September's new additions.
Cooking with Gas
The Biogas project is finished. What a step forward this is for us and for the environment.
Learning to cook with gas is the next challenge. There will be another larger burner at the open end of the cooking shelf.
There will be much less smoke in the kitchen and that is good for the health of the cooks and the atmosphere.
Progress on the Primary School
Progress on the first three classrooms of the Primary School.
Funding is needed.
Inside walls ready for finishing.
Front view - the metal sheet roof will be added soon.
Greetings from Mama Arlene and the Urukundo Family for August 2012
August followed July as is expected and was as busy but in a different way. 
Certainly the highlight of the month was Akiliah's graduation celebration where it was my honor to meet, shake hands and speak for a few minutes with Madame Janette Kagame, the wife of our President.
Celebration of Marriage
After her gradution from University: Julliette is in the news again. Urukundo kids and staff attended her marriage to Felix. Urukundo kids now have an older Uncle - Julliette has been an Auntie in our family since 2006 and now works in our office. Felix is an Agronomist. (Hope I spelled that right!) His degree is in agriculture. Julliette's degree is in Accounting.
Congratulations Julie and Felix!
In the Nursery
UPDATE ON CLAUDE
Some things are hard to believe but believe this. After two hospital stays and treatment for various symptoms, a chance remark by the local clinic gave us an end to the dilemma of our little boy Claude. It seemed impossible that this one child could suffer from malnutrition and be so ill when all the children eat together and eat the same food. Why did not every child have the same condition? Treating the symptoms with antibiotics and a protein supplement he did not have to chew gave the impression he was getting well, but as soon as the antibiotics were completed he became ill again.
We had decided to take him to our friend Diane Longson and ask her to start from scratch as we did not trust the tests given to him so far. There just had to be an explanation soon or we would lose this little boy. Malnutrition is dangerous. Again the symptoms returned and we took him to the local clinic. The diagnosis was the same but a nurse there suggested he had a problem with his teeth.
Because of our connection with the dental program we had been a part of with Dr Richard Reckmeyer and Dr. Drew Cahoon at Kabgayi Hospital, Claude was given an appointment to see Kizito, the technician they had trained. What a blessing! Claude had one severely abscessed tooth and another malformed tooth that gave him much pain, and so he was moving his food to other children. When he did eat something he would throw it up. This dear little boy could not eat because he did not want the pain. Kizito put him on an antibiotic. That again took care of the infection but this time after a week the problem teeth were removed. Problem solved!
Now Claude does not like Kizito when he has his doctor's coat on but Kizito came to Urukundo to check on Claude without the coat and he and Claude are friends again.
Claude is now one happy, healthy child.
Hug Movement Honors Urukundo Foundation
Hug Movement's founder Ornella.
Ornella and her father and mother.
Our kids and employees were present for the recognition. Other guests included Donald W. Koran, US Ambassador to Rwanda, Bruce Korgh, Director of Carnegie Mellon Rwanda, Christine Whitekettle PA and Tom Macgreager, of the UK NGO Food for the Hungry.
Tresor giving speech with Urukundo kids looking on.
The kids choose Tresor to speak for them and this is what he wrote:
"I am by the names of Cyubahiro Tresor speaking on behalf of Urukundo Foundation children. For us children, this is a family which has a lot of meaning to us that we can not get enough words to express it.
Among all that this family means to us, we can now speak about some of them. First of all, Urukundo Foundation means a family to us children as we have parents who are close to us and who knows our needs and provide us with the needs. From the first day that we became a part of this family till today, this family does all it can trying to make each of our new days brighter according to its financial capacity and we really do appreciate that.
We are given love by our guardians for everyone is not living for herself or himself but rather lives for all of us children in the family. A first and a good example to this was set by Mama Arlene, who left her country, her kindred and all she could get from her family and came here in Rwanda to live with us, people she had not known, but because of the love she has, she came all the way to our country to be an answer to some of our prayers that we always said to God. And right now our eyes can show us how powerful the decision she made was.
On behalf of the children of this family, I’d like to say that it means more than anyone can think of. We know and we hope that our Mama and all others who help to make this family that they wish and plan a better and a brighter future and more for it is a family driven by love as we all know. Love does it all.
I can say a lot about this family and how important it is to us children and the country at large but even if I don’t say more to this, our eyes can show everyone that this is a great family that the Lord God has made and blessed.
I can not end this speech without thanking Mama Arlene for all she did, all she does, and all she plans to do for her children and the country at large, may the Almighty God bless her very much. I’d like also to thank all other people who try their best to help this family to go on with the work it does, may the Almighty Father bless them so much.
I can not also end this speech without thanking our Government which gave her a place in our country, which believed she can contribute a lot to this extent and allowed her to be here doing all this work she is doing. May our heavenly Father bless you so much.
Once again organizers thank you for your invitation, and for all attendants thank you for your attention.
Music Comes to Urukundo Village
The Kigali School of Music presented a concert in Urukundo Hope House.
The musicians were visiting the school from Germany. This is the school where Divine, thanks to Carol Wasson, took piano lessons.
The team from the Kigali School of Music.
Visitors for August
Team from State College, PA.
Greg, Kevin, Dan
Pastor Lee, Dave
Robin, Kira and team leader Carol
Some of the challenges they helped with while they were here. The teen's head of household benefitted. Remera 5 boys get some help. Dan & Kevin carry water from a long distance to mix cement for the floor in the house of the boys.
Greg setting bricks in home of the boys.
Finished floor. Job well done!
Preschool Teachers Encouraged
Robin and Carol do teacher training.
Pastor Lee working with Sunday School teachers. The flannel board concept is new to our teachers.
Our Farm Reaped Blessings
Dave & Kira taught us farming from a new perspective. Mangers for feeding the cows is a big help in food consumption. Along with the chopper we are feeding our cows in a better way.
The manger works also for the goats.
Papa goat now has a home of his own for entertaining. Helping us keep better records.
Water and feeders for the rabbits were ingenious and a simple solution
Awesome what an inventor like Kevin can do with a plastic glass, a saucer, a nail and a block of wood. Thank you Kevin.Cows Get their Share of Attention
Dave, farm manager Sam and our cow boy putting the chopper into action.
It works!
Kira applying oil to the dry skin of the pig. We do not have mud for the pigs to roll in. I learn more about farming every day.