February Special News

If hearts sing and love abounds in February, mine is right in tune. Urukundo is so blessed.

We have big news to share! We have a new name for our Dental Initiative.
 
University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Dentistry and Urukundo Dental.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Document signing, sealed with a handshake.

A delegation of 7 came to Urukundo Village from the University School of Dentistry to take part in the signing ceremony making Urukundo Dental Initiative part of the School of Dentistry.

 

Muhumuza Ibra - Dean, School of Dentistry - University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Karl Self - University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and Donna.

Sawsan Salih - Associate to the Dean of the School of Dentistry, Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Valli Meeks - University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
Valli is from Philadelphia, PA. She is definitely a HOME GIRL for me - same accent!

Valli, Sawsan and Karl are part of the United States faculty working with the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Project.

 

(l-r) Ethel, Mama Arlene, Julienne, Valli
Ethel and Julienne are instructors at the University School of Dentistry.

Summary of the MOU

This is a brief summary of how it will operate.

The school will pay for food and housing only for their students and instructor.  There is no large financial gain for Urukundo from the school but there will be recognition and the connection with the University giving us creditability. We are a fully equipped Dental Clinic in operation. We purchase our own supplies and have our volunteer clinic staff. The University will supply the guidelines to ensure we conform with government regulations. They will also respond to any urgent needs.

We can do our own charging for services. For difficult cases, we can send the client to the Dental Hospital at the University and the cost will not change for our patients. This will give them access to dental services they could otherwise not afford. Also our dental service can now advertise and be open Monday through Saturday noon. This will give us many more clients. Our clients pay a minimum charge for consultation and depending on the service needed the cost will be determined by what the client can afford. Some will be free and others will pay a reasonable cost. We hope in that way to give good service and to pay for needed supplies.

We are operating under the University license. This is an important contribution from the School of Dentistry. There will be 6 to 10 students coming for clinical training each month on a two-week rotation program and an instructor coming with them.

This is a very important step for Urukundo.  It also helps our standing in the district.  It should be very interesting. I am sure there will be changes as we move forward. We are a pilot program for the University. If our relationship is successful the University will expand the program to other areas of Rwanda using Urukundo as the model.

Greetings from Urukundo Village for January 2015

Hello everyone. Happy New Year from Urukundo Kids, Staff and Mama Arlene.

The news is I am coming to the US for a visit with Urukundo’s support friends and family and my kids. It is great coming home without a medical reason.

I arrive in the states April 1. This is no April Fool's joke! I really am coming.

I plan to return to Urukundo Village, Rwanda on June 9, 2015.

The contact person for scheduling stops for the trip is Patricia D. Brown: pdbrown@spiritworks.org

Please contact her for information.

I do hope to see many of you and share the story of Urukundo (Story of Love).

Because we sent the December newsletter a bit early, here are a few photos from last month's COMMUNITY & STAFF PARTY

Staff children watched a movie, had juice and Biscuits and received a small gift.

Exciting Connection with Global Engagement Foundation

Thanks to Michael Grosspietsch and Melissa Lesage URUKUNDO LEARNING CENTER was added to their already full schedule. It was a new experience for our teachers.

We thank them for finding a bit of time for Urukundo. They have been a long time source of encouragement.

Global Engagement Foundation was established to better serve the world. To learn more about this organization check out their website.

Buffalo University out of New York State, USA came to Urukundo

Drew Kahn - Professor, Theater and Director, Anne Frank Project

SUNY Buffalo State

Annefrankproject.com

Professor Drew Kahn, the Head of the Drama Studies program and 6 of his young students spent about 3 hours at Urukundo. What a wonderful 3 hours that was.

The impact they had on our teachers was evident.  The teachers saw, heard and learned the value of drama in teaching children.

Their purpose:

Teaching storytelling skills to Rwandan teachers

The theme for this presentation was survival, caring and sharing based on the Diary of Anne Frank.

Who knew the equation 2 + 2 = 4 could be so much fun when acted out. 

Yes even Math can be fun if a little imagination is added to the mix.

Our new House of the Arts was the perfect setting for this project. Design and decorations were done by two of our girls, Anitha and Belise. Great job girls!

Teachers focus on the story.

After the teaching session the visitors joined the children in the Boys' Home.

Auntie Betty’s Soccer Team

Ok, so they are not National League now but who knows.

Students in Mission

AEE (African Evangelistic Enterprise) students return for the third year in a row. We are so blessed to have them. The plan is for two days a week Thursday & Friday.  They will be with the kids each week into March.

Their purpose is to create self-respect, confidence and dignity in individuals and throughout the communities of Rwanda while spreading the GOOD WORD. We'll have pictures of the kids next month.

Our Response to the World of Technology

A SMALL START BUT A BEGINNING. There is room for 4 computers and a teacher. Still looking for good used computers.  Willing and ready to expand this program. 

Renovation Finished

The work to have Primary 3 ready for the kids by January 6 was completed.

New on campus

A photo shoot through the new Glascow Center for the Arts.

Starting at the main entrance. This is the performing arts and drama area.

Our Dancers, Story Tellers, Artists and Musicians will use the area to display their talents and the work they have done to an admiring parents and classmates.

Sitting area our audience.  Benches are placed for seating.  The area can also be used for small meetings or just for reading after having visited the library.

The music instruments available for our kids.

We would welcome used usable instruments you may have in the attic that your kids tried and put aside.  We could use some small guitars. I didn’t know they made them but I am told they do. The big one is too big for our kids.

We also would like donations so that we can purchase native instruments to preserve the culture of authentic African music.

Library

Preschool and Primary 1 shelf.

This bright attractive shelf greets the little ones as they come in the door. The books are books they can take from the shelves and set on the mat and enjoy. It is great to have books and nobody keeps saying 'don’t tear the pages!'  They will learn this in time. Our books are in Kinyarwanda and English.

On our wall a map of the world. Luki is showing you were we live. My, how that boy has grown.The Bible & religions of the world section is for children and adults.  Even though Christmas is over, Claude and Luki found a new book about Christmas they had not seen before. It was a two part play and the boys think it would be a good play for next year and on our new stage. They never cease to surprise me and please me very much.

Luki introduces the library to Amie, his good friend from the community. Amie and others spend a lot of time playing with Urukundo kids.Trying to get a better picture we tried to cover the window with a sheet. It did not work well. Ok so I am not the best photographer. The Head teacher Irene is trying to help. He is a bit taller than me.

The books on the first shelf include geography, science books and books about animals. Not to be confused with story books with animal characters. Books on the shelf below the globe are adult books left here by visitors and chapter books for kids in P3 and above.  These shelves have two sides.Not sure what happened to my camera but the art room sure looks sad. It really is a bright, beautiful room with a sink for washing up after making a creative mess!

Project with a Purpose

Serious work has started on the MOM & BABY LOVE HOUSE.

It gives a new meaning the term RAISING THE ROOF. The celling was two low for the cabinet we needed to move into the room so in Urukundo you look for a shorter cabinet you just raise the celling thus raise the roof. It is amazing the difference in your prospective when you don’t have funds to just go out and buy new but you adjust to fit what you have. We already had the bricks from renovation the other house and labor and cement for the project cost less than a new cabinet and finding what to do with the old one still in good shape.

The house as a guest house and house for the older girls on holiday. Can’t wait to see what it will look like next month. There will be more update on this project as it moves along.

Last but not Least

Thanks to a generous patron of Urukundo we have a new car. Ok so it is not new but it is newer than the one we had that was making every trip to Kigali a trip filled with fear and trembling.

Our good friend rode in the car and said this car won’t last much longer. Before you are let stranded on the mountain let me help you get a better vehicle. He did and this is it.

It carries 9 passengers without luggage and 5 with luggage in the boot.

It is beautiful. It has a running board (for you who do not remember cars with a running board) A step up before stepping into the front seat. As I am finding out I really appreciate that little step up. I also like the hand holds to grab to get you inside.

We are so blessed at Urukundo to have such good friends. Thank you God.

December Newsletter

It is hard to believe another year has come and gone. 2014 was a good year for Urukundo. The farm is doing well, the gardens produced; The Urukundo Learning Center now has 384 students. We have 54 employees and 3 more were added to our teaching staff.  Three babies came to live with us and be a part of our family.  70 children graduated from Kindergarten, one finished Primary School and five graduated from Secondary School. We had one graduate from University. All in all It has been a very good year.

Shelling beans.

Harvest time at Urukundo. Mamas and children work together. I take pictures. Even the 2 year olds get involved.

Soso is very proud of his work. Good job Soso.

Kitchen manager Cecelia in orange and Delphine, our Home Manager, show the way.

Libby, Chantel and Anithia lend a helping hand. It is a big job.

House of Culture

View from the front porch of the HOUSE OF CULTURE

The blue roof is the Primary school. Trees had to go. Avocado trees are dangerous when children are playing under them.  The nut is quite large and falling from the tree can seriously hurt a child.

Looks like a good building. Not so the bricks are held together with mud but no cement. It's not safe for our children and so it must come down.

Day one of demolition.

Day three and the building is gone.