daycare and now in training to be a chairside dental assistant. It is our pleasure to give talented, ambitious employees a chance for career advancement.

Pascal is a recent graduate from the University of Rwanda School of Medicine specializing in dentistry.

Our head dental person, Oliver, is an excellent teacher for a young person entering the field. Ishmael and Oliver will help Rahab to become an outstanding chairside assistant.

Notice the sign over the door.

Demonstration of how teeth should be brushed. Anyone have teeth this big? I think not.

Inside the clinic. A great team and equipment.

Dental news

The new handheld, portable X-ray machine has arrived. It was purchased with money raised on my USA trip. Now the puzzle is reading the directions and having a workable X-ray machine.

Oliver, our dental technician, opening the satchel holding the X-ray machine. What a sight to behold!

Can it be? Yes, it really is.

A very happy moment. This is another hope made real.

Four heads are better than one. So they say.

Test run. Aprons in place.

Buffalo State visitors meet the children

Baby Alyn -- Auntie Betty’s child -- is in day care at Urukundo. What big eyes you have, Alyn! Precious child. Buffalo student Lisa is a happy caregiver for the baby.

(l-r) Claudine, Monique and Diane

Molly visited Luki and Claude at secondary school

John and Amanda, Missouri student traveling with professor Gabrielle Malfatti.

Children give the gift of peace doves to visitors from Buffalo College.

Mama receives a gift of a prayer shawl from Lucas.

Our visitors rose very early in the morning to arrive at the Urukundo Learning Center for opening exercises at 7 a.m. Report was it was worth getting up for. The kids were delighted and welcomed the visitors.

Lila has conversation with our students at the school.

Imani gets a hug.

Monique with Samuel, our teacher Rosemary’s son.

Sitting on the ground, letting the kids have the upper hand. Good idea. Little kids get tired looking up.

Molly shaking hands in love.

Urukundo choir presents a song for visitors

Keeping patients dry

There’s a new roof on the Dental Clinic porch. Better protection for patients coming on rainy days.

It’s slanted toward rear to better harvest rain for the water storage tanks. The new roof is in the middle section of the building in the picture below.

Visitors for February

Early in February, Ray O’Keefe from Seattle, Washington, USA, dropped by. Literally, he did drop by. I did not know he was in Rwanda.

Ray is Chief Nurse Anesthetist at Providence Washington Anesthesia Services, PC, Providence Regional Medical Center, Everett, Washington.

Ray and his wife, Sarah Ketchley, our website manager, have been part of the Urukundo family for 10 years.

Ray was in Rwanda with a team of surgeons and anesthetists on a medical mission. He took time on his rest day to come visit Urukundo and give me a hug from Sarah.

Ray and his family support, love and pray for our own John Paul Nziyumanganya. John Paul just recently returned to Urukundo after furthering his education in Seattle, Washington. Thanks to Ray and Sarah’s devotion, he is now a full time physical education teacher at Urukundo Learning Center.

The Dental Clinic had a real boost in February. We are always happy to welcome a visiting dentist from abroad.

Dr. Troy Michelson and his wife and assistant, Charmaine, are very appreciated. They hail from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This is their third journey to Urukundo Village.

The day care was blessed by their daughter, Alina Michelson, who was accompanying her parents for the first time. She brought her best friend, Kristina Le May.

Alina and friends

Kristina sharing her toys

More fun at Mama’s house

Both girls said they will be back.

After a day of rest and touring Urukundo Village and Learning Center, Troy and Charmaine got down to serious business.

They started by scanning and treating, if necessary, all P5 and P6 students at our school.

Reports were sent home to their parents. Students waited to register. Ishmal, our clerk and recorder, filled in forms.

Dr. Troy and Charmaine are a team worthy of praise.

Dr. Troy and student.

Suction, anyone? Oliver, our full-time therapist, comes to the aid of Dr. Troy.

Serious consultation.

Aline Ishimue, the newest addition to our dental staff, tried something new, thanks to Charmaine.

A fun time was had by all.

From the Nursery

Kavine and Diane continue to grow and be the center of attention.

Kavine is a happy, healthy little girl. She is trying to sit up alone. That's a big job! She laughs out loud, gurgles and reaches for my finger.  Real progress.

Diane's arm is healing, thanks to Nancy, our in-house Nurse. She has done the physical therapy necessary to save the arm from becoming a disability.

The wound on Diane's face is filling in quite well but there may be a small scar. Only time and Nancy's special attention will tell. 

Nancy has been a volunteer with Urukundo Foundation since 2008. She comes from New Hampshire, USA. Nancy is a retired Army nurse and Nurse Practitioner. 

We are doubly blessed to have her as she is acting coordinator for Urukundo Learning Center working with two Early Childhood teachers in the US with the necessary credentials.

Improvements to the Clinic

Thanks to gifts from our partners at Wesley in Bethlehem we now have an exam table and a work station for the microscope.

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