Progress

The first step toward a SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY has been taken with a sewing enterprise.
Urukundo took an existing building and removed walls.
We made sure there was a need, then purchased 5 regular machines and 2 special machines.

This is not only a sewing class with a qualified teacher it is also an enterprise where local woman can participate and support their families.Designated funds were used to start the URUKUNDO SEWING CENTER.

A Tribute

It is my pleasure to honor a very special couple as patrons for Urukundo Foundation. I have wanted for a long time to pay special tribute to Tom & Carolyn Nunnally. I went to the dictionary to be sure I was using the right word to describe their participation at Urukundo Village and Learning Center.  
Mr. Webster says a Patron is: 'a person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, cause, or activity.'
This description does not begin to tell the story of Tom and Carolyn and their love and support that has blessed us. They are Partners in service, advisors, encouragers, prayer partners and strength givers for me and for Urukundo Foundation and Hope Made Real.
This stone is small in comparison to the kindness and love this couple have shown to the vulnerable children in Rwanda. Thank you Carolyn and Tom.
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Project: Basketball Court Renewal

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This team of 16 students, a team leader and advisor visited Urukundo In March. Their goal was to refinish the basketball court. It was in need of redoing. The basketball court is used hard by the Urukundo Learning Center, the Community and our Urukundo Kids for exercise, basketball,  volleyball and other play activities. It is an asset to our Village.
Our guys started the demolition in preparation for the team's visit.
Although the project was not completed the team worked very hard. Time was not enough to complete everything. Added financing is needed for cement to finish the work.
While they were here they visited Akagere National game Park, The Genocide Memorial and The Campus of Carnagie Mellon - Rwanda. It was our pleasure to have these wonderful young people even though the time was short.

The team worked hard and did a very good job.

About 2/3 of the playing field is finished. We need to get it finished ASAP. It is not useable as it stands now.

We thank CMU for the wonderful gift of work on the field and the time they spent with our children.

Urukundo Learning Center

The official opening of the Urukundo Learning Center took place on a very rainy Saturday, March 23, 2013.
Even with the rain the attendance was heart warming. We were honored by the presence of the Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, the Executive Secretary of Cyeza Sector,  the Village Leader, The President, Vice President and Secretary of Urukundo Foundation. Carol Falke, Carol and Linda from State College, Pa. and Margie Korgh from Pittsburgh, Pa, were also our guests. After the ceremony and the ribbon cutting a special lunch was served to our guests and friends.
The Urukundo Learning Center includes Cyakabiri Preschool, Urukundo Primary School, the Urukundo Library, Urukundo Sewing Center which is the first of our Technical Schools (in process) and the ESL school for Adult Education. We are active in education - feel free to join.
It is our hope that construction can continue until all 12 grades of Primary and Secondary School will be ready for students. We welcome partners who share our vision of education on every level for every child.
God in charge every thing is possible. Ask how can I help? Ideas are welcome. 

Carol and Mama.

Foundation President Hildebrand & Vise President Oswald      
Director speaking, Oscar Translating 
Consular Emily and Neal Makley
President of Urukundo and President of Parents Association.
Support team from USA We were so honored to have them present for this event.
Etienne, Mama, Vise Mayor, Exec Secretary from US Embassy. joined the celebration.
Vise Mayor Fortunee, Social Affairs Muhanga District.     
Cutting the RibbonVise Mayor, US Consular, me.
                                          
Children and teachers presented a program for our audience.

Mama and the Visiting Dentist

About two years ago I broke a front tooth. Many of you know my passion for hard pretzels. A kind friend sent me a bag of them and yes, that is how the tooth was broken. With 45 kids needing dental care there was just not enough financing for me to go to the dentist.
"Well, I thought that was a good excuse for not going".
Again, God did not agree so the dentist came to me - Dr. Rickmeyer from Arizona, Dr. Drew Cahoon from Canada, Dr. Moses from Rwanda, dental students Eulaude and Kizito, Misty Reberger and Pam Nichols and finally Dr. Bryan Murray.
So you see dentists just kept popping up! Claude was treated and healed. Cecelia received two root canals, Anett had two teeth removed in preparation for dental work for a severe overbite and others were treated. Still I continued to ignore my need to visit the dentist. 
Seems dentistry was in my future, like it or not. I am one of those people who break out in a cold sweat at the mention of the dentist if it applies to me. I send the kids and tell them how wonderful the dentist is and how we must not eat too much candy and brush our teeth and they love Dr. Rick and Dr. Drew who come to visit us on a regular basis. Well, at least once a year.
Dr. Drew brought two special visitors to Urukundo, Dr. Byron Murray and his wife Janet from Alberta, Canada. The two doctors decided I needed to have some dental care as a good example for the kids. Sure, they knew how to maneuver me into the dentist chair at a local clinic where my tooth could be repaired. Like so many things "for my own good" I was not happy but I kept the appointment. Either dentistry has come a long way or I have matured because there was absolutely no pain and the tooth is beautiful and repaired and I can smile again. It is wonderful.

Janet Murray is a seamstress by vocation and is coming back to Urukundo to help teach in our sewing Center.

February Greetings from Urukundo

Hello from Urukundo Village, Mama and The Urukundo Kids.

Please take note: the date on the camera has been fixed AGAIN. Hope it stays correct this time. February is the month of LOVE and this fits well with our program.  Urukundo translated means LOVE.
Our mission here is to share love. Our village and our Learning Center are built on love. Thank you all for the love you have shown to me and all the vulnerable children in Rwanda. You are making such a difference in the lives not just of the children but also of their families.  
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Deogratios Mugisha

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Urukundo was blessed, thanks to the Ingoboka Fund, to be able to give the help needed when a little four year old boy, Deogratios Mugisha, accidentally fell into boiling water and was scalded over the left side of his  body. Remember cooking is done in the home of our families with charcoal pots sitting on the floor. The little boy is a student at our preschool and so when this happened his parents brought him to us.

The guards knocked on the window at our house saying there was a problem and asked for help. The parents were at the gate with their child. The guard said the boy was burned.  How, he was not sure. We went directly to the clinic where I thought I had medicine used for burns. There was very little. The parents brought the boy in. He was in shock and  just looked at me with scared eyes.  Cold water would have been best treatment at the point when the scalding took place, but water is not available. After getting the hot clothes off and calming him down, his mother dressed him again covering all his skin to bring him to us. "Not the best idea."  No burns were visible until he was undressed. Water blisters were extensive and many were broken exposing raw scalded pink skin. His clothes kept him warm but did damage to his little body.
Much of the skin was pulled away because of the clothes.

I had medicated wrap used by fireman to protect the burn area until transport to a hospital takes place. Removing the clothes carefully we gently placed the protective medicated wrap over the burned area,  called our driver to come and transport the boy and his parents to the hospital. We are also blessed to have a vehicle always available.  
We did what we could but now I know we need burn medicine for early first aid treatment. 
We are able to give the parents financial help to have him treated and admitted at the local hospital. Financially we will continue caring for this little one while he is in the hospital. I am so grateful to have the Ingaboka Fund available. IT IS NOW DEPLETED. More and more we are blessed because others care and lend a helping hand.
Please pray for the child. Secondary infections are the real danger in this kind of burn. Thanks to all who gave a gift for emergency treatment.

 

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Visit from Teachers Training College, Muhanga

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Wednesday the 20th of February saw much activity at Cyakabiri Preschool. 38 students and 4 teachers from TEACHERS TRAINING COLLEGE, MUHANGA came to spend the day observing at our school. These are young people preparing to be the teachers of tomorrow.
A very handsome group.
Our little students teach the the bigger students. Every one learns.
Our teachers answered questions.
They learned about lesson plans.
Lesson plans - the teachers guide for the week.
Sitting on the mat for a reading session. It was good to see these young people become interested in education for 3 and 4 year olds.
The students finished their day by joining with our teachers for question and answer session. It was a full day.  The students learned there is more to teaching young children than play. This early teaching sets the pattern for all future education. Their impact is so important for students of tomorrow. 
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Help Make Joy : Guest Post by Carol Falke, State College, PA

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Sunday School children, book clubs, alternative Christmas, preschool global giving projects. What do they have in common? Marc, 11yrs old, says it best, "I got to help make joy for the people of Rwanda. We gave money for a pig and desks. It was really cool."
The end of 2012 brought many joys and examples of giving that I knew God was smiling and blessing all the hands and feet serving. One little boy gave at Sunday School to purchase a pig for the farm and said it was “Special. Heart soaking.” Barb said with a smile, “For the past several years, I've given a donation as an alternative to purchasing a Christmas gift for my parents. This year I chose to honor them by giving a gift of desks and chairs to the new primary school. My parents were so touched! They have always valued education, and this seemed like the perfect way to show our love for and support of the children of Rwanda.”

Two women’s book clubs were inspired to give towards desks, bookshelves and books. Gail shared, “Learning and loving to read is one of the most wonderful gifts given to us all. It opens the world around us. We chose having bookshelves for your classroom to enable you to fill the world around you with books, books and more books!” And Darlene’s book club said, “All children deserve the chance to receive an education. It is the building block for a nation.”

A partnership was formed a year ago with a preschool. Classes at each school in Rwanda and the US are learning what is the same and what is different. They are learning about each other’s countries and to appreciate their culture. This school selected Urukundo as their Global Giving Project for 2012. Almost $400 was raised for desks, bookshelves and teacher materials.

So for 2013, be creative, think BIG and connect people, schools, organizations to the Urukundo Children’s Home and Learning Center. They will fall in love with the children, understand how something small can mean something big in Rwanda and KNOW they are truly making a difference. Share the stories of Urukundo with others to give them the opportunity to Help Make Joy all year long!!!