Thanks to our generous donors, Urukundo has survived with all employees intact and is waiting for the government to give a back-to-work ruling. We will continue using only one gate, washing hands before entering and wearing face masks in public.
Even after the ban on large gatherings is lifted, schools will not open until September 2020.
The Ministry of Education has been trying for some time to change the school year from January to November to September to June. They have decided it would be the opportune time to do this because of losing the school year.
Our kindergarten will be the only class moving up. All other classes will remain as they are. We will not have a graduation ceremony in 2020. The sewing center and Primary 1 through Primary 6 will repeat the 2020 year. It will now be the 2020-21 year. This means our first grade will double in size and our preschool will accept new students if the space is available.
What does this mean to me? Well, we will need more classrooms for Primary 1 and following that, more teachers. We were able to build two classrooms with gifts and donations that came during January and before the virus disrupted our cash flow. It will be necessary to build two more classrooms now because of the government change.
It is pushing us to move ahead of schedule and change our priorities. We had planned to renovate our kitchen from cooking with wood to propane gas in 2021. That would mean gutting the kitchen and bringing in gas cookers. That will have to wait. Wood has become a problem. We know continuing to down trees is part of the problem with mud flooding. Africa needs to allow its jungles to return to improve the environment.
Mama and Baby Project
In April’s newsletter, I was sad and I wrote: “We are not allowed to visit the babies at the birthing center at this time. So sad. Giving birth does not stop because of a virus.”
I am pleased to say that has changed. Late in April, a request came asking if we could somehow care for our newborns and their mamas.
We still were not allowed to visit the hospital, but the new mamas or a nurse came to the gate and we passed out the bag with essentials for the new baby and mama.
It is gratifying to know this service is appreciated and needed. Thanks, donors.
Layette contents
ChicoBags filled with goodies. These bags are ready and waiting. Babies and their mamas do need the service we provide.
The good news is -- and we thank God -- that as soon as some restrictions were lifted May 1, the Mama and Baby Project was up and running. We can now deliver the gift to the birthing center. Photos speak louder than words.
Mama, baby and gift bag.
This is Baby No. 14, born on the 14th day of May. It's a boy.
We were privileged to give layettes to precious twins. A boy and a girl.
Supplies for the community
Knowing the plight of many of our neighbors, the Urukundo Worship Center provided supplies for neighborhood families to have food essentials.
Rice, flour, beans and cooking oil were distributed by Urukundo Worship and its fellowship.
The congregation and its leaders hope that what little what we can do will make a difference in the lives of so many.
Hand soap also was included as washing hands is an important part of protecting against the coronavirus.
Supplies were placed in paper bags (called envelopes in Rwanda).
Paper bags were then put into cloth bags, making the supplies easy to carry.
Those who received the help were grateful and thanked God. Taking photos can be a problem, so we share just a few.
The large bags are a gift from ChicoBag. We thank them for their faithfulness in donating large and smaller bags to the Mama and Baby Project and the Urukundo Foundation.
Sunflower
So disappointing! This is what the heavy rains and flooding did to our sunflower crop.
The flooding washed all the seeds to the wall, and it looks like a sunflower jungle. Our plan for planting vegetables could not work. Guess we will try again next planting season because we now have put in ditches around the garden to protect the plantings. For this season, we chalk it up to “live and learn.”
Look closely. There is one little sunflower.
Baby faces
My favorite thing.
Josiane
Thinking I needed something to brighten my day, one of my staff brought me a photo of his baby girl being happy. She is sure a cutie.
Here are some more Urukundo family babies.
Bright
Anna
Edith
Urukundo babies are beautiful and mostly happy. Love them all.
Pleasant surprise
Now that gatherings of up to 10 people are permitted, Ismeal, our dental assistant, came to show off his beautiful daughter, Audrey. This was also the first time I met his wife, Ange. She is a lovely young lady. Great for me to have visitors again.
Divine’s dream
In case you have forgotten, Divine Uwonkunda has not given up her dream and her goal to be a pilot. I found this book in our Urukundo library, and it made me remember this girl and her ambition. If you want more information, please feel free to contact me. arlene@hopemadereal.org
Let's make it happen. Another Hope Made Real.
Photo dedicated to Divine and her dream.
New employee
Introducing the newest member of the Urukundo family:
Her name is Anitha Inyange. Anitha and her husband have a six-month baby boy and live in Muhanga. It is necessary we have a certified teacher with a diploma in early childhood education as the manager for our daycare. At present with the daycare closed because of the coronavirus, Anitha is working with Soso and Claudine, helping them to stay prepared for the school opening in September.
More classrooms
In an earlier newsletter, I shared the need for bricks to build two classrooms. The response was awesome. Thank you to all who helped to purchase bricks. Funds came in to buy not only the needed bricks but also to complete building the two classrooms.
Work began at once. Although the classrooms were not expected to be finished soon, the donations for building the classrooms were more than enough for bricks, and we went ahead and finished the two classrooms. Never dreaming the coronavirus would happen and funding would be a bit scarce.The mandated shutdown took place March 21, but the sector allowed Urukundo to finish building using only two workers from the community on the site at a time. Keeping social distancing.
It took until the end of April to finish the project.
Two new classrooms finished and ready for the start of school. The computer lab now will have a home base. The second room is to reduce the number of children per classroom. We try to keep the number in a classroom to no more than 30 children.
Thank you all for the gifts that made this possible.
Donors help with classrooms
It is my great pleasure to thank and honor our donors who made it possible for us to maintain salaries for our teachers and other staff not working, care for our university students, and provide basics for the entire campus. Internal income stopped when the stay-at-home directive became a reality. Thanks to so many of you, we have in reserve funding enough to cover expenses until September. Those funds are secure. Any additional funds will be used for unexpected expenses and construction of the two additional classrooms needed for the influx of first-graders this fall.
When work began on the two completed classrooms, enough land was cleared and leveled to make room for four. The foundations were finished in January. The third phase for the two classrooms needed for the first-graders was started on May 1. Building will continue only as funds become available. We have until September to complete this project to be ready for so many first-graders. Two more classrooms are needed now because of the government requirement for kindergartners to move to first grade and the first-graders to remain in first-grade.
Out and about
After being released from isolation, my first venture out was to visit the school and the project in progress. I was pleased at what I saw happening. It is good to know life goes on at Urukundo even if I am in isolation.
I was amazed at how liberating just the ability to walk to the school was. Such an adventure!
I take time to rest beneath a tree near the library. Still going strong, just a bit slower,
Thought for May
It is said April showers bring May flowers.
OK, so where are my sunflowers?
One is not enough to feed chickens.
Maybe next year.
Mama
Newsletter for April 2020
Celebrate April Fools’ Day, an American tradition
I remember as a child we looked forward to April 1, known as April Fools’ Day. That was a day when we played tricks on each other and shared a good laugh.
This April 1 was different. No joking matter. As we face an uncertain future, there is a need to share love and a smile with those who face this virus while trying to protect those we love, survive, and stay healthy and safe. No joking matter. Be serious.