Visitors

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What is there to do at Urukundo Village?

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Ask the 7 Students and 2 leaders from SMU in Texas, USA. They came for a day and worked hard.

Michael Dearman, Corbin Swagerty and Sargent Jimmy Winn,  the co-leader, worked at clearing the land in preparation for building the hoped-for primary school. This was the first work signaling the beginning of Project PRIMARY SCHOOL.

Oscar our administrator supervised.

The girls removed bricks from an old wall and we will reuse them to construct the chicken house.

Their leader Pat Davis and Haleigh Wagner work in the library. Indeed there are many jobs to do. Spending time with the children is an added bonus.

Thank you for coming and sharing SMU, Texas.

One child, one laptop. Corbin's research project in action.

It turned out Corbin's research project for school was the project ONE CHILD, ONE LAPTOP. He was delighted to see the actual laptops being used.

Ketetha Olengue (with baby Diane on her back) and the girls spent time with the babies and toddlers. The  girls helped with baths, and helped serve breakfast and lunch. The most fun was singing with Corbin on the guitar, sharing story and game time. Our kids loved every minute.

Visitors for April

Lycee and his family paid us a visit. Many of you will remember this young man as the bicycle champion with one leg.
Lycee lost his leg as a young boy to a land mine. He is amazing as he competes in bicycle races on a regular bike against others with two legs and wins the competitions. I've been proud to call him my friend since 2002, and he is a true friend to all of us here at Urukundo.
We welcomed Dr. Otto Fischer from Austria and the children from Verein Future for Kids – Zukunft für Kinder in Ruanda.
We had a wonderful time and his kids challenged our kids to a dance competition next time we get together.
Mama with Vincent (l) and Otto (r).
Visitors from Canada
Valeria Gagne and her mom Diane came for a day and returned to spend two more days at Urukundo and its kids.
Charlotte, another daughter, is coming to volunteer at Urukundo Foundation for an month starting June 8 and Mama was checking us out. We got a 5 star rating I think.
They bought a stone to be added to  the PATH TO LEARNING. while they were here.
During the school break from where she works, Amy Milkus, who is a very special person, came to work with us at Cyakabiri School. She worked very hard helping us prepare the new classrooms for the new students. Amy Milkus  is a tutor at Maranyundo Girls School in Nyamata, Rwanda. During the two weeks she was here she taught English as a second language to our Primary students and helped our teachers improve their English. After doing all this she found time to play with the toddlers in the nursery. Thank you Amy. The children miss you!

Volunteers of the Month

17 young Rotarians from SFB  came for a day as a work crew. They entered into the work in progress. After hours of labor and good food they joined the Urukundo Kids in a fast paced basket ball game. It was great fun for them and for our kids. I am delighted to say the teams playing included girls, our boys and the young men from SFB. Good thing too because they were all about 6 ft 8 and our guys are a bit on the shorter side.
Working in construction.

Painting Inside Walls.

Preparing the ground for planting. 

Visitor for March

Tina Pennington founder of the Non-Profit RAISED HANDS FOR AFRICA arrived for a 16 day work stay at Urukundo Village.

During her stay she learned how to make chapati.

Spent time with Diane at the King Faisal Hospital in Kigali. 

Shared hand made dolls with the nursery babies.

Worked each day in the Nursery         

Walked the water trail to see the source at the bottom of the mountain.

Witnessed babies from the village getting water to carry home.

All things considered she had a very busy and productive time.

Tina's web site. Check it out.
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Greetings from Mama Arlene in Rwanda for February 2012

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February the traditional month for sharing love, and it has been such a month for Urukundo Foundation.

The month has been filled with outreach ministry to the community, schools and other NGOs.  I also received my share of love when my youngest son, Jerry came to visit and share the work at Urukundo Village.
It was the perfect valentine's gift for me, and my yard is most beautiful because of the work he did.
Notice the heart - my reminder of his visit and his love for all Urukundo kids and me.
Not an easy job but worth the labor.
Tools of the trade, no mulch, just beautiful work well done.

Jerry was a big hit with all the kids, especially the little ones. They ask where is Jorry?
Emmanuel and Agide with Jerry.
Sarah and Jerry.
Claude was Jerry's shadow.  The two 'Mr Fix-Its'! 
Jerry returned to the US February 17th.  Needless to say, the kids were not happy.
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February Love Month

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OUT REACH TO THE COMMUNITY

A Dental Clinic was held, supported by the love of Urukundo Foundation.  Doctor Richard Reckmeyer DDS, MBA of RURAL RWANDA DENTAL from Peoria, Arizona is a long time friend of Urukundo Kids and Mama Brown.  He came to Gitarama armed with tooth brushes and a story to tell about teeth and how good oral health means a healther body. Doctor Rick, along with a trainee, spoke and taught at Urukundo Village and 5 schools in the Muhanga District. We thank the District for working with Urukundo Foundation to make this possible.
First Dr. Rick worshipped with the Urukundo family.
Dental team : Misty, Deb, Doctor Rick & Denis.
Dental technician Deb at worship with the kids.
They then took a tour of Urukundo Village ending on top of the mountain where the boys had a great time fixing Rick's hair.
The top of the mountain.
The hard part for Misty - saying goodbye to Claude.
Love is plentiful at Urukundo Village.
 
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More Outreach

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90 children, both boys and girls, attended a Basketball Clinic/camp at Urukundo Village. The Clinic was held by Rob Thomson.

Rob is an American/Rwandan citizen born in Pennsylvania wearing the #12 Uniform. He is 6 ft 10 tall.

 
First team up for instructions.
Rob Thomson giving some tips.
Coach Ryan Turcott.

Coach Jacque Bahige.

Abis, Rob, Bosco & Claude.

 

 

Visitors for September

International team at Urukundo Village.

Front row : Shona, Scotland; Katrina, Australia.  Second row : Nancy, Texas; Kathleen, Australia.  Top row : Caroline, UK;  Mary Ann, UK.

This team arrived about 10 am and moved a ton of bricks. They worked very hard.
Troy from Australia, Stephanie, France and Deborah from Cyprus had been here two days ago but could not come on photo day and so are not in the picture.  It is unusual for a team of 9 to be from 6 different countries!  The afternoon was spent at Hope House with the children.
David and Sam.
Sam Buck from UK spent 7 weeks at Urukundo and returned home Sept 9th. The boys come down in the mornings asking 'Where is Sam?'. They think he should be back at Urukundo by now.
Presbyterian delegation from Pa visited Urukundo for a day.

Good friends Marilyn Ely from Trout Run, Pa and Meredith Bakke from Madison, Wisconsin came to share in the activities at Urukundo Village.
Their time here included a visit to see the Gorillas up close and personal (a bit scary!) and to experience Rwanda's ancient history before, during and after the Kings.

Quilt Tales

Pastor Sunny from Christ Church, McKeansburg, PA.
Megan Bensinger second time visitor to Urukundo.  Megan is a dancer and brought her toe shoes and a costume to dance for the kids.
Quilts arrived from the quilters at McKeansburg.
Miracles do happen - the quilts arrived two days after the team came. God is good and the team were able to give the children each their very own quilt. The kids call them SLEEPERS.
Mama has the honor of fitting the quilts to the babies.. Notice the babies on the backs of the little mamas!
Then the toddlers got theirs.
The whole Nursery in sleepers.
The quilts are beautiful!
The older children also received quilts and there was one for me. Thank you quilters!
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Performing Arts at Urukundo

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The arts are a big part of our program and this month our children were introduced to Ballet.
Megan Bensinger, a volunteer from PA, has been dancing since age 4 and did a fantastic performance for the children.
We have suggested when she returns she teach ballet to our kids. We would need slippers. If you have used slippers contact Megan walkingbyfaith5@aim.com
or send them to 
Urukundo Foundation
BP 179 Muhanga
South Province
Rwanda
Megan and the dance. Our kids were so impressed as were the adults.
Visitors and girls in a fashion show at the August birthday party :  our visitors wore traditional Rwandan dress while the girls wore fashions from everywhere!