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Greetings from Mama Arlene in Rwanda for September 2011

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Headlining the month of September and it is difficult to decide which event in our busy month should be the headline!

TIME FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL SPONSORSHIPS

It is that time of the year when our project becomes the community children living in poor circumstances.
If you remember - and even if you don't - last year we were able to send 340 children to primary school thanks to your generous support. These children would not go to school without your love and gifts. The amount needed to supplement what the government provides is $15 USD per child per year.

That $15 provides a uniform, exercise books, pens, book bag, flip flops and a jacket.  
Urukundo Foundation's goal is education for as many children as possible. The need to read and write is a priority.  Pre-school & primary school are where the foundation is laid. 
Investing in education is investing in a better life. Please partner with me so that Urukundo can continue caring for children who deserve a brighter future. This is the best gift to Rwanda's children you can give.

Gifts for education must reach HMR by December 15th to be included in the December wire transfer, and for us to provide the items needed to insure continuing education for the 2012 school year. The school year begins in January. 
Please consider adding EDUCATION FOR A RWANDAN CHILD to your Christmas gift list.

Projects Benefiting Community

The kick off of the solar power project happened on September 17th.  The project is directly connected to the water project funded by Park Forest UMC and others in State College, PA, Rotary International which was well-represented by President Jolly, William Koser and 20 members of the Kigali-Virunga Club.

Presentation of a token check - a bank has the real thing.
Muhanga officials, Rotarians, Coforwa Representatives, press and guests. A wonderful gathering.
Urukundo presenting the check to COFORWA.
L-R: Bill Kosar (Rotary); Me (Urukundo); Mayor of Muhanga District; Damascene (Rep for Coforwa).
The management team.
View of the depths of the mountain. From here it is all downhill.
I was so pleased to be host to this gathering.

 

Progress Report on the Water Project

 COFORWA has completed the first phase of the clean and accessible water project designated to benefit the community and in time Urukundo schools. 
The need for safe, clean water and a more easily available source for women and children was recognized by Park Forest UMC in State College, Pennsylvania. They served as ambassadors for Urukundo Village and the water project telling the story to others who joined with them in this worthwhile project. It became the project of a community of loving caring people. 
We are so grateful and give thanks.
Tank at the source of the water. More than 3/4 of the tank is below ground. This tank is fed by springs which do not dry up during the dry season and provide a constant source of water.
The second tank is along a road where the community can fetch water for their families.
Storage tank at the top of the mountain. Over half of this tank is also below the ground surface.
This completes Phase one.
Now Phase Two has started thanks to Rotarians Tom Nunnally, Maureen McMohan, Patricia Brown and Forest Hills Rotary Club of Pittsburgh, Pa. Hearing of our need for electricity to make the Water Project successful they decided this was a project Rotary could make happen. The Rotary Foundation, the Rotary Club of Forest Hills & the Kigali-Virunga Rotary Club of Kigali, Rwanda came together as a mighty force and clean safe water will be available to the Cyeza sector of Muhanga District.  The completion date is set for late October or early November. 
 The power was needed to get the water from the source at the bottom of the mountain to the holding tank at the top. 
It is awesome to see what can be done when caring people come together in a common cause.
Solar energy pumps will move the water up the mountain and gravity will send the water to the tank for the community and the tank for Urukundo schools and Village. It is wonderful that we have a constant supply of sun power!
Members of the community told the press: "This is a dream we never thought would happen"
Urukundo Foundation and Coforwa are blessed to be a part of this Hope Made Real.

Preserving the Rwanda Family

Urukundo Home for Children has taken on a new role. It started with the twins Kenny and Kinelia.  There are children here who are not orphans and are not abandoned but family circumstances warrant a better place to live and be cared for. These beautiful twins have a grandfather who lives his life in a wheelchair, loves them very much, visits them at Urukundo but can not support nor care for the needs of these very active children.  It is the goal of Urukundo to care for children in need and help them keep in contact and preserve their Rwanda family.
Grand papa and Social worker, Kenny and Kinelia visit while Johnny inspects the workings of a wheel chair.

Newest Member at Urukundo

Let me introduce you to Nelly. Nelly arrived at Urukundo and became a part of our family in September. Nelly has a mama who loves her but needs to get an education so that she can later care for her little girl. King David Academy is giving mama this opportunity and Urukundo is providing a safe and healthy environment with lots of brothers and sisters to keep her company while Nelly waits for her mom to prepare for a better future for both of them. Urukundo congratulates KDA for helping to make this possible and inviting Urukundo to be a part of it. Nelly is 5 years old and now attends Cyakabiri School in the afternoons. 
She is a happy little girl.
Nelly joins Belise, Alina Molly and Aline. They are now the "FABULOUS FOUR". They are now bunk mates and are taken care of by Auntie Betty. A very interesting combination. A bit lively and very precious.

News from Urukundo Kids Farm

It may not look like much but I am pretty proud of the pen for our five pigs.
Food troughs designed by Benjimin the builder. Bricks covered with a thin layer of cement.
Papa Pig.
Prospective mamas - we expect to breed and sell the piglets. A new venture.

Baby pigs.
I should write a story about the 5 pigs. Naw, that was done long ago and it is called
"THE THREE LITTLE PIGS."  Yes there is also one played on the toes : "THIS LITTLE PIGGY "

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.

Greetings from Mama Arlene in Rwanda for August 2011

Greetings from Urukundo Village and all who abide there.  August has been a very busy month with a houseful of volunteers -  11 in total. All 16 of our kids in Secondary School were home, There was a spelling bee, a debate, a fashion show and a birthday party all organized by the Urukundo Kids.  Painting the trim in all houses was a project accomplished. Pigs were added to our farm. The barn was finished and a pen for the pigs is now under construction. Look out for a picture next month. Except for colds caused mainly by the rains that are out of season, we are fine. Our school opened on schedule for the second 3 month term.

Further Developments

We were able with a loan from Fina Bank to purchase one of the problem properties (there were two) and we have eliminated a real danger to our kids. The property sat in the path between the kids' homes and the house where mama lives and was being used as a garage to repair moto bikes, bicycles and trucks. Fear that a toddler might wander trying to find mama and get hit by a vehicle is now a thing of the past.

We plan to close the road at this end of the wall with no access for traffic.

The brown gate on the left goes directly into the Kids' homes and the blue one on the right to my residence and guesthouse.  You can see the danger for visitors and kids. 

This is a view inside the new property. There is a second house behind the front one that is not visible.