Much ado about buses

In 2017, Urukundo purchased its first bus. We had money for only a small bus.

It has been our policy to purchase only what we have funding to pay for. We purchased this little bus (minibus).

Then we were able to purchase a big bus. With the big bus plus the minibus, we are able to plan field trips, sports events and special outings for our school children and staff.

A third bus was needed.

The news just got better.

Thanks to Rotary Club of Forest Hills, Pennsylvania, USA, and The Rotary Club of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, funding has arrived to purchase another big bus.

Starting the school year in 2019, we will have a minibus and two big buses for transporting our children. The buses also are a source of revenue as rentals on weekends.

The new bus is now in the garage being painted, and we are in the process of hiring another driver. It will be in service for start of school on Jan. 14, 2019.

The parking space at the school for the new bus will have a plaque saying, "In memorandum of Tom Nunnally, donated by the Rotary Clubs of Forest Hills and Willkinsburg, Pa.”

Special staff event

A special event in 2018 was for the Urukundo Village support staff. This included office staff, home mamas, kitchen staff, farmers, guards and cleaners. Two big buses were needed for the trip to the King’s Palace in Nyanza and dinner after the tour. This was the first time for many of the staff to visit this wonderful part of their history.

Special dancing cows at the palace.

Future Plans

With the help of family and friends, Urukundo continues to move into the future. Still in our goals for  the next five years:


    •    Four classrooms for the Sewing Center.
    •    A two-story high school.

Without your help, we stand still. Blessings to all of you who are a part of this this mission.

Latest look at Urukundo

Bringing you, our friends up-to-date on development at the Urukundo Learning Center.

You have made this possible. Thank you.

Overview of Urukundo Learning Center
Top Level: Preschool, Kindergarten, Culture Center (brown roof), retaining wall site of future classrooms for the technical school for sewing, Cleared, leveled and ready to start building foundation. Water storage reservoir.
Second Level: Classrooms for Primary 1, 2, and 3.
Third Level:  Restrooms for boys and girls. Funded by World Orphans Fund. Red Roof: Teachers Resource Center, Music Center.
Fourth Level: Classrooms for Primary 4, 5 and 6.
Black water tanks on three levels.

Photos by Jean Marie 

The second photo provides a closer look at a portion of the compound.

Space and construction begin for four classrooms to move the Sewing Center. The retaining wall indicates where the new classrooms will be constructed. I’m looking forward to when the Sewing Center will be part of this picture. The Sewing Center now is in a rented space which is scheduled to be demolished when a new road is completed. It is urgent we get the center moved into a new building before that happens.

In process: Clearing done, Leveling done, Retaining wall built. Need funding for foundation and construction. To construct one classroom costs $25,000, or $100,000 for four built at separate times.. To build four at a time, the cost is less than $75,000. A savings of over $25,000. Our aim is to build at lowest cost for quality work.

Would you like to help? Gifts appreciated.

Friends have responded to what has been built so far. Friend Lisa in Switzerland said, “You have built a dream many only talk about….Pretty sure that’s heaven there.  So well done, Mama.”

Friend Drew from the USA said, “Quite a learning center indeed!  Great photos!”

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.

May 2018 Newsletter

Soon we will be six months into 2018. So accountability and budgeting for the next six months is on the agenda.

Here’s a request to our support partners for our children: Please check your dates for sending support for your child. If it is due or overdue, please send it ASAP. Maintenance and education all require ongoing funding.

I am so grateful to all of you for supporting the children and this mission.

More on Mama and Baby Project

Urukundo’s Mama and Baby Project was so pleased to get a new supply of newborn items from friends in Pennsylvania, USA. They reached us via a suitcase carried by a Rwandan student who was returning home from Penn State University. The items are so needed. We even received hand-knit baby sweaters and hats. So much love!

Other wonderful gifts to us are the reusable nylon bags from ChicoBag, which has given us 100 bags each year for the last four years.They are gifts that keep on giving and are used by the mamas after they are home. They serve many purposes.

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.

March 2018 Newsletter

Do you remember the stone path in an article in the March 2012 newsletter? Look it up.
It still applies today in March 2018 as it did in 2012.

The stone path has grown from five stones to many stones and has been moved to the outside boundary to have enough space. It is a great way to honor contributions to education.

Help us continue to provide quality education where it is needed most. We will build a new path to the secondary school (high school) with your stone and a substantial gift of $1,000 or more for construction of the school.

The amount needed for the new high school for more than 700 students is very high ñ US$300,000. No one church and most individuals cannot afford such a gift, but if all could give what they can afford, it would be a big help in reaching our goal of providing quality education to the vulnerable children in Rwanda.

Give from your heart. Help to build the future.

Mama

Secondary School Plans

On our way. Our hope is in you.
Long way to go. Prayers, please.

Donations
L. Ladies           $200
D. Jerro             $100
B. Stapleton    $500
 
Thank you. Help us reach the top.

Mama Arlene

Setting Goals for the New Year and Beyond

SETTING GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR AND BEYOND
Goals for 2018 started out with purchasing the second half of a bus. That already was accomplished in January. The bus is bigger and can bring more of our kids safely to school. It has been painted the school bus color, its title was changed and it was inspected for 2018.
SECONDARY SCHOOL (HIGH SCHOOL) IN VISION The main and GREATEST goal may be a bit harder to achieve. (God in charge; all things are possible.) That goal is to fund and build a Secondary School (High School) to be added to our school system. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

The first Secondary School gifts to kick off the project are here. Add your name to the list. No gift is too small; no gift too large. Designate the gift: Secondary School.
Michael Jerro   USA        Amount $100
Lace Ladies     UK         Amount $200
Thank you, Michael and the Lace Ladies.

Another Thank You

BAGS OF BLESSINGS
Christmas was extra special for our children, thanks to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, State College, Pa., USA. Over 100 bags were hand-decorated and filled with precious gifts for the children in Urukundo Village, Binunga Community of Muhanga, Rwanda.

Rowan Miller is one of the wonderful kids in the toddlerís class at St. Paulís Sunday School. They are sharing. The toddlers, moms and dads were an inspiration. Little ones willing to share with other little ones is what the love of Christ and Christmas is all about. These bags also can be used as backpacks for the younger children and for delivering infant clothing to new mamas passing through the MAMA & BABY OUTREACH.
Thank you, St. Paulís and all who made this special time even more special for over 700 children who shared the bags of blessings in a small town in Rwanda. You are a blessing to us.

Our kids were so excited.

Successful Bus Project

We are celebrating.
It did not take long to find out that the smaller bus was not big enough. Thanks to caring donors, we were able to negotiate for a bigger bus this time. Now we have a second, even larger bus to carry more children safely to school.

The smaller bus goes to the rural area and the larger one to the town.
Urukundo kids got the first ride in the new bus.
Headmaster, secondary kids, Betty and Mama also enjoyed the short trip.