Science

François is our new science teacher. With many years of experience she was thrilled to see some of the teaching tools that have been brought to Rwanda over the years. Kits made by teachers about butterflies, insects, magnets, amphibians and reptiles. This year she worked on biomes with her students choosing 1 to draw and write about. Thanks for the great books in the library! After they finished they loved comparing how they depicted a particular biome and how a student in the US did. They were quite similar!

Francois provided a new list of science topics that she could use additional resource and teaching materials on. If you are interested in helping please contact Carol Falke at falkes@verizon.net and she can share what is being requested.

The Newest Classrooms

We are still raising funds to finish construction on two 4^th grade and one 5^th grade classroom to be finished by January 2016. Support for the building, desks, school materials and new teachers are always needed. Follow the construction progress each month!

4th Grade

3rd Grade

Our Youth's Future

I find it hard to believe that the little children we started out with in 2006 are now young men and women ready for university. Tresor, Divine, Alexander, Anett, Esperance and Lucie have all finished secondary school (High School). We are blessed to have support for 4 of our students and are praying for support for the other two. Let me know if you can help with their education.

Anett and Esperance still need $4,500-5,000 annually for tuition and expenses. Anett will study International Relations and Esperance Nursing.

AnettEsperance

Assisting, Sharing and Teaching Teachers

Timothy Shea was a delightful fit with the kids.

Tim was here to become involved in the ongoing project to give aid to our teachers. Assisting, Sharing & Teaching Teachers is an important vision at Urukundo Learning Center. We look forward to a closer relationship with Tim and his Team players.

Special News

Congratulations to JEAN MARIE NTWARI on his Civil Ceremony (equivalent to an engagement). Jean Marie is Executive Director at Urukundo.

Lucie gets her Visa

It was an exciting day for Lucie. Her interview with the Consul at the US Embassy was a bit scary. It went well and she received her visa.

Lucie has finished Secondary School and will receive Second Language Training at THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN UTPA ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE.

It is her goal to become fluent in English and go on as a Divinity student. After her studies she will return to Rwanda and Urukundo with the hope of helping her brothers and sisters in our home to reach their goals in life. Lucie will make a great pastor. Her sense of humor, her love of children and her desire to serve God in whatever capacity possible is for Urukundo another HOPE MADE REAL.

Go for it Lucie. Your family at Urukundo loves you and will miss you while you are away!

Drama

Urukundo Center for the Arts presented its first attempt at Drama.

Our teachers presented a play for the children and Hope House became the stage and auditorium.

The play was WHO IS IN RABBIT'S HOUSE?

Here is rabbit's house:And here is the cast of animal characters:

Head Teacher and his fellow actor/teachers taking a bow.

The performance was delightful and the kids said it was funny.  It was a learning experience for all.

Congratulations to Urukundo Learning Center Staff for job well done!

Construction at Urukundo Learning Center

Latest progress report on Primary 4.

The ground is cleared, leveled and the foundation is in progress.

How very wonderful.

New teacher

Libby, Rahab and Delphine, three of our Conversational English class members, pose with our new teacher Patrick.

Exciting Connection with Global Engagement Foundation

Thanks to Michael Grosspietsch and Melissa Lesage URUKUNDO LEARNING CENTER was added to their already full schedule. It was a new experience for our teachers.

We thank them for finding a bit of time for Urukundo. They have been a long time source of encouragement.

Global Engagement Foundation was established to better serve the world. To learn more about this organization check out their website.

Buffalo University out of New York State, USA came to Urukundo

Drew Kahn - Professor, Theater and Director, Anne Frank Project

SUNY Buffalo State

Annefrankproject.com

Professor Drew Kahn, the Head of the Drama Studies program and 6 of his young students spent about 3 hours at Urukundo. What a wonderful 3 hours that was.

The impact they had on our teachers was evident.  The teachers saw, heard and learned the value of drama in teaching children.

Their purpose:

Teaching storytelling skills to Rwandan teachers

The theme for this presentation was survival, caring and sharing based on the Diary of Anne Frank.

Who knew the equation 2 + 2 = 4 could be so much fun when acted out. 

Yes even Math can be fun if a little imagination is added to the mix.

Our new House of the Arts was the perfect setting for this project. Design and decorations were done by two of our girls, Anitha and Belise. Great job girls!

Teachers focus on the story.

After the teaching session the visitors joined the children in the Boys' Home.

Renovation Finished

The work to have Primary 3 ready for the kids by January 6 was completed.

New on campus

A photo shoot through the new Glascow Center for the Arts.

Starting at the main entrance. This is the performing arts and drama area.

Our Dancers, Story Tellers, Artists and Musicians will use the area to display their talents and the work they have done to an admiring parents and classmates.

Sitting area our audience.  Benches are placed for seating.  The area can also be used for small meetings or just for reading after having visited the library.

The music instruments available for our kids.

We would welcome used usable instruments you may have in the attic that your kids tried and put aside.  We could use some small guitars. I didn’t know they made them but I am told they do. The big one is too big for our kids.

We also would like donations so that we can purchase native instruments to preserve the culture of authentic African music.

Another Celebration

Preview: Uncle's graduation gown for the kids to see. December 12 is graduation.

Two days later. The real thing.  Congratulations Emmy (Uncle).

An event to remember!

Emmanuel is the sixth member of our staff Urukundo has supported with tuition and expense money to attend University and achieve their Bachelors degree. There are three more attending University now with full support. We are so blessed to have donors who find supporting education a good way for charitable giving. Gifts to HMR’s Education Fund for Higher Education are not only a blessing to Urukundo but are  tax deductible. We are a 501(C)3 charity. And what better way to ensure that Urukundo will continue after you are no longer here to send your gift each month, than to make provision in your Will. If you are like me, then you want to know where your assets are going before you go to your reward.