We have a new YouTube channel where we’ll be posting videos of day-to-day life and events here at Urukundo village. You can subscribe to the channel here.
Boaz Children's Choir sings at worship on Sunday, June 23.
The Urukundo Karate Team practice for an upcoming competition. The team consists of Urukundo kids and community participants.
The new handheld, portable X-ray machine has arrived. It was purchased with money raised on my USA trip. Now the puzzle is reading the directions and having a workable X-ray machine.
Oliver, our dental technician, opening the satchel holding the X-ray machine. What a sight to behold!
Can it be? Yes, it really is.
A very happy moment. This is another hope made real.
Four heads are better than one. So they say.
Test run. Aprons in place.
Improving the world one story at a time. The Anne Frank Project at Buffalo State College (SUNY Buffalo) uses story as a vehicle for community building, conflict resolution and identity.
We were delighted to welcome the project back to Urukundo for the fourth year. These young people add joy and love when they visit and participate at Urukundo Village and Urukundo Learning Center.
Anne Frank Project team from Buffalo arrives. Big bus brings big fun.
Our kids greet them after they exit the bus.
This 12-member student team shared their many talents as young actors. They taught how to tell a story through drama with the teachers in the Muhanga District for three days. They shared their love with Urukundo kids and the Urukundo Learning Center for four days. It was an event for celebration and sharing.
Gathering at Mama’s house where Mama is the storyteller. I so enjoy sharing the stories of Urukundo and its family with visiting groups that come to our village.
Winding down the day sharing devotions with the kids in the evening before sending all off to bed and a good night’s sleep.
Gabrielle Malfatti, director of global engagement and ancillary associate teaching professor, higher education, at the University of Missouri, came with the Buffalo team..
Presentation of “The Three Little Pigs” by the Buffalo team.
The storyteller is the young man, Travis, on the right, Big bad wolf is the young lady Janae on the left in grey. The three pigs are on their knees. The protecting arms in the air represent the structure of the house.
Use your imagination and your love for fairy tales. This long has been one of my favorite stories of how brothers love and protect each other from evil. Kids and the team shared this special moment. What fun!
Baby Alyn -- Auntie Betty’s child -- is in day care at Urukundo. What big eyes you have, Alyn! Precious child. Buffalo student Lisa is a happy caregiver for the baby.
(l-r) Claudine, Monique and Diane
Molly visited Luki and Claude at secondary school
John and Amanda, Missouri student traveling with professor Gabrielle Malfatti.
Children give the gift of peace doves to visitors from Buffalo College.
Mama receives a gift of a prayer shawl from Lucas.
Our visitors rose very early in the morning to arrive at the Urukundo Learning Center for opening exercises at 7 a.m. Report was it was worth getting up for. The kids were delighted and welcomed the visitors.
Lila has conversation with our students at the school.
Imani gets a hug.
Monique with Samuel, our teacher Rosemary’s son.
Sitting on the ground, letting the kids have the upper hand. Good idea. Little kids get tired looking up.
Molly shaking hands in love.
Urukundo choir presents a song for visitors
Buffalo students became teachers, Muhanga teachers became students. Eighty teachers and students attended this teaching experience focused on storytelling. We thank the Global Engagement Institute and the Buffalo team members, who have a heart for children and education for all.
Using drama and storytelling is a better way to teach and to learn. Our teachers are ever ready to learn new teaching techniques. Each person has a story, and the story is worth telling. What is your story?
Buffalo student/teacher Lucas and Muhanga teachers.
As always, saying “so long” is the hard part. It was important we part with happy memories.
For devotions the final evening, the team was in charge and presented a story and taught games. We will long remember the story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”
In white, “Mama Bear.” In blue, “Papa Bear.” In middle, “Baby Bear.”
Imagine this young man, Travis, as Goldilocks. The kids loved it.
Claudine was part of the door. Fun, fun, fun.
Drew Kahn, a distinguished service professor at Buffalo State and founding director of the Anne Frank Project, shared photos with Soso. Kindred spirits. Best buddies.
Global Engagement Institute Rwanda program manager Franciose Uzamukunda and Gabrielle formed a new friendship. Every friend is valued. Amazing women.
Modeling the new shawl. Mama posing with Urukundo executive director Jean Marie Ntwari and Gabrielle after devotions.
The final photo for this special event.
What a fantastic group! Bon voyage, dear friends. Safe travel.
Can you guess what this is all about?
The wall is the boundary of the soccer field. On the other side of the wall is the school parking space for the buses. Believe it or not, our soccer teams kick the ball very high and very hard.
After the ball hit the buses several times, we decided we needed to protect the bus windows from being broken. You see what came up as a solution. A higher screen wall. Now there should be no damage to our buses or the neighboring house windows.
Successful fundraiser
Here it is the end of May. What an exciting month it has been!
Now on my mind is going home to Urukundo.
Of course, the last week in April has to be in the May newsletter. That last week in April saw the “Bridging Pittsburgh to Rwanda” fund-raising event.
Here are members of the bridge team plus two Urukundo siblings, Tresor and Solange, and myself. Awesome group. The three of us told the crowd about Urukundo.
The celebration included a get-acquainted event.
Jewelry and crafts from Urukundo Village were for sale.
The event was well organized and went very well. Everyone had a good time, and funds were raised for the Urukundo Foundation/Hope Made Real.
Funds were raised, but it wasn’t enough to finish building much needed classrooms for the elementary school. However, it was more than enough to pay for a much needed, handheld portable X-ray machine for the Dental Clinic.
MaxRay handheld portable X-ray
Included with the machine are the charger, battery, strap/holster, premium sensor and software.
This is very good news.
Urukundo Dental Clinic wishes to thank Vector R&D Inc., Dr. Richard Reckmeyer and the many others who made this acquisition possible.
Arriving at the campus, my eyes could not believe this mountain making way for the Wells Fargo Arena where the graduation for Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, was to take place. We have mountains and hills in Rwanda, but this one in the middle of the campus took my breath away.
Touring the campus with Tresor, this sign caught my attention. I am so proud of Tresor and his academic achievement at Arizona State University. This young man in our Urukundo family did not start his education until he was 12 years old. He is truly an example of what one can do with determination, dedication and a will to succeed.
Congratulations, brother!
Your brothers and sisters at Urukundo Home for Children.
Congratulations, my son.
Your Mom
Tresor honors the flag of his country, Rwanda.
Dr. Dick Rickmeyer and his wife Jan have been Tresor’s off-campus parents for the last four years. Urukundo/Hope Made Real is so appreciative of their love and family support. Knowing Tresor was in good hands while away from home made it easier for me to let go.
Balloons marked the end of the celebration.
The grand hall where thousands came to witness the ceremony. It was indeed a celebration.
Yep, we were at the right graduation. T-shirts worn by the ushers and guards say so. With so many graduates, it was hard to get a photo of your special grad. It was just such an honor for me to see my son Tresor honored with his peers.
The time comes for me to return to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Parting from Tresor is hard, but he has much to do -- three more graduation events and preparing to move to California to serve a three-month internship in software development with Esri in Redlands, California. Tresor’s degree is in software engineering
Jan is chief cook and bottle washer. Jan is wearing her new apron made by the Urukundo Sewing Center.
Donations received on this trip allowed for the now-in-progress expansion of the library. Pierce and Katie Keating presented the gift for the library expansion. Thanks to the Keating family, Diane Mastrull and other Philadelphia area friends for helping to raise money for Urukundo. If you have not read the article written by Diane in the Philadelphia inquirer published May 1, please check it out on the web.
Large annex added.
There’s a new roof on the Dental Clinic porch. Better protection for patients coming on rainy days.
It’s slanted toward rear to better harvest rain for the water storage tanks. The new roof is in the middle section of the building in the picture below.
Beliza, Esperance, Claude, Luki and Aline. The first two are high school juniors by USA standards while the others are high school freshmen.
Auntie Delphine’s wedding was indeed a special event. So sorry I missed it. Delphine was the first Urukundo employee in 2006.
A bridal shower was given by her coworkers at Urukundo Village.
After a surprise, you shed tears. Tradition, I think.
The wedding was followed by dancing and singing.
Then food.
The food was served by the Urukundo kitchen staff. Looks good.
The wedding attendants and Diescor. Not quite sure how he got in the bride’s photo. Delphine is rather special to our kids, and Diescor has been under her wing since 2007.
Not the best photo, but our kids and staff presented the bride and groom with a gift. Jean Marie is handing the large pease basket filled with I-am-not-sure-what. It is never empty to Auntie Delphine in the photo.
Beautiful bride and wedding attendants.
Best wishes for a long and happy marriage.
