How to wash the hands of the 3- and 4-year-olds? That was the question. This helpful step is the answer.
School resumes
With government permission and Covid-19 protection in place, Urukundo Learning Center doors have re-opened for all of its students in January.
This was the first time for preschool and Primary 1 through 3 since the pandemic began. It was the first day ever in school for the 3-year-olds..Students in Primary 4, 5 and 6 returned in November.
First day back to school.
They came.
On foot
By bicycle
Even moto
And, of course, by Urukundo’s bus
Lining up for the wash station.
Washing hands. Math teacher Elias assisting.
This 3-year-old is ready.
For the little ones, cleaning their hands with a squirt bottle sanitizer seemed the best method. Teacher Rosemary does the honors.
One of our cleaners, Gerald, is the helper in this task. Little ones are too short to use the wash station.
A temperature check is necessary. Science teacher Eugene shares that responsibility.
It takes many helpers to reach our goal of every student and teacher checked. Head of Discipline Viateur helps to move students faster to class.
These new students are waiting for classroom assignments in Primary 1, 2, and 3.
Our preschool has three levels: 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds. Little faces tell the stories.
Face masks are a problem for some.
This 5-year-old is not at all happy to be back in school.
Rethinking. OK, he remembers. Maybe it’s not so bad.
Teacher Solange, with 4-year-olds, works magic with distractions. Tomorrow will be better.
Older preschoolers are glad to be back. Teacher Callixte with 5-year-olds.
Preschool teacher Sylvia with 3-year-olds.
Primary 3 students and their teacher ready for serious study.
School re-opens
The first day of school is always exciting, and returning after a shutdown because of coronavirus was even more so.
Most of these kids had not seen each other since March, and here it was November.
It has always been the tradition that I walk our kids to school on the first day. I did that this year also. I rose early, dressed and sat at my desk waiting for my kids to arrive, ready for the walk to school.
In other years, I joined 26 kids on that walk, and it was a lot of fun. The kids laughed, joked and sang as we bumped across the football field. They chased each other. They were excited. School is the best place for them to be, and seeing friends again after a break is such a joy.
In 2020, I was walking again, but this year was definitely different. I walked with only two kids, not 26. Face masks hid the joy. Distancing even with only two made bumping and jostling impossible. Singing did not happen as singing may spread the virus. What was once a time of joy now has a sad overtone. It is so hard for the kids when they can’t run to their friend and hug that friend as they gather for opening exercises. Now they go directly to the classroom. There is no opening exercise.
I must say the teachers have followed the rules set in place. They are assigned a post. Two are at the gate with sensor thermometers. Others are manning the 20 wash stations. Each teacher has a bottle of green liquid soap and is ready to squirt the soap into eager outstretched hands.
Green liquid soap
After washing, they are directed by a guard to move directly to their respective classrooms.
The teachers, students and classrooms are ready.
In our school, each child has a desk. This is not true in public schools. Distancing is easier for us. We also limit the number of students per classroom. In public schools, a classroom can have 60 students. I am not sure how they will handle distancing.
School has begun.
New tablets
Urukundo Learning Center is blessed.
Our students now have 40 tablets equipped with a new learning process, ProFuturo. This project will promote digital education and is supported by Salesians of Don Bosco Rwanda.
The container was full of wonderful teaching gifts for the Urukundo Learning Center.
The donation includes a teacher laptop.
Irene is a very happy headmaster (principal). His school is moving into the 21st century with technical support.
School update
Several months ago, I shared with you about the need for wash stations at the school and inside the compound. We needed one wash station for every two classrooms. You were wonderful, and US$515 was raised. I was so happy. Well, as is the norm, things change, and new criteria for the wash station were sent out by the board of education. The changes required a large wash facility to be built at the entrance to the school compound to accommodate the children as they enter the school. It must have running water. Cost now is US$2,500.
Benjamin drew up a plan, and it was approved. By Nov. 2 when school is set to open, hopefully it will be completed.
I’ll follow up with photos with kids next month. The tiles catch the drainage after washing. I really am not sure how this will work. I have questions. As of now, no answers. I am pleased to say that thanks to Forest Hills Rotary in Pennsylvania, USA; the late Tom Nunnally of Pittsburgh, PA, USA; and Rotary International, we already have our own supply of water. Water from the source would be a large added expense.
As the photo above shows, we are in the process of constructing a permanent wash facility with 20 faucets, adding plumbing and drainage.
Not sure this makes sense. The cost has gone from do-able to almost impossible. God in charge.
One section.
There are 20 stations.
Not completed yet. Work in progress.
New classrooms ready
The last two classrooms have been completed, and we have space for the distancing required for our students, thanks to the generous support from donors.
Notice the new construction is handicap accessible. It is less expensive if the paving is done when building takes place.
Look, Mom. No steps.
Mama’s book
For some time now, I have been sharing with you the expected birth of my book. Yep, it is like giving birth. The process takes too long and the labor pains seem to go on forever. Finally, the book is produced. Like with a newborn, I am hoping and praying all is well and everyone will love the new (book) baby.
So, OK. Because I am 89 years old, a baby is not possible, but a new book is. Hope you all like my creation.
My manuscript is “Hope Made Real.” It is now a book and is available in ebook and paperback. While the book can be purchased in several locations, here is the Internet address for people to order my book directly from the bookshop where we earn a great deal more on each book sold. https://store.bookbaby.com/book/hope-made-real
Please note all proceeds from the book go to the Urukundo Learning Center Education Fund.
More information is available on the website. Check in there, please.
Book front cover.
Music, music, music
Our dream at Urukundo Learning Center long has been to have a drum set of our own and not have to rent one for graduation and special occasions. Thanks to an anonymous donor, our dream is now truly a “hope made real.” Sadly, there will be no graduation ceremony this year to celebrate, but we look forward to the future.
Music is so special at Urukundo. We began with kazoos and slowly by slowly (Rwanda term) added a keyboard, violins, guitars and even cultural instruments to our program.
I thank all who have contributed to making our music program a success over the years.
Music comes more abundantly to Urukundo. The donor also funded all the new equipment below. We are so blessed.
We now have instruments for our very own Urukundo school band. The piano also will serve our orchestra.
Hey, it’s a start. These kids and the music teacher, Emanuel, practice even though school is not in session. That’s devotion.
Coronavirus and safety rules
We are working hard to meet government regulations preparing for school reopening in September. Most important is the station for washing hands.
This wash station is recommended by the Ministry of Health of Rwanda. The tank holds one jerrycan (20 liters) of water and is worked by a foot pedal.
The approximate cost is $30 each. We need 15 because one wash station is required for every two classrooms, one for each of the two gates and one for the lunchroom.
Along with the wash stations, each child and teacher must have two face masks, one for morning and one for the afternoon. We are recommending four each as two would need to be washed or sanitized while the other two are with the child at school.
This is going to be an interesting new school year. We are doing our best as I believe our government is making these requirements for the health and welfare of our children and teachers.
We are now in the process of meeting the government regulations for distancing between students. Four additional classrooms are needed to provide enough space.
In May, we completed two of the needed classrooms. Two more are needed to be able to reopen our school in September. These two are ready.
Another two are in process.
Hoping to be financially able to complete these next two in the next month. To complete the construction, we need glass for windows, outside cement and grass to hold the soil.
Cement for floors and inside wall paint.
We needed to install fencing to protect the children from falling over the very steep bank in front of the upper-level classroom.
Our students’ safety is a special concern at Urukundo Learning Center. Leveling to build creates high and dangerous drop-offs.
A protection fence is the safety step needed. The fence in process.
Protection fence completed. No child will accidentally fall from the school yard to the ground below.
The next step is making the classroom levels handicap accessible. This is an ongoing project required by the government. We are doing our best to comply. As you can see, building on a mountain, there are many steps. Steps are not easy for those unable to walk. I had a sample of that when I broke my foot and ankle a few years ago. Walking in a cast to visit the school was not possible. I will share the progress being made in the August newsletter.
New employee
Introducing the newest member of the Urukundo family:
Her name is Anitha Inyange. Anitha and her husband have a six-month baby boy and live in Muhanga. It is necessary we have a certified teacher with a diploma in early childhood education as the manager for our daycare. At present with the daycare closed because of the coronavirus, Anitha is working with Soso and Claudine, helping them to stay prepared for the school opening in September.
More classrooms
In an earlier newsletter, I shared the need for bricks to build two classrooms. The response was awesome. Thank you to all who helped to purchase bricks. Funds came in to buy not only the needed bricks but also to complete building the two classrooms.
Work began at once. Although the classrooms were not expected to be finished soon, the donations for building the classrooms were more than enough for bricks, and we went ahead and finished the two classrooms. Never dreaming the coronavirus would happen and funding would be a bit scarce.The mandated shutdown took place March 21, but the sector allowed Urukundo to finish building using only two workers from the community on the site at a time. Keeping social distancing.
It took until the end of April to finish the project.
Two new classrooms finished and ready for the start of school. The computer lab now will have a home base. The second room is to reduce the number of children per classroom. We try to keep the number in a classroom to no more than 30 children.
Thank you all for the gifts that made this possible.
Proud of Urukundo employee
Executive Director Jean Marie Ntwari not only serves Urukundo; he also is a leader in the Boy Scouts of Rwanda.
His title is "Secretary of the Audit Committee in the Association of Scouts.”