As promised, construction is completed except for re-attaching the gutters.
I want to thank our donors for their help in developing this project.
What started as a project to replace the Nursery bathroom has been enlarged to include two teaching rooms and an office for dentistry.
Reception area.
New Dental Office.
Class rooms with new PCs and a printer. A gift from European Union Organization.
New bathroom for the nursery.
May used to be the beginning of a dry period in Rwanda. Now it starts in June. Could this be “global warming"?
This has been a tough month for me starting with what I thought was a cold. It turned out to be an allergy complicated by all the symptoms related to the not so common cold. Never having had an allergy I had no idea you could get so sick.
I spent most of June in my room managing Urukundo from my desk and bed. I am a hands-on person so this was not easy but the Urukundo staff were great. Things ran smoothly much to my surprise and pleasure.
Photo Shoot
Rebecca
Claude
Johnny
Soso
Yves
Kaboss
Her name is Abigal. Abigal comes to work with us from Kenya. She is a teacher in our Preschool and she lives in Urukundo Village.
Gathering for practice.
Abigal works with the children teaching new songs and special activities.
This may seem like a strange combination.
Because of poor workmanship and cutting corners during construction of the foundation under the nursery bathroom, the floor and walls started to give way. It was deemed dangerous for our little ones so it was necessary to dismantle the present structure. This was done leaving only the roof intact.
June 5th 2014: removing the bath and utility structure. The floor was sinking and walls unstable.
How does this affect the Dental Initiative? In such a short time the Tiki Hut home of the Dental Project has become too small.
When thinking about the present and looking to the future, a saying from my past comes to mind 'KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE'.
We needed a safe utility and bath for the nursery and rooms for the dental initiative that would also include an indoor utility room. Combining both projects made sense.
Why not make both improvements at the same time? It would initially cost more than planned for but in the long run will save expense.
A firm foundation was laid for the reconstruction and the addition, removing the cracking, breaking walls and adding strength to the foundation.
Foundation of large stones, small stones, sand and good quality cement was laid.
We enclosed the porch for a utility and bath, added 2 more rooms to the structure and connected the new addition to the original Girls' House taking care of both problems.
Men and women at work.
Walls going up June 23rd 2014. Next month's newsletter will picture the finished project and another HOPE MADE REAL.
TRESOR our oldest YOUNG MAN & JACOB our 1 year old superman.
It is great to have a brother to point the way!
KARATE:
There are 20 kids in the Saturday morning Karate class. 9 are our kids, 11 are from the community and the group comprises both boys & girls. It is awesome to watch these kids and the master at work. It is work with dedication.
Our 5 first and 4 second graders love karate!
When the team is ready they will compete with other teams of their age.
Our master teaches as a volunteer.
We could not afford ready-made uniforms from stores in Kigali town so our Sewing Center took a pattern, bought material and made uniforms. They are great. Good work, sewing students! These uniforms are also available to the neighborhood parents. They can buy them for their kids at an affordable price.
I think the kids look great - comments from our readers are appreciated!
One of the neighborhood kids has a yellow belt. I'm not sure what that means in terms of advancement for children even though my son Ted is a black belt!
Volunteer Master & kids: Pete in a brown belt. He is very good with the kids.
Bruce Krogh is a many time visitor at Urukundo Home, and CEO for Carnegie Mellon Rwanda. He actually had some rest time and came to spend some of it with the kids. He and his wife Margie live in Kigali City and are part of our Urukundo family.
Bruce does not sit still often so this was a real treat for him and for our kids.
SPECIAL TO US
You are not mistaken! That is a little blond head in the middle of all the dark heads. Folke is from Denmark and is in Rwanda with his Dad and Mom. His dad Michael is a pediatrician who has been serving in our local hospital for two years and has become our volunteer medical doctor. The kids love Michael, Olinda the mom and Folke. He is growing up with our babies. He will be 1 year old soon.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOLKE
15 RWANDAN YOUTH
Under the guidance of the youth director in our sector, 15 young people came to Urukundo to meet the kids, tour the village, visit the school and farm and spend time at the play ground.
They ended up in my living room sharing treats with the kids.
They presented Mama with a gift. Writing on the beautiful plate reads GOD BLESS YOU.
It was an event to remember and they will be back. It is good for our kids to know all volunteers are not white. They are loved by so many.
RETURN VISITOR
In 2008 a young man was traveling around our world on a bicycle. His bicycling through Rwanda brought him to Urukundo. Needing some rest he stopped at Urukundo Home for Children asking if he could stay for a few days. We received him and he stayed with us for 4 days before he continued on with his travels. I did not hear from him again. His name was Joshua Foster .
What a wonderful surprise when on May 24, 2014 I received this email:
Hello Mama Arlene!
My name is Joshua Foster and I visited and stayed with you and your family in the summer of 2008. I had been travelling by backpack and arranged to come visit for four days. My memories are fond of playing soccer, watching the new girls' home being built as well as dancing for the kids.
I am now married and my wife and I are travelling the world for a year. I always dreamed of returning to Rwanda and now it has come true. We arrive in Kigali on June 8 and I am very hopeful that we can visit and/or spend some time there.
Please let me know your thoughts.
All the best.
Joshua
Joshua and Audry.
Urukundo is becoming a Teaching Center for others involved in volunteer work and study programs. Our work with 30 young people learning about teaching Preschool was first. Then two young men came to study electrical wiring with Benjamin our construction expert. On our farm, farmers came to learn how to do below ground silos and then the Director of Agriculture at another compound came to learn about kitchen gardens.
This young man is here to study human rights and ethics and how it affects children. We are so honored to have these students with us. We learn along with them.
His name is Vincent Twishime. He is Rwandese. Vincent is 25 years old, from the Musanze area. He attends Makerere University in Kampala. He is a wonderful young man who has just completed his first year studying human rights and ethics. Vincent will be with us for two months. While here, he will work at the school and be a part of life at Urukundo Home and Village.
New friends are always so welcome at Urukundo, but old friends are precious and what a pleasure it was for me to welcome Pastor Boyd and his helpmate Shirley to Rwanda.
This goal is a HOPE MADE REAL that must take place.
Building four more grade levels at the school is a challenge. Are you ready to meet this challenge? Kids are depending on us. It cannot be done without help and dedication from the Urukundo family and friends.
In September a world-wide walk marathon will take place and every step you take is a step toward a better future for the children in our community. Become an active walker for EDUCATION, the hope for the future!
Our goal & need is to raise a minimum of $286,000.
We have the land. It is cleared, leveled, secured with a foundation started. All this is paid for.
Now it is time to move literally upward literally. A two-storey building, housing and 8 classrooms is our hope.
Start planning now. Be a team leader! Involve your friends and family.
Please contact our organizers for more information. Two Carols are coordinating this event.
Carol Falke falkes@verizon.net
Carol Baney carolbaney@hotmail.com
Catch the Vision - Make It Happen - Hope Made Real
The Vision
The Plan
The Beginning.
More information is available here:
Can you believe I forgot our founding anniversary until I received congratulations from a friend at Akilah Institute for Women? I can’t believe I did that.
These are some facts and the progress made in the past 8 years. How time has flown.
May 2014 is the 8th anniversary of Urukundo Foundation.
MAY 6, 2006 Urukundo had its simple beginning.
A rented house, one child, one mama, one guard and me.
May is a very special time for the Urukundo Family.
For those of you who are new to the Urukundo Foundation family and for all you who have been part of the family for a long time I thank you for the love and support you have given. A few reminders of happenings in the last 8 years.
My family in America is awesome and continues to grow with 2 new babies in the past year.
I raised my family in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Lately I am from Pittsburgh as well as Williamsport. I am blessed to be mom to 5, grandmother of 16 and Great Grandmother of 17.
I have had a full life and it expanded when I moved to Rwanda after the genocide to care for vulnerable children. Our children range in ages from 19 years to 1 week old. Our most recent arrival, a little boy, came to us only hours old. 28 kids are in secondary school (high school) 17 are in Pre to P2, and 2 are in public school. 4 are in the nursery. That should add up to 51. Yes I do know all their names and ages but I have to check my records to know when birthdays are. Hey, I'm a mom and I have the same problems with my bunch in the US.
Urukundo Village began in May 2006 as a home for girls, in a year a home for boys was added. When babies entered my life a nursery was needed. From there the farm became a part of the Village. On our farm we have cows, pigs, chickens, goats (both milk and meat) and rabbits.
With help from Rotary International a clean and free water supply was constructed for the community. Later the Urukundo Learning Center, a Sewing Initiative and a Dental Initiative plus a small shop where we can sell milk and eggs and products made at the sewing were put in place.
The need for quality education for the poor children in the district became apparent. That need included the kids at Urukundo Village.
Now our village has a home for boys, a home for girls, a nursery, a farm with animals and gardens where we grow much of our own food. A day care for community parents, a preschool, kindergarten, Primary one, primary 2 Music room, and a Library. We have an enrollment in our classes of 295 students. Of that number only 15 come from our home, 280 are from the community. 45 are very poor and pay no tuition. We employ 45 Rwandese citizens and hire new employees from the District thus supporting the economy.
We have seen many changes in our compound and witnessed many changes in the community because we are here. We hope to have a celebration to mark our 10th anniversary in 2 years. Start planning a trip now so that many of you can join us in the celebration. Remember 2016 is the year.
This is a summary of 8 years because you have cared and continue to help us make a difference.
What brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart? It is the simple things that make such a difference for our children. These gifts make my kids happy so I am happy.
Baby Jenny gets a doll.
She is a happy little girl!
Kavine likes a tea set for tea party play!
Little boys like Tonka trucks.
Little cars for little kids.
Fire truck made with Legos - what fun.
Girls like trucks and cars too.
Books and reading - children enjoying all the books that have been given to them.
