Putting it together.
When grass is high I fear snakes, and high grass is hard to play soccer on. Thanks to a good friend we now have a cutter. You may think of it as a weed whacker but believe me it does more than just cut weeds. We now are able to walk everywhere in short grass. Praise God.
I know that is the appropriate greeting for a New Year! We are stepping into 2014 with courage and conviction.
January started with a New Year's celebration. I must admit I stopped in for just a few minutes. I was quite sure 2014 would come in without my help. There was sumbosa and Fanta and the older kids invited friends to come to Hope House for food, Music, very loud music and dancing. The friends then spent the night and had breakfast in the morning before heading home. It was something special for the kids.
Getting ready for the party
Walk with me through happenings in 2013
2013 was an awesome year for Urukundo Home and Learning Center. Briefly here are a few highlights of our accomplishments in 2013 and our goals for 2014.
Getting Ready for the Party.
#1
3 new children come to our family in 2013.
Jacob arrived as a day-old baby boy.
This is Jacob today. He is one year old, and is walking. He has just had his birthday and is a beautiful boy.
Kaboss was a 3 year old in need of a home and love.
Kaboss now. He attends Preschool and loves it.
Jenett arrived as a one-day-old baby girl.
Jenett - now a 3 month old! Smiling, responding to voices and making baby sounds. She is a love.
We have and are supporting with the help of our sponsors in Urukundo Home for Children:
25 Secondary Students
9 Primary
5 Preschool
6 Kindergarden
5 in Nursery under 3 years.
#2. Urukundo Employees
39 full time workers from the community (this includes guards, mamas, farm help, teachers and 5 part-time for agriculture (planting and harvesting).
#3. Urukundo Learning Center
2 classrooms for Primary 2 and a music room completed and in operation.
Furniture built and delivered.
Music & Arts & Crafts classroom.
Classroom #1
Urukundo Foundation Education Fund
We have successfully sent 329 students through Primary School. This was a 6 year project started in 2007. This gift was to provide uniforms, shoes, exercise books, pens, jackets and school fees. It included children from neighboring communities. My thanks to all who made this project a success. This funding of $15 per student per year took place at the end of each year.
3 Kindergarten classes with 69 students who attend in the afternoons.
2 Primary one class rooms educating 60 students.
Library
2 Primary 2 classrooms with 58 students.
A Music and Arts Department.
This number will increase each year as new student enrollment numbers increase.
The number of children we can educate is unlimited but we need to add classrooms! Our need is great.
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.
I hope this gives you an idea of what you Urukundo's friends and family are a part of and what a difference you are making in the lives of the children and families in South Province, Rwanda.
Thank you.
I am so proud to tell you I have two new great-grandbabies born in October: Mason Heusle Brown, grandson of Gerald Brown, my youngest son and Hannah Arlene Albawab, grand daughter of Barbara Brown Downs, my middle daughter. The grandparents are delighted. Congratulations to parents Tim & Krista Brown and Laura & Shaddi Albawab. If my count is correct I now have 18 Great-Grands. How very great is that? I am so blessed.
Great Gram Arlene
Hello from Urukundo Village & Learning Center.
During my visit in Williamsport my daughter-in-law Janet gave me a flowered pen. The kids loved the pen and it is the only one used to mark off who got the vitamins. Not only do they bring the vitamin bottle to me but they also bring the book and Janet's pen. The kids know where their name is in the book. Thank you Janet the pen is great fun.A near tragedy and our eyes were opened to how dangerous candles are.
