Education

Adult Classes

Sewing Enterprise

We hope these two Projects will be the beginning of our technical school.

The Sewing Center is a teaching program. The center makes uniforms for our school and other schools in the area. It also makes products to be sold. Aprons, bags for every purpose, dresses, shirts and skirts. This is a source of revenue.

For the Community

Exercise classes evenings three times a week for the community in Hope House.

English as a second Language.

3 classes, 3 levels. Our teachers are unpaid volunteers.

Dental Teaching Center

This project is just beginning - more details as it progresses!

The Dental Center will be a teaching program and will offer education to the children and their parents on the value of good dental hygiene.

The Center will work with our school, our home and poor children in the community. In the beginning stages we have a used chair and a light. We need everything else. Two dentistry personnel from Kabgayi Dental Clinic are heading this project for Urukundo. More equipment is needed.

Education Mission outside our Home

We have GRADUATED 4 students (former employees) with bachelor’s degrees from Universities in Rwanda.

Mary Claire Nishimwe      Butare National University graduated 2010

Diane Mupfasoni      SFB (School of Finance and Banking) graduated 2011

Etienne Sentore      KIST (Kigali Institute of Science and Technology) graduated 2013

Juliette Musabyemariya      SFB graduated 2013

Both Etienne and Juliette have returned and work for Urukundo at a very low wage. We appreciate their dedication.

University Students from staff now working for their Bachelors.

Sponsored:

Emanuel Gatera    Year 4  KIU Kigali Independent University

Jolly Kahogoear      3 SFB School Finance Banking

Jean Marie Ntweri      Year 2 Catholic University of Rwanda

If you have a desire to help others seeking higher education please contact me (Arlene Brown at arlene@hopemadereal.org>) for more information on how you can help.

Education from Preschool to University is our hope for the future and you can be a part of this project.

 

Projections for 2014

How you can help make the Hope Real

1.  Establishing a day care for children under three for parents who work.  With only two babies in our nursery it is perfect timing for the start up of a Daycare.

We have all the equipment needed. 

2.  We hope to add at least classrooms for third grade.  Two classrooms need to be ready by January 2015.  You can help make this happen. Gifts can be sent earmarked for Primary 3 school project 2015.  Become a part of this worthwhile project. 

Greetings from Mama Arlene and the Urukundo Kids for December 2013

December has been a month of memories. I am not sure how Facebook works but it does work. My birthday was filled with many surprises as I heard from so many wonderful people in my life and in the life of Urukundo and its special kids.

The birthday gifts for me that were sent to Hope Made Real were the perfect gift. Thank you. How to choose what to put in this newsletter is going to be difficult.

Kevin my first son in Rwanda ( 2006) adopted me and I adopted him. It was a mutual love relationship that has not changed with time.Solange, my precious girl, is now living in Texas and going to University. She is such a blessing and I am so proud of her. I miss them both at Urukundo but I know children grow up and move on. Having them wish me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY was a bonus in counting my blessings.

A trip on a bus to Kigali. How exciting.  It was all the kids talked about a week before the trip.  Most of our kids had not been out of our home village and Kigali proved to be as exciting as they thought. So many cars, and people and big buildings and police and soldiers and big buses. Little eyes could not take it all in.
The bus trip was only the beginning of this Christmas event.
The Green Hills Nursery had decided to honor Urukundo Home and Learning Center by making our kids "SECRET FRIENDS"  for their kids. Staff, parents and children participated to make our Christmas. The children at GHA were as excited as our kids to finally meet their secret friends. They shared play time and exchanged gifts and had lunch together.
It was a wonderful day.  Green Hills Academy furnished transportation for this trip. We thank them for the love. 
At devotions that evening our kids thanked God for their new friends at Green Hills Academy and for the many gifts given to them by other children
We were welcomed by Shamira the Principal.
The playground for tots was wonderful.
The Day Care Preschool team.
In the afternoon the Secondary (high school) students presented Urukundo with a check to support our school and home as well as many gifts of clothes, shoes and other necessities.
All the gifts under the tree were for Urukundo.

The whole team from the High School came to see us off.  Lucie, Anitha and I got in the picture.

A very tired but happy bunch of kids are ready to board the bus for the trip home.

The School

Summer classes in English.  We are trying something new!  Urukundo Learning Center offered English class for 2 hours Monday through Friday for children from our home, our school and the community. These kids are 6 - 7 year olds.
This holiday in Rwanda is a 3 month holiday much like the summer shutdown for schools in the US and other countries.
Progress at school
Furniture for Primary 2 class rooms.
The desks have been delivered. Chairs to be delivered the end of November. Picture next month.
Desks stacked.

Reminder

This is the time of giving from the heart. The gift of education is a gift that is not opened and then returned or put on a shelf to be forgotten.
Education is a never ending gift and so vital in the lives of children.  If every person who reads this message put a small check in the mail to 
HOPE MADE REAL
PO BOX 3222
WILLIAMSPORT
PA 17701
Imagine the impact that would make in the lives of our children at Urukundo and the children in this Rwandan community.
Your gifts have made this project a Hope Made Real for so many children.  Give from your heart with love.

Growing Kids and Views from the School

I will send different pictures each month so you will know all the kids as they grow. I am in awe as they change so much and so fast. It would be my pleasure to send you pictures of all 48 kids at one time but the server would refuse because of volume.
The kids are well and looking forward to our seasonal holiday with no school until January 2014. This is a time when we are all together as a family at Urukundo Village.  I love having all the kids home.
Agide 6 years. Graduated from Kindergarten to First Grade in 2014.
David, 6 years old, 2013 Graduate, Grade 1 2014.
Claudine, 6 years old, a beautiful little girl. In Preschool and received a special award at graduation ceremony.
Sarah, 5 years old, number one in her class. Kindergarten 2014.
Rebekah 4 year old, preschool, still missing front teeth.
Johnny 5 year old, Kindergarten 2014.
Kaboss, 4 year old, Kindergarten 2014.
Kenilla, 6 year old, Grade 1, 2014.
After seeing the kids I want to share with you the beautiful land where we live in Rwanda. This is the view from in front of the primary school.
It will be interesting to see the new buildings develop on this land. The mountain view will not change.
View of the mountains.
Land for new classrooms.
Building area and view.
One day a secondary school.

Teachers

Our need for educators to come and work with our teachers on best practices in teaching continues. Our schools are in session when your's are closed for the summer. A trip to Rwanda would be an excellent vacation, well spent helping others! Whatever your talent or ability, it can be used at Urukundo Home and Learning Center.
EXAMPLE
Abigail from New Zealand & Australia is spending a month teaching Gymnastics and acrobatics with a circus flavor. The kids love it. Abigail is here for a month. The kids call her Aby-girl.
Abby and Sarah.
Abby and Kinella.
Abby and Luki.
What a delight it was to have Joanna and Pacifique visit Urukundo Village.
Joanna is from California and lives in Rwanda. Her business here is called "Comprehensive Language Services."
She lives in Kigali but now is connected to Urukundo by love.
Pacifique is a young man with a future. He is a Rwandese author having written 3 books in Kinyarwandan.  He was raised in JAM Orphanage and is devoting his life to letting other orphans know they can build a future with motivation and a goal. He is a very interesting person. His time with us was spent sharing his time with the kids and reading to them.  Pacifique is not only an author he is an excellent reader.

You met Kyle from Texas last month (photo in September newsletter) He is teaching 2 Adult English classes a day. One for beginners and one for more advanced students.  Others have come to work on the farm and in construction. There is no end to the volunteer work you can do if you love children and want to help.
These young women are Nursing students from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
They are classmates of Meredith Lu. Meredith spent 2 years at Urukundo through Peace Corps and returned to the US to follow a career in Nursing at JHU. She asked the girls to visit David her sponsored child at Urukundo.
David just turned 6 and will be in Primary one 2014. Meredith: he is waiting for you to come home to Urukundo.  The girls were here for a short time but played with the children and wandered the grounds of Urukundo Village.  The kids had a great time with them while they were here.
Thank you Meredith.
Catherine Willman, Shannon Heuklom,  Heather Holloway.

Kindergarten Graduation

Thirty-seven 6 year olds finished Kindergarten Saturday October 26.
TRYING ON CAPS AND GOWNS
Gathering for the march to Hope House for the ceremony.
The March.
I joined the March 
Family & friends attend the ceremony.
Next year Hope House will be too small for the ceremony as our children increase and more  parents coming to honor their kids.
Students in our school.
Receiving Diploma.