April came in with many pleasant surprises in store at Urukundo Village and Learning Center.
Leading off with Palm Sunday.
Kids in the lead. Singing “Hosanna.”
Waving palms and walking to worship as a group on Palm Sunday has become a tradition for the Urukundo Worship Center. Looking forward to Easter.
Our focus on Easter Sunday was children.
We are so blessed.
I am thankful many of the Covid restrictions have been lifted and volunteers can return to Urukundo. Covid testing, masks and distancing are still in effect, but these are minor inconveniences.
Kevin Castle, a Rwandese citizen and a long-time volunteer at the Urukundo Home, returned for a too-short visit this Easter season. Kevin is now a teacher and his passion is art. He shared his love of art with our kids.
Mama’s porch was the perfect place for the art project. Easy cleanup.
Acrylic paints with brushes and eggs are a fun project.
Well, maybe painting hard-boiled eggs is a simple form of art, but it is art nevertheless. A bit messy, but so much fun. Kevin brought the acrylic paint and brushes.
What a happy project. Our kids feasted on the eggs at the finish of the project.
We have several visitors who are regulars at Urukundo. Carol Falke and Marilyn Ely from the USA usually visit every year. Covid changed that, so they missed two years. We were so happy both ladies were coming back together in April this year. This did not happen. Only Carol was able to make the trip. Marilyn, who is treasurer of the Hope Made Real International Board, had to cancel because of a positive Covid test.
Marilyn
We miss you, Marilyn. Next year, hopefully.
Carol, president of the Hope Made Real International Board, traveled alone. Carol traveled with many educational supplies for the Urukundo Learning Center.
A lot of luggage but precious gifts.
Our third visitor of April was Dr. Danilo Milanes, dean of the School of Dentistry in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the CMHS, University of Rwanda.
Dr. Danilo’s expertise is in orthodontics. We met the doctor thanks to Dr. Valli Meeks,
clinical professor in the Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. Dr. Meeks was instrumental in starting the Dental Clinic at Urukundo Foundation.
Dr. Danilo is interested in learning more about the Urukundo Dental Clinic and our orthodontia program.
First stop, the daycare. A few new toys and an infant safety zone were on the agenda.
Head teacher getting a baby's eye view of hanging toys and a mirror.
Now the babies get a turn.
Baby accepts the whole idea. Hanging animals are a delight.
Manager Anitha introduces the babies in daycare to something new.
Next on Carol's mission was the Urukundo Learning Center and the handwashing station inside the school gate.
Greeting teachers is also important.
Just the beginning of Carol's journey at the Urukundo Foundation. More in the May newsletter.
These are just a few of the precious faces we enjoy at Urukundo daycare and Urukundo Learning Center.
For Urukundo to become self-sustaining, it is necessary to expand and develop the facilities we already have. To do this, I need your help
Urukundo Foundation is setting a new goal for 2022. That goal is to expand dental service in rural Muhanga, Rwanda. Dental care is so needed.
Now that construction of the new residence in a safer area has been completed and Mama has vacated the house by the side of the road, we plan to renovate the former residence into space for our Dental Clinic. It is along the main road and has its entrance from the road, thus protecting the children at the school.
We are using what we already own rather than purchasing land and building a new structure to improve the dental service. The renovation work will cost about $15,000.
When that move is completed our small dental clinic will be a larger facility. We will have space to add a chair for other services in the larger facility.
A chair can be purchased in Kigali City. The cost of the chair alone is $1,450. That $1,450 has been pledged. I thank the Van Dolson family for this gift.
I was naive to think the cost of the chair included all attachments. So with the accessories added to the original cost – you guessed it – the total cost of the chair was much more. So $6,200 is still needed. This price includes what you see and a compressor machine and stool chair. The new chair will let us add orthodontia to our service to the community. Any help to purchase the needed accessories for the chair would be appreciated.
Why an interest in orthodontia? Too many children and adults do not smile because their teeth are crooked and not a pretty sight. So many children and adults in Rwanda suffer from damage done to their teeth. As babies, the cultural doctors destroyed the root base because they cried while teething. Crying while teething is normal for babies. We rub teething gel on the sore gums, but the remedy in Rwanda was to destroy the baby tooth roots to stop the pain. Not well understood by me, but it was the culture.
Now the second teeth come in out of alignment.
Our Claudine is an example of the need. I want very much to correct her beautiful smile.
Are you willing to help?
As I look into the future of Urukundo, I see a domino effect. One change leads to another.
Think about this. Our Learning Center continues to provide education for more and more children. The new residence leads to expanded facilities for the Dental Clinic which leads to better dental care. That move lets us expand the daycare so that more infants have a safe and loving place to be cared for. So it goes. God in charge.
All of this is making life changes possible in the community both educationally and health-wise.
Please do keep Urukundo and me in your thoughts and prayers.
Mama Arlene
The storms have stopped. For how long we are not sure. The weather pattern in Rwanda has changed, so we don’t know what to expect anymore.
National Board meeting
With pleasure, we welcomed the National Board of Directors of Urukundo Foundation at its annual board meeting.
Our president, Oswalde Ruremesha, presented the accomplishments completed in 2021, and the hopes and goals for 2022. Those goals include two preschool classrooms, moving the dental clinic to the new location nearer the road, adding orthodontia to the dental service and refurbishing the kitchen. Big goals. Funding needed. God in charge.
Not exactly a playpen, but it works
Balls and small toys cannot roll away.
Still in the process of decorating and adjusting to the new residence. I am so feeling the security and comfort of my new lifestyle. Staying with cultural art has been wonderful.
New artwork over kitchen cabinets. I love the Rwandan animals.
Rwandan design. Perfect wall covering for my living room.
Also good for photoshoots.
Benita, Claudine, guest Drew Kahn and Soso do a photo op in the new space. Ollie never misses a chance to pose. She likes the camera. Our guest posed with the kids for this farewell photo before traveling on to Kenya.
Last night, I watched the most beautiful sunset out my office window. It dazzled the senses.
This residence and my window are opening a whole new world to me.
In the early morning, I watch the children on their way to school. They are such a happy bunch.
All morning long, I see the playground full of children and their activities. Kids of all sizes and shapes participate in many activities.
Today I watched a game of passing the baton. That game consists of two equal teams on opposite ends of a field. The goal is for each team member to carry the baton and run as fast as possible around the opposite team, return to their team, pass the baton to the next runner and continue this until all on the team have made the run. Of course, the team that finishes first is the winner. I remember playing this same game when I was a kid. I hope you do too.
When I do not go to the dining room to help serve the kids lunch, my window is the perfect place to watch hungry children come running to get to the food waiting for them.
It is fun to see older children taking the hands of younger children and walking them to lunch.
Outside the lunchroom, they wash their hands and shake them dry.
Then they go into the dining room where their food is already waiting for them. There are no pre-arranged seating positions. They are seated as they come in. Amazing to me is the fact that there is no “I want to sit here” or “I want to sit there” or “I want to sit with so and so.” They simply set where our manager Delphine guides them. These kids are wonderful.
I can also watch my dog on her adventures.
Ollie walks Soso to school and returns to guard my office door.
Ollie is a protector.
During the day and into the night, my window is the showcase for the drones that deliver medicines, blood and strategic supplies to many parts of Rwanda. It is best after 6 p.m. because it is dark, and the red and green lights on the drones flash across the sky.
The drone was there, but it was faster than my finger on the button. The evening sky is beautiful.
My window into the world is amazing. Don’t you agree?
My living room and beautiful women. On March 8, we celebrated International Women's Day. We at Urukundo gathered as strong women with a purpose.
Perfect time for all women employees to tour the new residence and enjoy each other and refreshments.
Women's Day sure is special.
Urukundo celebrates the 49 women who serve in many capacities. In administration, there are six including me. Of the eight managers, six are women. Of the 34 teachers, 18 are women. Our maintenance crew adds 19 women to the list as day workers.
We are indeed women building a future.
After sambusa and Fanta, each woman received a bar of my favorite soap. That soap is Dove. We are sure Dove soap will make us all even more beautiful.
It is the tradition in Rwanda that when you build and move into a new house, you invite friends and neighbors to come and share a drink and a bit of food.
Women's Day gave our women that opportunity. OK, the men might feel cheated, so we thought the men should also enjoy Fanta and sambusa and a tour of the new residence.
If you would like to see Mama’s new residence, virtual tours are available using Zoom, Skype or Facetime by contacting Mama Arlene through email, arlene@hopemadereal.org.
