Urukundo Foundation & Sewing Center pays tribute: awards and celebrations

In loving memory of Tom Nunnally, our benefactor and the thinker, who envisioned a school for sewing at Urukundo Learning Center.

Each year in Tom’s memory, Forest Hills Rotary in Pittsburgh, PA awards a sewing machine to the most outstanding student the class, to help that person start up his or her own business.

Tom’s wife Carolyn also chose to present each graduate with a kit of basic tools needed to work as a sewer. Tom’s Legacy at Urukundo will live on.

Displaying the award: Theresa, Head of the Sewing School along with teacher Redemptus Nderendebe, the tailoring teacher Desire Uwimana, and Laurien Sebomana, honored guest from Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

This year’s award went to Teddy Uwurukundo and is presented to him by Madam Valerie Mukamutare, the Executive Secretary of the District, and by Redemptus Nderendebe, a teacher at the Sewing Center.

The manager of the sewing project presents certificates.

The certificates and sewing starter kits were such precious gifts.

Special awards given to outstanding Primary and Preschool students.

The parent of the year award was presented to Celestin Ndayiziga. This award was given to the parent who was most active and helpful to the teachers and in the Learning Center.

Special guests were interns from GO ED. The girls lived and volunteered at Urukundo for a month.

Jean Marie, Juliette, Olive, Theresa & Erneste join graduates for photo.

Remembrance photo. Next year we will have risers. Our Primary 6 kids are as tall as the students in the Sewing Center so only the hats of those students are visible. Live and Learn.

Happy Face of a special girl. She has been #1 in her class since Kindergarten. Congratulations Delice Nishimwe.

I hope you have enjoyed the photos of the graduation as much as I have enjoyed putting it together.

Thank you.

Mama Arlene

School music program

Introducing Emmanuel Iyakaremye. Emmanuel is joining our teaching staff at Urukundo Learning Center. He is a graduate of Ruhija School of Music. At present, he will teach full days two days a week. After a successful probationary period, there is an option for permanent employment as director of music at Urukundo Learning Center.

He is a talented musician and plays and teaches many instruments, including cultural instruments native to Rwanda.

September 2018 Newsletter

Dear Sponsors and Friends of Urukundo,

This message is the most difficult I have ever written.

A ruling from the government has thrown us into grief and difficult readjustments. Please bear with us as we cope and adjust to this government ruling. Many tears have been shed.

For five years, we have fought this event, but it has finally become a reality for the Urukundo Foundation. The Rwanda​​ government has decided all orphanages and homes for children must close. This rule is across the board, no exceptions. The government is requiring us to close our children’s home, calling it an institution.

This does not in any way affect Urukundo Learning Center. Urukundo Foundation is, as always, dedicated to providing education for those from low- or no-income families. The school now has 702 community children ​in preschool​ and through Primary 6 classes. Enrollment will increase to over 800 in 2019.

Our secondary students and university youth also are not affected by this directive. And we will continue to grow and benefit many needy children in our community.

But the 25 younger children are being moved from their Urukundo home to be placed with biological parents, or, if there are no parents, in foster homes or with extended biological families. All are expected to be placed after the end of the 2018 school year in December.

So far five of the children have been moved. They are Jason, Nelly, Kenny, Kenilla and Kaboss. As arrangements were made, we have notified their sponsors and asked for their continued support for school expenses, medical insurance and emergencies.

Thirteen others still live with us but have been assigned to move in December. They are Jennette, Aline, Kevine, David, Sarah, Rebekah, Jacob, Claude II, Prince, Benitha, Yves, Isaiah and Livine. Still waiting to be assigned new families are Johnny, Egide, Luki, Soso, Claude I, Diane and Claudine. We are hoping all will be allowed to remain here until after Christmas when the older kids in secondary school and university are home to share the love with them.

To say I am OK with this would not be true. My heart is breaking.

The good news is the National Children's Commission has agreed that Urukundo will not lose the children. They will go to school wherever they live ​with their families but will come home to Urukundo​ to visit on school breaks. Urukundo is trying to cooperate with the government to make the transition easier for our children.

We ​will have final approval of the foster families. We also have permission to monitor the children in school and in their new homes​. Our child advocate​ Olive is visiting them at their homes and in​ the​ir​ school​s​ on an ongoing basis.

​Those placed near our school will ​continue to attend school here at the Urukundo Learning Center. Urukundo is paying school fees, equipment needed for school, medical insurance and any emergency conditions. These payments will go to school and medical facility bank accounts in the area where they live, not to the families.This assures us the children are in school and cared for.

For those who sponsor individual children, it is our hope you will continue to care for the child you have loved. Your support will allow us to continue caring for the basic needs of your child and our dependent children.

With your help we will continue to support and protect our Urukundo family children. Without your help, this will not be possible.

​Please pray with and for us and all the children as they prepare for this difficult transition.​

We also ask that God will give all of our children, staff and older brothers and sisters peace and healing for our broken hearts.

Mama Arlene

Measuring our growing students

Student nurse Charlotte and John Paul combined forces to weigh and measure all 702 of our students for a growth chart to follow each year.
We hope to keep a record that we can share with the parents as we watch their children grow on a yearly basis.

The preschool was first on the schedule.

Stepping on a scale and then backing up to the wall is not hard unless you are 3 years old and getting instructions from a woman who speaks only English. John Paul was a godsend and such a help by speaking both English and Kinyarwanda.
Project moved on to the Primary School.

Secondary School Plans

The vision does not go away.
So far, $5,000 has been raised for the Secondary School. Thank you.

There’s a long way to go. We need your help.

Adult English classes

So proud of Urukundo staff and volunteer Amy Dove!  Here’s the first adult English as a second language class -- with certificates to prove it.

Pastor Yves, Amy, Delphine (home manager), Olive (children and family advocate),

Juliette (human resources), Chantal (day care supervisor), Ismail (dental receptionist) and Libby (manager for cleaners). Good job; well done all. Thank you, Amy.

Xavier (driver), Chantal (cleaner), Florida (cleaner), Amy,  Adelphine (mama), Francoise (mama), Libereta (cleaner), Clarisse (day care) and Josephine (day care).

We thank Amy Dove, Sewing Center students and Sewing Center teachers (Therese, Redumptus and Desire) for their participation in English class and finishing the first module of 30 hours in their curriculum.

News from Urukundo Home for Children

School in session
 
School is back in session for the second term. There are three terms in each school year. The kids are ready and excited. You can see that in these photos, taken the first day of the second term.
 
P6 kids went to school an hour earlier, so Claude, Luki and Aline are not in the photo.
Claude Luki and Aline.

Word of the month: respect

We learn, discuss and practice.

Progress Report

Secondary school progress
Our hopes are high. Progress is slow.

Here’s a progress report on giving so far for the planned secondary school(high school):
 
Michael Jerro                  USA  $100
Lace Ladies                     UK   $200
Phelps Chapel UMC          USA  $500
Barb Stapleton                USA  $500
 
Thank you.