Sharing the love. Older brothers and sisters (university and secondary) were chosen by a younger one to receive and open their gifts together. The joy on the younger kids faces tell the success of this.
It’s all about Jesus.
Our permanent residents, at least until April.
First of all, it’s the end of the fiscal year. Do you need a tax deduction? Please consider Hope Made Real.
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit in the USA. You can donate on our website, or mail a donation to
Hope Made Real
PO Box 3222
Williamsport, Pa. 17701
Thank you. Mama Arlene
Hi everyone,
The last days of October were very busy for the team from Saint Johns-Newberry UMC, Williamsport and South Williamsport UMC.
The team joined our children in the monthly cleanup day. Umuganda is the last Saturday of the month. This day is designated by the president to keep Rwanda clean. Our hard-working kids taught Tom, Kent and Theresa how it is done. Good work guys.
The ladies did their turn and wrapped and tagged Christmas gifts for our kids.
Lori, Becky, Lynell, Theresa, Kent and Tom added string to crosses to be added to the Christmas packages at worship for the community kids.
I am grateful for the help we received.
A new and exciting toy! You have to be a little kid to really get excited about the experience at the daycare.
Crawling through a tunnel. What fun! The problem is when one starts and half way through decides to go back. Then there’s a traffic jam. This is not a good toy for grown ups!
The decision was made to lay the cement and make the drive safe for all.
Jacob (Little Benjamin) was assistant to the maintenance manager, Big Benjamin, supervising the job.
Jacob dressed for work. Real proud of his Pittsburgh Pirates hat.
The drive as it has been for several months. Dangerous for old women and children.
A dump truck was dumping sand this trip.
Three trips, small stones, two types of sand. Another small truck delivered cement.
Work in progress. Out my office window.
Finished product. Three days hard work. Good job.
Our partnering with NGO GO ED benefits both GO ED and the Urukundo Foundation.
GO ED volunteers Erin Mackenzie, who intends to be a librarian, worked in our library and Alicia Newmaster worked with the farm manager. Erin is from Messiah College and is an English major. Alicia is from Eastern University and is a museology and anthropology major.
Erin and Alicia enjoy devotions with the kids.
David and company teach volunteers Alicia and Erin to play marbles.
Erin directs arranging books on new shelves in the library.
New shelves to arrange books better
Kids enjoy the game room at the library.
Thank You, Erin and librarian I’rene, for making the library more “user friendly”
Alicia at work. She wanted to experience a farm.
Feeding baby chicks
Gathering eggs
Alicia came to work with two boots for the left foot. Of course, it did not work well. Sent her and a cowboy shopping for a pair of boots with a left and a right foot boot. That was better. She took a lot of teasing. She also spent a week with the cows and another week with the pigs. She is now a farmer.
While our students were serving internships at other schools, we welcomed Theophile Mukamusoni from Raza to our school.
This is a process of a teacher teaching a teacher. Theophile is a teacher at Future4Kids, the nonprofit headed by my good friend Otto Fischer from Austria. It is good for us and for Future4Kids to partner and help each other when we can.
After two weeks, our intern displayed her work. Skirts, shirts, dresses, handbags, jacket -- even a dress for Mama. A fashion show was at the sewing Center. Congratulations, Theophile. Well done
Dear Sponsors and Friends of Urukundo,
This message is the most difficult I have ever written.
A ruling from the government has thrown us into grief and difficult readjustments. Please bear with us as we cope and adjust to this government ruling. Many tears have been shed.
For five years, we have fought this event, but it has finally become a reality for the Urukundo Foundation. The Rwanda government has decided all orphanages and homes for children must close. This rule is across the board, no exceptions. The government is requiring us to close our children’s home, calling it an institution.
This does not in any way affect Urukundo Learning Center. Urukundo Foundation is, as always, dedicated to providing education for those from low- or no-income families. The school now has 702 community children in preschool and through Primary 6 classes. Enrollment will increase to over 800 in 2019.
Our secondary students and university youth also are not affected by this directive. And we will continue to grow and benefit many needy children in our community.
But the 25 younger children are being moved from their Urukundo home to be placed with biological parents, or, if there are no parents, in foster homes or with extended biological families. All are expected to be placed after the end of the 2018 school year in December.
So far five of the children have been moved. They are Jason, Nelly, Kenny, Kenilla and Kaboss. As arrangements were made, we have notified their sponsors and asked for their continued support for school expenses, medical insurance and emergencies.
Thirteen others still live with us but have been assigned to move in December. They are Jennette, Aline, Kevine, David, Sarah, Rebekah, Jacob, Claude II, Prince, Benitha, Yves, Isaiah and Livine. Still waiting to be assigned new families are Johnny, Egide, Luki, Soso, Claude I, Diane and Claudine. We are hoping all will be allowed to remain here until after Christmas when the older kids in secondary school and university are home to share the love with them.
To say I am OK with this would not be true. My heart is breaking.
The good news is the National Children's Commission has agreed that Urukundo will not lose the children. They will go to school wherever they live with their families but will come home to Urukundo to visit on school breaks. Urukundo is trying to cooperate with the government to make the transition easier for our children.
We will have final approval of the foster families. We also have permission to monitor the children in school and in their new homes. Our child advocate Olive is visiting them at their homes and in their schools on an ongoing basis.
Those placed near our school will continue to attend school here at the Urukundo Learning Center. Urukundo is paying school fees, equipment needed for school, medical insurance and any emergency conditions. These payments will go to school and medical facility bank accounts in the area where they live, not to the families.This assures us the children are in school and cared for.
For those who sponsor individual children, it is our hope you will continue to care for the child you have loved. Your support will allow us to continue caring for the basic needs of your child and our dependent children.
With your help we will continue to support and protect our Urukundo family children. Without your help, this will not be possible.
Please pray with and for us and all the children as they prepare for this difficult transition.
We also ask that God will give all of our children, staff and older brothers and sisters peace and healing for our broken hearts.
Mama Arlene
Changes take place very fast at Urukundo Village.
Trying to keep up with new government regulations can be stressful.
Removing our sewing school from its present location on the main road into the campus was such a challenge. The move had to be made in three days.
The new location was not ready as the funding and building were mainly in the talking stage. Only the retaining wall is in place at the projected location for the sewing school classrooms.
The only house large enough for the transition was the present home for boys.
Due to government regulations moving children into foster families, the number of boys in the home has been and will continue to be reduced. Moving the boys to a smaller dwelling took place very quickly.
Proximity to former boys house on the left and sports fields above.
It is a good house, and the boys love the new house.
The rainy season has started and some people of our Urukundo family are still living in high-risk zones. Please pray that they will be able to repair their houses or build new ones in areas where they will have access to clean water and electricity. These include the homes of Libby, our cleaner manager; Pastor Yves; and the family of Juliette, our human resources person.
