Events

Newsletter Special - Award Nomination

Urukundo Home for Children has been nominated for a RINA (Rwandan International Network Assocation) Humanitarian Award.

This award is given to individuals or organizations that have demonstrated significant efforts in improving the quality of life in global Rwandan communities. Nominees have directly addressed the needs of specific groups within the Rwandan community in the areas of health, human services, education, and employment.

We need your votes! Please take a moment to visit our RINA Nominee Page and click 'vote'.  The voting process lasts only for two weeks and the winners will be announced thereafter.

Forward to your families, friends and communities - thanks for your support!

More Outreach

90 children, both boys and girls, attended a Basketball Clinic/camp at Urukundo Village. The Clinic was held by Rob Thomson.

Rob is an American/Rwandan citizen born in Pennsylvania wearing the #12 Uniform. He is 6 ft 10 tall.

 
First team up for instructions.
Rob Thomson giving some tips.
Coach Ryan Turcott.

Coach Jacque Bahige.

Abis, Rob, Bosco & Claude.

 

 

April Challenge

A message from the Board of Hope Made Real
You can help by eating dinner!  That's right.  If you live in an area where a Denny's restaurant is located, you can set up a fundraiser for the month of April 2012.  Just contact you local Denny's for details - meet with the manager and then invite others to join you at Denny's for dinner.  Let's make April a fantastic month for Urukundo Village and Education Center.  Then, let us know the results of your efforts.  Denny's will donate 20% of profits from not only your group but everyone eating at their restaurant during the time your group is there. 
Please join us!  

Urukundo Five Year Report

2006 - 2011

Urukundo Children's Village as of this date has 46 orphans and abandoned children.

18 of our children are in secondary School. 12 are in Primary School.

11 of our children are in Preschool.

5 are in our Nursery (Safe Haven).

6 former young staff members in University. (Designated funds).

First graduate  We are very proud of Diane.

We are giving employment to 34 local citizens.  All employees are covered by medical insurance upon providing proof they have covered their own children with medical coverage from a local hospital.

Urukundo Foundation provides 329 children of very poor families with supplies required in order for them to attend primary school.

Urukundo Foundation cares for 2 families with teen head-of-households with a total of 14 children (several missing when photo taken).

At the same time we need to develop the general infrastructure and create sustainable long-term business.

We can be the first orphanage/NGO ever reaching self-sufficiency and economic independency.

It is an incredible task and challenge.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

2006. Rented first Urukundo Home for Girls with 15 girls. Today's total is now 21.

2006: Rented first house for guests. Some little income.

2006: purchased four wheel drive vehicle (directors funds).

2007: Rented first Urukundo Home for Boys with 7 boys. Today's total is 24.

2007: First purchase of land to start chicken industry and safe area for kids to play outside of town.

First Chicken House

Deed of first ownership

2007 through 2011: Purchased, registered and paid for 14 joining small properties using (missionary gifts and Arlene's SS income) to establish Urukundo Village.

Claiming the top of the mountain.

2008:  Built a Home for Boys, a soccer field and a basket ball court. 

 

2008: Built a Home for Girls.  (Director's personal funds)

2008-2009: Constructed buildings for kitchen, offices, and storage.


2009: Built Multipurpose House. This house includes a Library, classrooms, meeting room, worship center, celebration house and dorm for teams with more than 4 people.

2009: constructed a shed for the 1 cow and 1 calf.

2009: Purchased another cow and her calf.  (Designated Money from People to People).  Milk for babies and HIV kids.

2009: purchased home for Guesthouse on adjourning property, resident for director, clinic, office.  Now Cyakabiri School for Young Children.

Increased chicken industries to include broilers and layers.  (Producing eggs for income and meat).

Broilers                                        

Layers

2010: started JR Saving’s accounts for kids.  Fina bank

2010: Built a "SAFE HAVEN" Nursery for throw-away babies.  We have 15 Under 5 years.

Established Cyber Café for community and income producing nonprofit business. (Rental property) Purchased 5 PC and a copier.

We planted 7 kitchen gardens and all available land. Veg for children and excess for sale.

Purchased 3 Sheep (designated money). Total now 8 and expecting.  Meat for kids.

Started rabbit hutches purchased 2 rabbits and a gift of 2. 

At present total 64. Sell and use for meat for children.

2011: Director purchased large home and guesthouse. (Personal funds savings for old age. Might be now.)

2011: Purchased house and land (Loan from Fina Bank) protection of children, larger clinic in better location, closer to children. Additional guest rooms to accommodate teams coming as volunteers.   Work not completed.

Received 3 cows from District a gift. Total cows now 5.  Two milk cows and 3 yet to breed. 

Constructed larger housing for number of cows (designated funds) and fenced in pastureland with barbed wire.Fenced in all Urukundo land to protect our children and animals. (Barbed wire)

2011: Purchased 5 pigs a gift from visitors.  (Designated money) Meat and marketing.

2011: Built pig housing.  

2011: Increased goat herd by 12 new goats (designated money) Meat for kids (total 18 at present).

Renovated first cow barn to accommodate goats and sheep.

2011: With support of Park Forest and devoted people Urukundo built a water system for the Binunga Community. In time it will also benefit our schools. (Designated funds)

2011:  Solar pumps and power were added to the water project thanks to Rotary International. (Designated funds). The project will benefit over 3000 people plus Urukundo Village when schools are constructed.

2011: Added 3 tanks for harvesting rainwater. (Designated funds)

Purchased truck for farm. (Designated funds).

Cyakabiri School opened. The first step in the planned URUKUNDO LEARNING CENTER.

Sports World Headlines

News Flash
After their team won the Basketball championship in Muhanga District, 3 of our boys - Amin, Bosco and Abis, were chosen to receive sports training in Nyanza, the capital of South Province. They really are champs.
The training will take place from November 27 to December 12th.
We are so very  proud of our boys!
(l-r) Bosco, Abis and Amin.

Umugunda

Umugunda is a very important event in Rwanda. Every last Saturday of the month the government has set aside the morning hours for all citizens to work together in their neighborhood to make it look good. We at Urukundo are a part of that and as a team the work is done well and is fun.
This month was special because four of out toddlers became a part of the team. Vincent and Grace supervised them in their work.

The guards pitch in.

Serephine, Belise & Aline clean up trimmings.

The toddlers join in for their first Umugunda day.

Kenny, Kinela, Agid and Claude part of the team.

Vincent, Grace, Agide, Kinela, Claude, Luki, Neli & another Claude.

Piling trimmings Claude in red and Agide in yellow shirt and tan pants

Filling the bag.

Job finished.

Moving to next clean up area. Can you pick out the toddlers and name them?!

 

Flag Ceremony

Cyakabiri School and Urukundo Foundation were presented with the nation's flag to be flown at our school. This is indeed an honor.  The ceremony was held the last day of the term.  Parents, visitors and dignitaries took part in the raising of the Rwandan Flag.

The military were present to do the honors and we were joined by dignitaries from the village, cell, sector and district.  Students sang one verse of the National Anthem and the guests helped sing the other verses.
The children worked very hard to memorize the words to the Anthem.
Our teachers were shown recognition.  The only thing that made us sad was that Jan Brown, the inspiration and coordinator for the school, could not be with us.