Ingoboka

Mothers' Day 2012 

I have been around for a lot of Mothers' Days but this one will stand strong in my memory.

Sharing their love for the children of Urukundo and their needs, two wonderful people - Vincent from Rwanda and Carol from the US - expressed in love how hard it is for Urukundo Foundation to meet emergencies when the budget is tight. This discussion took place at Pine Street UMC in Williamsport, PA, USA. Hearts reached out to a Mama with 43 kids, a full heart and a need for emergency help for such unforeseen events. This was the beginning of a Mothers' Day gift called the INGOBOKA FUND.

Please add this word to your dictionary.

My computer dictionary does not tell me what Ingoboka means. It says it is not a word. For me it is the most beautiful word not in the dictionary. 

My heart dictionary tells me it means "peace of mind and strengthening of faith".  

My Kinyarwanda dictionary says INGOBOKA is a very important word. Its meaning is "help where needed."

Yes, that is a very good definition and it fits the purpose of the fund. 

Words cannot express my love and gratitude to those who recognize that unexpected needs arise in every family. When that family consists of 43 live-in kids within a wider local community, those needs are many. The Ingoboka fund is "God's love in action".

Thanks to all who have taken this fund as their service project.

Mama Arlene

Greetings from Mama Arlene and the Urukundo Kids for May 2012

Hello from Urukundo village, Mama and the kids.

It is difficult to decide what to put in the newsletter as so much is happening here. I do appreciate hearing from those who read my letter to family and friends. Comments are welcome: arlene@hopemadereal.org 

Most current & priority news

This beautiful little boy was taken to King Faisal Hospital, which is a private institution, the best in Rwanda and not covered by Mutual Insurance. His little body was full of fluid. He needed consultation and treatment and stayed in hospital for 10 days.

Thanks to the Ingoboka Fund for Emergencies, the money for the unexpected hospital visit and treatment was available and we were able to get the help needed .  He is home now and on the way to complete recovery. Thank you.

Please keep him and all our children in prayer.

His name is Claude and he is 5 years old . When he was well:

Thank you for caring and responding before the need arose.  The Lord bless you.

Mama Arlene

Labor Day

May 1 is the cultural  LABOR DAY in Rwanda. It is not a day off from work but a day when employers invite all workers to join together with the administrative staff (that includes me) for conversation, for some food treats (sumbosa) and Fanta.

Our staff works very hard. They work long hours and with little pay. 

The day before the meeting was to take place word was spread that there would be a meeting of all Urukundo staff at 2 pm Tuesday.

They came looking rather concerned. This was a surprise for them and the first time Labor Day had been celebrated in our village.

I just learned about this wonderful tradition. It will be a yearly celebration.

Awards were given in recognition of devoted service. It was difficult to choose who would get the awards. 

The award for length of service was given to Delphine (6 years), mama from the girls' home. The award for 'most flexible' with 5 years service went to Betty in the Nursery.  Betty has worked in every area in the home plus the school. She is versatile and works wherever needed and is now permanent in the nursery (I think). Benjimin the builder, who maintains our homes and manages the construction on site, was also recognized with an award.

It was two hours well spent.

Workers gathered.

It was my pleasure to serve those who serve.

The Farm

We plant everywhere we can. The vegetables feed our kids and are shared with the community.

I really do want to plant sweetcorn. 

The corn here is like field corn we used to steal from Grampa's fields and roast over an open fire at night. I laugh to think we thought we were fooling grampa. I am sure he knew what we were doing all the time and watched over us.

Now that I am thinking about it we also took potatoes from mom's pantry and put them in the ashes to cook. They were the best potatoes ever and covered with dirt and no butter and some salt but oh so good. You have to be a kid in the 30's & 40's to enjoy such a treat. Hey I am not getting older only better.

Beans are our earliest crop for harvesting.  

The beans are pulled out by the roots, carried to the basketball court to dry in our little truck and then pods are pulled and shelled.

Drying plants are then placed around other garden plants to hold the rain water longer.

The kitchen gardens are producing well.

Lettuce patch - I believe it is Romaine.

Pineapple patch - this is my first time growing pineapples, and it seems to be a long process!  It will be interesting to see how it develops.

Snow Peas : the seeds were sent specially from the US. We're not sure yet if they will produce well.

Did You Know?

...I did not.

Much to my surprise goats can die from Pneumonia. Not the smartest farmer in the world I did not think 65 degrees was cold.  I lost a precious goat to pneumonia before I realized in Rwanda with a breeze and rain 65 is too cold for goats.  The really sad thing was she was growing twin lambs inside so we lost both mother and babies.  We now have a tarp covering for the goat barn to protect from the cold and rain. The goats are happier and I will not make such a mistake again.

I learn more every day but this was a tough and a costly lesson.

The Goat House. Blue is my favorite color.

What is there to do at Urukundo Village?

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.

Urukundo Learning Center

Cyakabiri Preschool has a new look and a new sign. This one is made of metal. The wooden one did not hold up well in wind and rain.

This one should last.

Teaching Rwandan culture. This class moves outdoors.

Banana leaves are used in many ways. In this picture the kids have made balls to play with.

Inside the Classrooms

Lots of light and fresh air are a real plus.

Partners Needed

...to build this school. It is our goal to have 2 classrooms ready by January 2013. Our school year starts in January for Primary and Secondary students. For University the school year starts in September. 

The classrooms are needed to accept the first graduates of Cyakabiri Preschool. With your help this is possible. Education is so vital here in Rwanda and everywhere. It is the key to a brighter future for our world.  Consider becoming a partner on the pathway to learning and make another HOPE BECOME REAL.

This is an invitation to educators reading this newsletter.

If you want a new experience and want to make a difference in the lives of children it is possible. Please consider coming to Rwanda and working with our teachers at Urukundo Learning Center.

Whatever your expertise we can use you.

ANOTHER WAY TO PARTNER

For a gift of $100 or more a stone can be added to the path to learning. The proceeds go to further education in our village and the community. A gift in honor of, in memory of or just because you want to make a difference would be appreciated.  

Path to Learning adds 2 new stones

Valerie and her mom from Canada visited Urukundo Village for a short time in May and sister Charley is coming in June for a month of volunteer work. Mom Diane placed the stone to honor her two older daughters.

Thank you Diane.

Project in Progress for May

Biogas

Wood has become a problem in Rwanda. It is scarce and expensive. We cook with wood because that is what is available.

Now that we have the farm Biogas has become an option. Biogas is a product of manure. With goats, pigs, cows and chickens we now have manure enough to install a biogas tank and  also make our kitchen a safer place for those who prepare our meals. Wood smoke may smell good outdoors but the smoke is not so good in a confined area. 

Getting ready to run the pipeline to the kitchen and the farm.  I am told we will have gas for cooking and some way this project will supply electricity to the kitchen and farm. I don't understand how this is possible and so I leave it to the experts. To be able to supply our own gas for cooking and a constant source of electricity is our hope.  Saving the environment, our resources and producing our own baby chicks is a plus.  Imagine the benefits.

Traveler

Vincent our school Administrator is home after a month in the US finetuning his expertise in school administration.

We are very happy to have him home and thank all who took part in his positive experience in State College, Pennsylvaina. State College is the home of Penn State University.  Urukundo Learning Center is the beneficery of his time working with Carol Falke and her team.

Some more of Vincent's experiences in the US:

Vincent is sharing the basket with Nina's 3-4 year old class.  This class is picture pals with Andrew's class at Urukundo.

Nona Nina and Vincent working with children at the water table on the science of water.

Welcome Home, Vincent!

Thank you to all who made this learning experience possible!

Greetings from Mama Arlene and the Urukundo Family for April 2012

Greetings from Urukundo Foundation and Urukundo Learning Center. We continue to grow into a brighter future through education and love.

Remember to purchase your stone on the path to learning. Education is that path.

April 1st came and went with no one playing a joke on me. Guess it really is a US tradition.  The three weeks with all our kids home was a very busy time. Seventeen High School kids keep us busy and 12 toddlers and 3 babies kept them busy. It is nice to have so much help - and the kids do help.

Washing hands before and after meals is routine.

Claude and Johnny washing while Becca and Agide wait their turn.

Laundry is on going and a big part of the work day.

Our rain harvest tanks are a blessing. This tank outside the boys' house provides a lot of water. It cannot be used for drinking or cooking  but it can be used for clothes and flushing. This cuts down on our water costs as laundry for 43 kids and staff takes a lot of water.

The kids also cook. Chapati Saturday is a pleasure but peeling potatoes, green bananas, avocados, carrots, snapping beans and preparing other vegetables is just plain hard work. The peelings are kept and served to the animals. Nothing goes to waste.

 

Serving food in the dining room to kids and visitors who choose to eat with us is a delight and considered an honor. You have to be older to have this opportunity. Our visitors and kids help serve food for the little ones at meal time.

 

So you see being an older brother or sister in a big family is no easy task.

News From Cyakabiri School

It has been a wonderful month for Urukundo Learning Center.

April 7, 2012 was a great day as it marked the final day of the first term of Cyakabiri School for the year 2012.

Parents and children came to pick up reports, this was their opportunity to visit the new classrooms. These classrooms will be used for the first time when the second term of the year begins on April 23, 2012 takes place.  

This newsletter will show the closing pictures of the first term and the opening pictures of the second term and they are only 3 weeks apart.   The parents came to pick up the kids and we were able to let them see the inside of the new classrooms. They did not have equipment yet but would be ready for the second term. We rejoice in knowing and preparing for that event.