Latest progress report on Primary 4.
The ground is cleared, leveled and the foundation is in progress.
How very wonderful.
February Special News
If hearts sing and love abounds in February, mine is right in tune. Urukundo is so blessed.
We have big news to share! We have a new name for our Dental Initiative.
University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Dentistry and Urukundo Dental.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Document signing, sealed with a handshake.
A delegation of 7 came to Urukundo Village from the University School of Dentistry to take part in the signing ceremony making Urukundo Dental Initiative part of the School of Dentistry.
Muhumuza Ibra - Dean, School of Dentistry - University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Karl Self - University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and Donna.
Sawsan Salih - Associate to the Dean of the School of Dentistry, Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Valli Meeks - University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
Valli is from Philadelphia, PA. She is definitely a HOME GIRL for me - same accent!
Valli, Sawsan and Karl are part of the United States faculty working with the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Project.
Valli is from Philadelphia, PA. She is definitely a HOME GIRL for me - same accent!
Valli, Sawsan and Karl are part of the United States faculty working with the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Project.
(l-r) Ethel, Mama Arlene, Julienne, Valli
Ethel and Julienne are instructors at the University School of Dentistry.
Ethel and Julienne are instructors at the University School of Dentistry.
Summary of the MOU
This is a brief summary of how it will operate.
The school will pay for food and housing only for their students and instructor. There is no large financial gain for Urukundo from the school but there will be recognition and the connection with the University giving us creditability. We are a fully equipped Dental Clinic in operation. We purchase our own supplies and have our volunteer clinic staff. The University will supply the guidelines to ensure we conform with government regulations. They will also respond to any urgent needs.
The school will pay for food and housing only for their students and instructor. There is no large financial gain for Urukundo from the school but there will be recognition and the connection with the University giving us creditability. We are a fully equipped Dental Clinic in operation. We purchase our own supplies and have our volunteer clinic staff. The University will supply the guidelines to ensure we conform with government regulations. They will also respond to any urgent needs.
We can do our own charging for services. For difficult cases, we can send the client to the Dental Hospital at the University and the cost will not change for our patients. This will give them access to dental services they could otherwise not afford. Also our dental service can now advertise and be open Monday through Saturday noon. This will give us many more clients. Our clients pay a minimum charge for consultation and depending on the service needed the cost will be determined by what the client can afford. Some will be free and others will pay a reasonable cost. We hope in that way to give good service and to pay for needed supplies.
We are operating under the University license. This is an important contribution from the School of Dentistry. There will be 6 to 10 students coming for clinical training each month on a two-week rotation program and an instructor coming with them.
This is a very important step for Urukundo. It also helps our standing in the district. It should be very interesting. I am sure there will be changes as we move forward. We are a pilot program for the University. If our relationship is successful the University will expand the program to other areas of Rwanda using Urukundo as the model.
Project with a Purpose
Serious work has started on the MOM & BABY LOVE HOUSE.
It gives a new meaning the term RAISING THE ROOF. The celling was two low for the cabinet we needed to move into the room so in Urukundo you look for a shorter cabinet you just raise the celling thus raise the roof. It is amazing the difference in your prospective when you don’t have funds to just go out and buy new but you adjust to fit what you have. We already had the bricks from renovation the other house and labor and cement for the project cost less than a new cabinet and finding what to do with the old one still in good shape.
The house as a guest house and house for the older girls on holiday. Can’t wait to see what it will look like next month. There will be more update on this project as it moves along.
House of Culture
View from the front porch of the HOUSE OF CULTURE
The blue roof is the Primary school. Trees had to go. Avocado trees are dangerous when children are playing under them. The nut is quite large and falling from the tree can seriously hurt a child.
Looks like a good building. Not so the bricks are held together with mud but no cement. It's not safe for our children and so it must come down.
Day one of demolition.
Day three and the building is gone.
Progress Report
In November’s newsletter I shared with you the joy a gift from a dear friend REV. MARJORIE GLASCOW after she departed this life made and how it allowed another HOPE to be MADE REAL.
Pictures of the house and the land purchased from the gift she wished Urukundo to receive are in November’s newsletter.
Renovation to make the house part of the school started at once.
The HOUSE OF CULTURE will soon be a reality.
The Inspection Team.
General Foreman: Mr. David.
LANCE GASKILL Our music & Art consultant.
Day two. Outside walls came down.
Bricks are salvaged for later use. Claude is foreman on this job.
Olivier hard at work.
Tresor and John Paul are good at demolition on the wall. We are blessed with young men who are not afraid of hard work.
Luki joined the brick brigade.
Holes began to appear and the dust was awful. Facemasks were borrowed from the Dental Imitative. This sure helped the breathing problem.
Bathrooms dismantled.
The work goes on. More in the January Newsletter.
Dental Initiative Update
Breaking news
Urukundo Dental Initiative has applied to the Rwanda Health Department for recognition as a Community Service Organization.
DID YOU KNOW? The tooth is the only part of the human body that can’t repair itself.
With the new chair and 2 new dentists we are really HIGH TECH. Urukundo Initiative wants to say THANK YOU to all the wonderful dentists and others who helped us with materials, machines and dollars for needed supplies to make such a worthwhile program posssible.
New Construction
As promised, construction is completed except for re-attaching the gutters.
I want to thank our donors for their help in developing this project.
What started as a project to replace the Nursery bathroom has been enlarged to include two teaching rooms and an office for dentistry.
Reception area.
New Dental Office.
Class rooms with new PCs and a printer. A gift from European Union Organization.
New bathroom for the nursery.
Dental Initiative & Nursery Bath and Utility Room
This may seem like a strange combination.
Because of poor workmanship and cutting corners during construction of the foundation under the nursery bathroom, the floor and walls started to give way. It was deemed dangerous for our little ones so it was necessary to dismantle the present structure. This was done leaving only the roof intact.
June 5th 2014: removing the bath and utility structure. The floor was sinking and walls unstable.
How does this affect the Dental Initiative? In such a short time the Tiki Hut home of the Dental Project has become too small.
When thinking about the present and looking to the future, a saying from my past comes to mind 'KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE'.
We needed a safe utility and bath for the nursery and rooms for the dental initiative that would also include an indoor utility room. Combining both projects made sense.
Why not make both improvements at the same time? It would initially cost more than planned for but in the long run will save expense.
A firm foundation was laid for the reconstruction and the addition, removing the cracking, breaking walls and adding strength to the foundation.
Foundation of large stones, small stones, sand and good quality cement was laid.
We enclosed the porch for a utility and bath, added 2 more rooms to the structure and connected the new addition to the original Girls' House taking care of both problems.
Men and women at work.
Walls going up June 23rd 2014. Next month's newsletter will picture the finished project and another HOPE MADE REAL.
Sewing Center becomes a Hope Made Real
Our first official sewing class started May 20,2014. Five students enrolled.
These young women have completed Primary School and have no way to go further in education because of the high cost of tuition. Without a skill there is no job available. Urukundo Sewing Center founded and funded by generous supporters in the US and Canada, offers machines to teach sewing and has opened a door that was closed for them.
Read about them below.
Our trainees and trainers:
Thresea, Florida, Jacqueline, Phoibe, Divine, Melonie, Desire
Therese Mukabanany, our teacher for basic sewing, machine maintainance and theory.
Therese had 7 children, but she lost 4 during the genocide and now has 3 in her home. It is important to her that she can educate her remaining children. She was a housewife before starting to sew. With this job she is able to pay school fees for her children and support her family. Her diploma is from ECOLE TECHNIQUE SCHOOL FOR SEWING.
Desire Uwimany teacher for fancy sewing and tailoring, specializing in men’s cloths. He is a father, and had a job tailoring in Kigali but it did not pay well. Desire left that job to come to work at Urukundo. He is pleased because and he said,
“I can pay school fees for my all my children and take care of family."
An opportunity for you to help women and girls to have training in a trade where they can earn an income and provide a better future for themselves and to help their families move out of poverty.
$192 USD will provide tuition for a full year of training. $192 to give a woman or girl a new lease on life. These are persons who are hard workers and want a better future for themselves and others.
Florida is single and has 7 younger brothers and sisters. Before now her life has been cleaning in other peoples homes when she could find the work.
Florida said "Learning to sew will give a job so I can have a better future. I also want to be able to take care of my brothers and & sisters."
Florida hopes to become a teacher.
20 years old, Divine is an orphan with 1 sibling. She stays with a person who wishes her well.
She says: "I will be able tp get a job and support myself. I will stop burdening people with my needs."
Jacqueline Irahuzais, 15 years old, finished primary school at age 12. For 3 years she has prayed for a way to help her family and herself. Her parents are poor and so secondary school was not affordable for her. There is no work available for this young girl. She is so grateful for this opportunity to learn a trade.
With 8 siblings, Phiobe is 16 and has finished primary school with no secondary education in sight due to family poverty. She is unhappy to be at home without anything to do. Her goal is to become a seamstress in time, to own her own machine and have a small business.
Her comment
"I will be able to get a job to support my parents and siblings."
Jacqueline Irahuza - she has 3 siblings and her father is a carpenter. Jacqueline is 15 years old and finished primary school at age 12. For 3 years she has prayed for a way to help her family and herself. Her parents are poor and so secondary school was not affordable for her. There is no work available for this young girl.
"Earning some income is important to me.I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn a trade. I never thought this could happen."
Melanie has 4 siblings, her father is one of guards at Urukundo.
Her thought is: "This is an opportunity for me to be self reliant."
Dental Initiative
We are so grateful to all the dentists out there who contributed to make this much needed service available at Urukundo Village.
Our first day we scanned 85 children from Urukundo Primary School. 55 needed dental attention and 29 of the 55 needed urgent care.
Notices were sent home to the parents of all children seen. Follow up calls were made.
Saturday March 1st 29 were seen with their parents.
Saturday March 15th 33 were seen with parents.
Parents and children sitting on benches on the porch of the Girls' House waiting their turn.
Little benches outside the Tiki Hut, our dental workstation.
How do you like the grass roof? We really need to get a new roof, but I think this one adds character. What do you all think?
Dentist, Dad and patient.
Dentist, Mom and another patient.
Most times the parents are more anxious than the kids.
Saturday March 22,2014
After covering the Home and school we are opening care and treatment to the children and adults in the community.
Our continuing need is funding for Novocain, Amoxicillin to fight infection after extractions, Ibuprofen for pain and sterile gloves. These can be purchased in Kigali Town as needed.
On Feb 28 our Dentist spent an afternoon explaining and demonstrating dental hygiene to the Primary classes. Our Dental Initiative is an all-inclusive program.
Toothbrushes, toothpaste and smiling kids!
Greetings from Urukundo for February 2014
February was full of exciting events at Urukundo Home & Learning Center.
On February 1st an event that seemed impossible took place. Imagine being able to be fitted for a custom garment, and then have a photo op in the finished gift - for all 23 children at Urukundo!
The kids were thrilled and had a great time when Janet and Angela Murray, seamstresses from Canada came to visit. They bought material at the market and worked with the staff at the sewing Center to complete their project.
A dress for each girl and shorts for each boy. The kids saw the process from start to finish.
The day started sunny and bright. Janet and Angela worked to finish their project as today was their last day to be with the kids.
They were due to leave at 3 PM. Most important they wanted photos. The morning was perfect for photo taking. This is Rwanda!
About 1:30 the sun left and the rain came. This was not on our schedule! Photos would have to be taken on the front porch. The lawn would have been so great and the rain would not last long but their timetable was set. Mama's front room became a room of activity as last minute adjustments took place and play clothes were chucked and finishing touches and modeling of handiwork took place. Such fun for Janet, Angela, the mamas, myself and the kids.
Boys model shorts!
while the girls modeled sun dresses. (with boys in the back ground being boys). In the photo:
Janet, Angela, myself & four of our wonderful mamas : Chantel, Delphine, Betty, Francois & the kids.
Progress Continues
Saturday February 15 was our start date;
We are stepping out in Faith to accomplish a “Hope Made Real” we have started.
Your help will let us continue. Thank you for making Dental training and Dental care possible at Urukundo Learning Center.
Kenilla having treatment
This month marks the second step toward our goal for a Technical University at the Learning Center. The first step was the Sewing Center where students learn about machines, sewing, tailoring etc.
Treadle sewing machine
Sewing School Building
The second step is
Rwanda Dental Initiative 2014
It is our goal to have several practical teaching programs when university is not an option. The Sewing Center and the Dental Initiative projects are just the beginning of a future for better health and better technical education for Muhanga District and we hope for all of Rwanda.
We have seen so many children at our school with mouth problems. If there had been education for the parents at an early age most of the problems could have been avoided. Prevention is so important. There are over 250 children in our school and that is only preschool and Grade 1 and 2. These are community children.
Our program for the Dental Initiative will be to educate the parents, which means a parent must come with their child and be present for the examination and meet the dentist. They will learn how to help their children and in turn help themselves. We can’t just teach the children, we must also educate the parents.
We will start with the parents of the very young in hopes that instead of taking a small child while teething to a cultural doctor, where the practice is to destroy the teeth below the gum, they will come to Urukundo Dental Program to get help.
Two young men trained in dentistry are donating their time to Urukundo in hopes of training others in the field as assistants to the dentist AND they will be working with the Home, school and community to prevent dental problems in the future. This will be a certificate program. Our graduates will be qualified to accept employment as trained personnel for dental programs throughout Rwanda.
Needs for the DENTAL INITIATIVE
Pressure Cooker for sterilization
- Composite curing lights
- Prophy cups & paste
- Mirrors & Mirror handles
- Explorers
- Any tools for cleaning teeth
- Cotton Rolls
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Gifts of cash to purchase a hot plate and a pressure cooker for sterilizing tools
- Stainless steel containers for holding sterilized tools
***We are starting from scratch.
Our building
The Spot Lamp & our Dental Chair
Saturday February 15 was our start date; we are stepping out in Faith to accomplish a “Hope Made Real” we have started.
Your help will let us continue. Thank you for making Dental Training and Dental Care possible at Urukundo Learning Center.
Kenilla having treatment.
John Paul having his teeth cleaned.
Screening began this week on the children at our school. Notices were sent home to parents if a problem was detected. Dental work will start on the first 20 patients on Saturday March 1,2014. Our main problem is the lack of tools for extractions and our urgent need for a sterilizer. Hoping for that.