The first Sunday in December was designated Bible Sunday at our worship service. A Bible was presented to each child entering Primary 6 in January 2018.
The children could choose Kinyarwanda or English Bibles.Those from our school chose English. Those in our congregation from other schools chose a Bible written in their native tongue.After the worship service, the children were invited to have lunch with Urukundo kids..
No, this is not the arrival of a newborn baby but instead is the arrival in Rwanda of Chanel Moore, my very first great-grandchild.
Chanel is the fourth generation of terrific women in my family, including me, my daughter Barbara Downs and my granddaughter Beckie Starr.
This is Chanel's first visit to Africa. She is working on her master’s degree at West Chester State University in Pennsylvania, USA.
I’m so happy that you are here, Chanel.
Love the hats.
Forty-two staff members have children under the age of 12. At last count, 85 children under 12 received gifts. All children of staff members – older and younger ones – as well as spouses joined us for a movie, sumbosa and juice on the Friday before Christmas. Gifts aplenty.
Staff and Children
The children from the community also celebrated at Urukundo. More than 500 children crowded into Hope House.
It was awesome. The house could not contain them all.
Special gathering Christmas Morning.
Notice the HATS. A gift from Julliette in our Personnel Office.
Bob & Amy received an iron from under the tree.
Christmas dinner:
For those not in the know: When you ask Jacob what he wants to be when he grows up, his answer is: “I want to be Benjiman.”
Benjiman is his idol and the maintenance person at Urukundo. He solves odd job problems, builds and is the father image for our boys. Jacob could not pick a better person to emulate.
The suit was given to him for Christmas by Bob and Amy Dove. It is a replica of the suit Benjiman wears as he does his job here at Urukundo. Jacob is his shadow. Wherever Benjiman is working, there is Jacob.
His name is Kevin This is what he has to say:
“I am Ngobo Kevin Castle from the North province of Musanze District, Rwanda. I am a volunteer at Urukundo Foundation, but now I feel like I am family already.
“I love the kids and people here.”
It is very interesting. Nicola Hedden writes about her visit to Urukundo. Great blog.
Also check out Carol Falke’s blog.Thank you, Carol.
URUKUNDO’S GOAL FOR THE NEW YEAR (2018)
Help make 2018 outstanding for Urukundo/ Hope Made Real. Your love and your gifts can make it happen.
Large and small donations can make it possible.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO REACH OUR GOAL OF BUILDING A HIGH SCHOOL FOR URUKUNDO LEARNING CENTER IN 2018!
THE ESTIMATED COST IS $300,000 USD.
This will pay for CLEARING, LEVELING, MAINTAINING WALLS, FOUNDATION & COMPLETING THE STRUCTURE.
A grant for the full amount would be a HOPE MADE REAL. Donations of any amount leading toward the total amount needed would be appreciated. Need a tax break? Give it to a worthwhile project furthering education for needy children. All donations are “TAX DEDUCTIBLE”
We already have the necessary permission to build from the District. We own the land on which we'll build our High School. This Learning Center is so needed by the community.
Blueprints and itemized costs are available for viewing upon request.
Our contractor will answer any questions.
We will keep you informed as progress is made - prayers and funding please.
November is the month for Thanksgiving.
Here at Urukundo we have so much to be thankful for.
Two of the 12 University; Dada & Cecelia
Thankful for our secondary kids, 6 of 7 
Jane O'Conner and team present precious pre-Christmas gifts. Each of our 26 kids received a new outfit in a gift bag of their own. The clothes were wonderful but of course they loved the gift bags. Kids!!!
Modeling the new clothes and showing off the gift bags
Thank you team. Urukundo is blessed by your love.
Amy Miklus & Mom Susan, Part of the O’Conner team
Claudia from Austria. Making our Solar Electricity a Hope Made Real
AIC representatives. Andrea Morris and Eva Lindgren.
Go Ed Girls
Jeanne from PA & Catherine from UK
Dimitri my financial wizard and friend. 
These photos of just a few of gifts for Christmas for the 26 Children in our home, 32 children of our staff and 400 community children.
Clothes to be shared.
Socks for children
Quilts and bears for Mama & Baby ministry. Delightful.
Toys to share
Claude sharing his joy with others. Luki, Kenny, Aline, Other Claude.
Gifts, photos and letters are so appreciated. Thank you sponsors!
Thank you to all who provide English study bibles for us to present as a special gift to our High School graduates as they begin University and leave home. What better gift?
Deborah
Mama Arlene
Awesome special shirts and tablets presented to our kids.
We have three Claude’s in our Urukundo family. The first Claude is 23 years old. The second Claude is 11 years old and this Claude I am telling you about is 10 years old.
His story is one of abuse no child should have to live through. The morning two catholic sisters came to my gate asking if we could talk was a surprise and very unexpected. The sisters were nurses from Mpushi Hospital, a hospital about 5 miles from our compound. Their mission for that day was to find a home for a child at the hospital.
“Mama”, one of the sisters, who seemed to be the spokes person, said "We have a child at the hospital that needs a place to live. We can’t keep him at the hospital longer but to send him home to his family would mean his death. Would you consider taking this little boy? The boy is 5 years old. Please can you help"
My first response was there is no room for more children at Urukundo. “Please,” The sister said. “Come and see him then decide how you can help.”
My driver and I traveled to the hospital. Not to get the child but to satisfy the sisters. Knowing the process here if we did not go the sisters would be back many times. They were determined and for me if they cared I needed to at least see the child.
I was told neighbors in the community had contacted the hospital where Claude lived with his father and grandmother. The cries and screams of the child were heard too much and this had been going on too long.
They feared for the little boys life. Authorities were called and he was removed from the grandmother’s home and taken to the hospital. The mother had been driven away by the father’s mother. The home belonged to the grandmother. The mother was not welcome there. The mother had no way to care for the baby boy so ran for her life leaving the baby to the mercies of a cruel grandmother and a weak father controlled by his mother.
The grandmother hated the mother because she was from a different and unacceptable tribe and refused to accept the baby left behind. Her treatment of the child was evident by the scars and condition of his little body.
When we first saw him he was about the size of a 3 year old. He was malnourished and his little body was scared where the grandmother had burned, cut and beat him with a stick. His arms and legs showed abuse. His ear was nearly cut off. The hospital did not want to let the child be returned to the grandmother’s house, as it would have meant more abuse and possible death.
There was no decision to be made. He had a home with Urukundo where he would be loved and cared for. The father stayed with his mother for what ever reason I do not know but did not want his son there. He gave up all parental rights to the child. Signing him over to Urukundo.
It was a long time before Claude would allow me to come near him. He was afraid of women my age and with good reason.
Claude is now a healthy little boy. His wounds are healed and the scars are looking better.
His father has never come to see him. Last year his mother came to our gate identifying her, as the mother of Claude with photo’s to prove he was her son. Claude was happy to know he has a Rwandan mother. She asked to have him visit her family as he has siblings. That took place and after a short visit she returned him to Urukundo. We are hoping he will further connect with his mothers family.
Claude is a fine young man and we are so happy to have him in the Urukundo family.
The student, Claude was just promoted to Primary 4 (Fourth grade).
He likes Legos and is quite good at the construction.
He likes Legos and is quite good at the construction.
Dr. Bob and Amy Dove. It is our pleasure and good fortune to have Amy and Bob Dove join the Urukundo family. The plan is for them to volunteer at Urukundo for a year. Bob will be program manager and coordinator for our computer program at our school and the ICDL teaching program for the community.
Amy will be volunteering with our school administration in that office. She is highly qualified as a professional with background in the areas of curriculum development, classroom teaching, corporate training, assessment, creating and presenting workshops, goal setting and career development, building professional relationships, customer service, strategic planning, supervision, case management, and grant writing. Wow.
In her free time, she will be teaching English as a second language to staff & teachers. Bob & Amy are from Pittsburgh, PA. We are again blessed many times over.
Teacher, Jeanne and Hannah helping the graduates get dressed in graduates in caps and gowns.
Kavine & Diane Urukundo grads.
Walk with parents, teachers, and friends.
Sewing Center gradates fall into line in the march.
Our graduates.
A few of the tents set up for the ceremony. Very functional. The football field works well for such events.
Appreciating the spectacular.
69 Kindergarten Graduates.
Certificates received
26 Sewing Center graduates with certificates
Gifts ready to be presented
26 Sewing Certificates & starter gift bag given tp each student.
In the starter gift bag: tape measure, scissors, seam ripper, thread, and needles.
Thank you Carolyn Nunnally!
Cultural Dancing
Instrumental Music
Drama
Parade by Primary students
Honor student, John Nshikabatware presented with the 2017 Tom Nunnally Award.
A gift from Forest Hills Rotary Club, Pittsburgh, PA. Presenter: District Vise Mayor of Economics KAYIRANGA Innocent.
Machine out of box, cabinet included.
Bob Dove, representing Forest Hills Rotary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania presents the honor gift to John Nshikabatware, our honor student. Congratulations John!
In August, funding came from our donors to purchase one bus and enough for ½ of the second bus. You can’t buy half a bus so I was hoping for additional funding to come. I could then send a photo of two buses instead of one as a surprise for you. That did not happen.
The first bus was purchased and was used successfully during the last term of 2017 (September, October, November). Our need and hope still is to have more than one bus.
The story on the bus is a story of hope.
Several Rotary Clubs in the Pittsburgh area combined with the Kigali/Virunga Rotary in Rwanda and sent a request to Rotary International for a grant to purchase two more buses. Our hope was to have three buses maybe 4 because of the need and the wonderful growth of our school. In January 2018, our enrollment at the school is over 700 children. This is truly a need in this rural area
We are waiting on word from Rotary International as to granting the request or not. It may not fit the criteria for grants from Rotary International but I did not want to delay longer to let you know where we are on the bus project:
WE HAVE PURCHASED and paid for ONE BUS. THANKS TO YOUR GIFTS AND IN TIME WILL PURCHASE THE SECOND ONE.
The bus is beautiful. Our school name is out there for all to see and the kids love it.
Oswald, our bus driver and mechanic.
Our kids got first ride in the bus. They think the bus should pick them up and take them to school. One block? Come on. Not reality but we gave them a ride. All 26 of them plus visitors piled in and enjoyed the excursion.
Look at the happy faces.
Thankful does not say enough. From my heart, I need all of you to know what you as donors and support groups have meant to Hope Made Real, Urukundo Foundation and me the past 11 years. Many of you have been a part of this ministry since its conception in 1996. Changes continue to take place at Urukundo Village. We started as a small ministry for girls and have become a large ministry for vulnerable children (boys & girls) and children in poor families throughout Rwanda. From one house only to many houses including a school to serve the children in Muhanga sector with a population of 19,361. Binunga village where our compound is located has a population of over 3000. Many of them children. We (you & I) are making a difference.
Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you!
Mama Arlene
So much has happened in October, I am not sure where to begin.
September 28th the Go Ed volunteers arrived. Partnering with Go Ed, an association that brings University students from the USA to serve as Practicum for three months in Rwanda has been a delight. Our 2017 term volunteers are Hannah Pyrzynski, Andrea Manor, and Katie Wagner.
Hannah and Katie served their Practicum working at Urukundo and HRD (Handicapé Rwandais Réhabilité Réintégré dans ses Droits.) If you know French; you now know what it stands for. For me it is people with a heart for children with special needs. These two girls have such hearts. Andrea came as a teacher in our preschool program.
Volunteers are so needed and welcomed at Urukundo Home and Urukundo Learning Center.
Nelly, Katie, Olive, Andrea, Pastor Yves, Diane, and Hannah holding Janette. Great mix.
Our kids taught them Rwandan style dance.
Love was the central theme and there was plenty to go around.
Having given my computer a tea bath; I sadly have no pictures of Claude when he was little.
The story began in June 2008 when Urukundo was called by the Department of Gender and Family Development. The Secretary to the Minister's program for the day was to secure homes for the prison children. No, they are not criminals. In Rwanda, when a nursing mother or a pregnant woman is incarcerated, the baby stays in the prison with the mother until the age of three years. At that time, family are looked for to take the baby. And if there is no family, then the child is placed in an orphanage or Home for vulnerable children. Working with the prison ministry was beneficial to Urukundo.
We arrived at the prison in the morning and was introduced to 3 year old Claude. He was afraid of me but ok with John, my manager at the time. Rwandan children fear white persons and I am definitely white.
The hardest part of all came when the little boy was taken from his mother to travel with us away from the prison and his only security, his mom. Claude was a very strong three years old. John was driving so I had to hold Claude He struggled to get away from me and was kicking and screaming and reaching for his mother. Big tears filled Claude’s little eyes and poured down his cheeks, his mother was weeping. Wanting to have her son but knowing he could not stay with her. The prison staff cried along with us. Tears filled John's eyes. I cried but held it together until I was seated in the front seat and Claude was placed in my arms. For weeks, I had bruises on my legs and arms from trying to hold this little boy. He was so scared. He did not know me and besides that I was white. Later, I cried for his mother and for the loss of her little boy. There has to be a better way to do this.
Claude did not accept living at Urukundo. He was a very strong minded 3 year old and was determined to go home to his mother even though home was a prison. It was where his mother was and where he wanted to be. I could understand how he felt but the prison was no place for him. His mother told us the other inmates abused the children if they cried or the prisoner was just in a bad mood. She wanted us to care for him until she could be with him. That might be a very long time. We were told his mother would be in prison for a very long time, perhaps as long as 17 years. She was in prison for her part in the genocide. I have no idea what she did but it must have been bad to be sentenced to 17 years. If there was no pardon or reduction in the sentence, Claude would be a young men in his twenties by the time his mother was freed.
From the beginning, Claude had a mind of his own. He loved his mom and he made it quite clear, “I am going home to my mom.” Not in English, of course. Home was the prison and every day he tried to escape. I was the villain. He hated me and that was hard for me to accept. I wanted to take him in my arms and assure him it would be ok. I could not comfort this hurt little boy. For the first month, we had to keep him in our sight. As soon as he woke in the morning until the doors were locked at night that precious boy took off running to find his mother. He did not know where he was going; he just knew mama was not here in this home. He could see the road and that road led to his mother. It was hard with the other children to care for and to keep sight of him every minute.
Finally, he made friends with Luki who had lived at Urukundo since he was 6 months old and was the same age as Claude. They became fast friends. Luki assured him; he would be ok here and I was a good mama. After giving him time to adjust, we arranged for him to visit his mother and that seemed to solve his problem. I think we can thank his mother for that. While she was in the local prison, we took him to see her every 3 months. Then she was transferred to Butare Prison and we could take him every 6 months. Another move placed her so far away we could only make the trip once a year. Every September, Claude travels to Nyamagabe Prison and Claude takes sugar, soap for washing clothes, toothbrushes, tooth paste, material, a coat or dress and other things to her. She now has been pardoned and should be released in February 2018. She has already said she will not take Claude from Urukundo but will move close to us so she can visit him. He said at the same time “When my mom gets out, I will visit her on holiday and then come home”.
Claude was a fast learner and learned English quickly.
When Claude was 6 years old,I was surprised to see him with the four farmers (young men) setting in the Tiki hut. The men were gathered around him. I was concerned and called to him, “Claude, what are you doing?” He looked up at me surprised and responded, “Mama, I am teaching them english.” He was. The young men assured me. At 6 he was already a leader. Now he is 12 years old and his goal is to be a soldier or a Police Captain or maybe a banker.
Claude was in the first graduating class from Kindergarten. Claude is now finishing Primary five and will finish primary school in 2018 moving on to secondary school.
His brothers and sisters in Urukundo family; Claude, Luki, Aline, and Nelly. All Primary 5 students.
Claude (center) plays the violin.
He is captain for the soccer team (Foote ball) at school and our family team.
Claude has grown in to a wonderful responsible young man. He cares for his brothers and sisters at Urukundo and is the leader of the children. He is loved and respected by the family Urukundo.
Surprises are so wonderful when totally unexpected.
I feel so honored. Divine arrived for a visit home with a huge package. It was for me. I don’t do gifts well but she had brought it all the way from Kigali on a bus. Got to give credit for this and appreciate the gift and the giver.
It was a Thomas Kinkade painting not a copy but an actual painting by a local artist from a picture he saw.
She said “Mama, this has mountains from Rwanda and Lake and beautiful leaves from Pennsylvania so you have both your homes.” I love the painting and love the young woman who gave it to me.
Jeanne gets a roommate. Catherine Wilkinson from London, England; joined our group and will be here for 4 weeks.
Catherine, nickname of Felix, is an architect and so was very interested in our construction projects but her passion as a volunteer was to work with the children at the preschool. It surely was a change of pace for her. She and Jeanne made a great team and are in demand throughout the school class rooms. Felix will miss graduation by one day. Jeanne came intending to be at the graduation so she is here until November 27, 2017.
Math class and teamwork. Can’t beat it. Progress for the kids.
Claudine gets a helping hand with math.
Nicola Hedden also from England arrived in the middle of the night and had a dark ride from Kigali to Urukundo Village. Kigali is well lite but the country side is still very dark. Better to see the stars.
After a night of some rest, she was up and ready to go. She is teaching English at the Primary level. We are so grateful for teachers especially Math and English. The kids now call her Nicki. Wow. Another great volunteer.
Nicki is a business woman and has an interesting job. My understanding is her firm handles financial accounting for recording artist and others who sell their talents in recordings, etc. They collect the revenue and then pass it on to the performer.
Pastor Yves Iragena has replaced Pastor Antoine who has moved on in his ministry.
Pastor Yves has served his probationary 3 months with Urukundo and has accepted a permanent position on our staff. He is 32 years old. Pastor Yves is young in the ministry; He has a Certificate of Ordination.
He is husband to his lovely wife, Liberatha, and father of two boys; Yranson Cyusa Berwa & Govin Laurenzo Aberwe Intwari.
He also takes care of his ageing mother & father. His outreach is to youth and children. Our children are getting the spiritual guidance needed. The community children are responding and parents will follow. The attendance in worship each Lords day morning has tripled. He is the perfect father image needed at Urukundo. God has blessed Urukundo by placing Pastor Yves and his family in our Foundation.
Pastor Yves with some of our kids, community kids and adults after worship. Jeanne is also in the mix.
Wonder where we can contact the organization who founded “One Laptop Per Child.” We really would like to find out how, we can qualify for their help. Our students would benefit so much. We really need more computers.
Our computer lab is small and in the library now with only 4 computers for the children to practice on.
Classes are held in the ICDL lab. Practice in the library.
In process, the open door is the new lab location.
We are constructing a separate classroom to be ready for the 2018 term of school and to be open to teaching ICDL to adult business men & women and in the community.
As promised but not ready yet. We are so close. I think the news will be worth the wait. So bear with me a while longer. Bus donors the news will be good. I thank all who have sent gifts to help pay for a bus for the school kids and their safety.
It is an exercise in patience and determination. We are going to succeed.
Urukundo Village prepares for 22 Volunteers from Indigo Volunteers, a non-profit from England.
Urukundo spruced up a bit and were ready to meet and greet with good lodging, great food, and loving children. This fantastic team of 20 bankers from HSBC and representing 14 different countries arrived this month October 2017.
Twenty beautiful people and the two leaders from Indigo came from England, Canada, Australia, Greece, Spain, Egypt, South Africa, Singapore, China, Brazil, United States, Dubai, Libya, Bangladesh Italy & India.
“Thank you for welcoming us into your home. Your love has changed the lives of all the visitors.”
“Thank you for all your incredibly dedicated work this week. You made all us visitors so welcome, loved, and well fed .“
“This really is the most beautiful home in the world.”
A lasting memento from the team dedicated to the children and all who visit our dining room
They tell me the Wise Old Owl watching over the kids represents me. Funny
Be sure to see the October special on the web site for more details about this wonderful event at Urukundo Foundation/Hope Made Real.
Construction for October
Want to help build a school? Yes, you can.
School development: Two classrooms needed for January 2018 and a computer lab for teaching ICDL. This is outreach to the community and for our school.
Floor going down, paint added to cement for color.
Almost finished
This is the club that has so generously helped us purchase desks and chairs for our school.
Andrea Morris from South Africa and Eva Lindgren from Sweden came for a short visit. Andrea wants to come back to worship with the kids and Eva is a nurse and will be back to care for bumps, scrapes and bruises. It was a delightful visit but too short. Thank you Margie Krogh, Secretary of Hope Made Real Board of Directors, for bringing AIC members. We will miss you as you return to the states.
Beautiful faces like this one makes my day.
Until next month.
Much Love,
Mama Arlene
Well, let me tell you what 20 bankers from HSBC and representing 14 different countries did in October 2017. Two leaders from Indigo and Twenty beautiful people from England, Canada, Australia, Greece, Egypt, South Africa, Singapore, China, Brazil, Dubai, Italy & India, Spain, and United States.
Through Indigo Volunteers based in the UK, they booked their volunteering trip to Rwanda. Urukundo was the resting and working habitat during their stay.
Benjamin Western, co-founder of Indigo Volunteers sets the pace.
He had their full attention.
They walked the kids to school & greeted all the school children.
Waiting at the gate for traffic report before crossing.
Sharing the morning school greeting.
Yoga was a morning routine. Tas was the teacher.
Thanks to my daughter, Patricia for the two yoga mats, however that is enough for everyone who participated. We need more, please. Then we can get the children involved. Great conditioning.
They taught their countries culture, dress, and food to the children at Urukundo Learning Center.
Egypt - Ahmed Assisted by Tas
Egypt- Ahmed and Andrea
Dead not yet buried, a live mummy. Egyptian burial tradition.
Dimitri from Greece
Spain- Cesar
Pakistan- Sheryar
Singapore – Luke
India – Tasina
United Kingdom –Amy and Laurance
Canada- Kinda, Harry
China –Yuan & Junje
South Africa- Eline
Australia - Sabrin
There was a beautiful princess and a brave prince and a dangerous lion who lived in the land. The lion wanted the princess and so stole her away. The prince went after the lion to get the princess back. The prince killed the lion and rescued the beautiful Princess. With the lion slain the people in the land had a better life. Bravo Prince
Photos for the story
Drama- England- Louise & Michael
Prince slaying the lion
Lion is dead. Long live the prince & princess. Happy ever after.
England- Amy & Harry
Brazil –Luciano
Libya - Fay
In free time, they played with our kids and just had fun.
The sharing was wonderful and beneficial for all. They became involved with children from the local community and the Urukundo Home for children.
Worship with the children & Mama.
The office staff of Urukundo Foundation and Mama will be forever grateful for the advise, knowledge and know-how shared with our office staff. Fine tuning our operation was so important.
The team decided as their project to paint the children’s dinning room. I was delighted.
The Story Behind the Tree Painting
The trunk of the tree is Urukundo Foundation. The branches shows growth. The leaves some small represent the little kids. The large ones represent the older kids and the falling leaves represent kids who have moved on. The wise old Owl represents Mama watching over all.
Our children say. GOD IS GOOD AND THAT IS HIS NATURE. “WOW”
Our dining room is beautiful.
The final and equally exciting event was a Foote Ball (Soccer) Match between the Urukundo Staff and the HSBC team. The score 5 to 1. Urukundo was the winner. Great Game everyone.
Indigo is blessed with gifted leaders. Benjamin and Tas did a great job. Thank you guys!
Tas, one beautiful, talented young woman wonder where her future will lead.
The entire HSBC team, Urukundo staff, and the Urukundo Kids. I loved and appreciated all that the team did and the love they shared. We look forward to their return in the future.
Oh by the way, they did find time to visit the Gorillas while they were in Rwanda.
