Celebrations

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School Year 2018 Begins

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Urukundo kids are ready, willing and able.
At a traffic check at the village gate, there are no vehicles in sight.
Then there's a traffic jam. New bus arrives with students on board.
Kids, kids, kids.
Opening ceremony was impressive.

Kids meet teachers. Preschool classrooms are in the background. We are so blessed. Thanks to you who make it possible. There are 722 children who are getting a good education and 32 qualified teachers who have jobs.
This young man is not sure he approves of the whole process. Attitude is everything. Home is better. Oh, yeah.

THANKS

In this first month of the 2018, we at Urukundo say:
THANK YOU ALL
&
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Mama, Staff, Teachers and Kids

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A Joyous Event

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No, this is not the arrival of a newborn baby but instead is the arrival in Rwanda of Chanel Moore, my very first great-grandchild.
Chanel is the fourth generation of terrific women in my family, including me, my daughter Barbara Downs and my granddaughter Beckie Starr.
This is Chanel's first visit to Africa. She is working on her master’s degree at West Chester State University in Pennsylvania, USA.
I’m so happy that you are here, Chanel.

Love the hats.

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Jacob gets a Benjiman Suit

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For those not in the know: When you ask Jacob what he wants to be when he grows up, his answer is: “I want to be Benjiman.”
Benjiman is his idol and the maintenance person at Urukundo. He solves odd job problems, builds and is the father image for our boys. Jacob could not pick a better person to emulate.
The suit was given to him for Christmas by Bob and Amy Dove. It is a replica of the suit Benjiman wears as he does his job here at Urukundo. Jacob is his shadow. Wherever Benjiman is working, there is Jacob.

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February Babies

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Having babies and new Mamas were both big news during February!Our baby pigs arrived, 7 at a time.Not to be outdone and ever so much more important.  Juliette, my lovely secretary, gave us a beautiful baby boy in February.

I don’t know how I will get along without her for 6 weeks! That is the mandatory leave time after having a baby. Thank goodness she answers phone calls.

The baby was not due until March so we thought we had time to train someone to work in the office. 

As babies sometimes do, he decided he would come sooner. Juliette came to work not feeling well with discomfort in her lower abdomen. We decided she should go to the Medical Center across the road to be sure she was ok. Being an old hand at having babies, I was pretty sure she was in labor. When she didn’t come back to work it had to be so. Well about 3 hours later Julie sent me a text message I HAVE A BABY BOY.  I was not surprised! Mama and baby are doing just fine and I get to give him his Christian name.  Babies here get three names. I think I will call him Jerry.

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February Special News

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If hearts sing and love abounds in February, mine is right in tune. Urukundo is so blessed.

We have big news to share! We have a new name for our Dental Initiative.
 
University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Dentistry and Urukundo Dental.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Document signing, sealed with a handshake.

A delegation of 7 came to Urukundo Village from the University School of Dentistry to take part in the signing ceremony making Urukundo Dental Initiative part of the School of Dentistry.

 

Muhumuza Ibra - Dean, School of Dentistry - University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Karl Self - University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and Donna.


Sawsan Salih - Associate to the Dean of the School of Dentistry, Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Valli Meeks - University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
Valli is from Philadelphia, PA. She is definitely a HOME GIRL for me - same accent!

Valli, Sawsan and Karl are part of the United States faculty working with the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Project.
 
(l-r) Ethel, Mama Arlene, Julienne, Valli
Ethel and Julienne are instructors at the University School of Dentistry.
Summary of the MOU
This is a brief summary of how it will operate.

The school will pay for food and housing only for their students and instructor.  There is no large financial gain for Urukundo from the school but there will be recognition and the connection with the University giving us creditability. We are a fully equipped Dental Clinic in operation. We purchase our own supplies and have our volunteer clinic staff. The University will supply the guidelines to ensure we conform with government regulations. They will also respond to any urgent needs.

We can do our own charging for services. For difficult cases, we can send the client to the Dental Hospital at the University and the cost will not change for our patients. This will give them access to dental services they could otherwise not afford. Also our dental service can now advertise and be open Monday through Saturday noon. This will give us many more clients. Our clients pay a minimum charge for consultation and depending on the service needed the cost will be determined by what the client can afford. Some will be free and others will pay a reasonable cost. We hope in that way to give good service and to pay for needed supplies.

We are operating under the University license. This is an important contribution from the School of Dentistry. There will be 6 to 10 students coming for clinical training each month on a two-week rotation program and an instructor coming with them.

This is a very important step for Urukundo.  It also helps our standing in the district.  It should be very interesting. I am sure there will be changes as we move forward. We are a pilot program for the University. If our relationship is successful the University will expand the program to other areas of Rwanda using Urukundo as the model.