Visiting friends and family in the USA is a blessing at the age of 92. I can dream of living to 110.
Dreaming new dreams and setting new goals are my renewed priorities. Urukundo prospering is my No. 1 gal and continued good health is No. 2. Hey, I won’t last another 92 years, but I will value every year I am given.
Much love,
Mama
June. What a wonderful month!
The heavy rain has stopped. Just light showers persist, and they are appreciated. More renovation is taking place. With the move of the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center to new quarters, our thoughts turned to the best use for the former building. As you may recall, it was built as a home for boys.
When the government decided we could no longer house our boys, we converted it into a sewing center. With the expansion of the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center and the move to its new location, the former boys’ home became available again as we continue to develop.
The best use of that large facility in the middle of Urukundo Village would be to convert it into a guest house. Good idea. The work has begun. When it is finished, it will have a dorm for girls and a dorm for boys as well as baths and three private rooms with private baths for adult guests. It will sleep 24 visitors. In Mama’s house, there are three guest rooms with space for six guests. We now have lodging for a total number of 30 guests at one time.
The original boys’ home is being transformed into Urukundo’s guest house.
Front view of the Urukundo Guest House
Front entrance opens into what will be a sitting room.
The main room is ready with sleeping room doors visible. Now we need beds for volunteers and visitors.
We started the month with a new addition to our Urukundo family.
Her name is Kiana. Her parents are Urukundo’s Executive Secretary Eric and his wife Noella.
We were blessed by a second visit this year from our veterinary friend Dr. Otto from Austria.
Not sure if Dr. Otto is getting taller or if I am getting shorter.
Dr. Otto and two Rwandan traveling companions spent an overnight.
Advertisement speaks volumes. The New Vision Veterinary Hospital in Kigali is a blessing for all animal caregivers. Dr. Otto and his staff are doing a much-needed service in Rwanda. Love the animals pictured on the side of their motorcar.
Urukundo is always happy to welcome visitors.
Bishop Jane Mello of Majestic Grace Ministries Inc. in California, USA, and several of her pastors visited Urukundo. Their Rwandan host Pastor Eric Mugabonake is a friend to Urukundo and asked to bring his visitors to see Urukundo.
Bishop Jane Mello and pastors from her organization.
Water, water, water
In Rwanda, water is valued. Thanks to friends in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Urukundo Village and Urukundo Learning Center have had pure drinking water for many years. It is now necessary that we install a tank to provide storage for this water.
Urukundo Learning Center benefits even more from the water project.
Water is essential to good health. We are making sure we meet the needs of our students and faculty for pure drinking water. This month we built and installed a drinking water station at the school. In this way, we are sure our children and teachers have easy access to pure water for drinking. Our school has this water supply thanks to the Forest Hills Rotary in Pittsburgh and Rotary International.
The holding water tank for drinking water in its protection cage
Children gather at the water station. Kids fill their water bottles at recess and during lunch break. Many also fill them before returning home at the end of the day. Water is essential in the lives of children not only in Rwanda where drinking water is scarce but worldwide.
To jog your memory, here’s a photo of the retaining tank at the highest point of Urukundo land on the mountain.
Mama and a friend inspect the water tank. Solar pumps pump the water from the bottom to the top of Cyakabiri Mountain.
Thanks to Donn Youngstrom, associate professor emeritus at SUNY Buffalo State, and the Anne Frank Project at SUNY Buffalo State, Urukundo’s computer lab is able to reach out to schools, universities, other foundations and groups in other countries and have visual and meaningful conversations. We honor both Donn Youngstrom, whom I met in Buffalo, and SUNY Buffalo State for their gift that helped us achieve this goal.
Urukundo computer lab
This plaque is on the wall in our school designating the global learning outreach of our lab.
Fourteen students and four facilitators spent two days teaching Muhanga area teachers the power of storytelling to enhance learning. Eighty-two teachers from the Muhanga District attended these classes. The Anne Frank Project uses storytelling as a way to build community, manage conflict and explore identity.
Here’s a photo of the 2023 volunteers from the Anne Frank Project, Buffalo SUNY State. New York, USA.
Our guests were made welcome by both the primary and preschool children at the Urukundo Learning Center.
Morning assembly is a great time to see the student body and teachers in the school environment. The primary students meet at the bottom of the mountain, and the preschool students meet at the middle level of the mountain.
Primary consists of grades 1 through 6. Ages 6 to 13 years.
Lots of kids
The preschool is on the middle level, so I was able to be there with Anne Frank team leader Drew Kahn. What a joy to be present for a photo with Drew! I do not climb up and down the mountain. Living on the middle level is such a blessing.
After meeting with the primary kids, the Anne Frank team paid a visit to the morning assembly of our preschool.
Assembly breaks up as children go to four separate classrooms. These kids are 3, 4 and 5 years old.
We ended June with a new vehicle at the daycare. One was OK, but two are much better.
I will be visiting family and friends in the United States for a short stay of six weeks from July 24 through Sept. 6.
During that time I will visit Reston, Va., and Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Williamsport, all three in Pennsylvania.
I do hope to see not only family but friends who want to spend some time with me. You are welcome to visit me at the homes of my children or take me to lunch etc. Please be in touch so we can set a date and time to meet with you. My email is brown.arlene30@gmail.com
Love, Mama
The saying in Pennsylvania is “April showers bring May flowers.” In Rwanda, it could say “April showers bring more showers in May.” Climate change is worldwide and has not missed Rwanda.
Wet and dry do not describe the seasons anymore.
Our breaking news for the month of May is the ongoing development of the Sewing Center. Change has taken place, both in location and name.
It is now the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center. We are very proud to dedicate this sewing center to its benefactor.
Tom Nunnally
1942-2016
Patron saint of Urukundo Learning Center from 2006 to 2016.
The new center is on three levels.
The first level is Hillside House.
Hillside House is the academic and lecture building. The Sewing Center holds classes here.
This is an inside view of Hillside House. Classes in math, English, computer, entrepreneurship and business management are taught here. Our graduates are ready to start their own businesses after graduation.
Building the handicap-accessible path was a down, down downhill project. The round building is an empty office building. For now.
Look at me. I’m here. How about that?
The path from the first level borders the daycare. The play area was enlarged. The daycare kids love the new play area.
I take a stroll to inspect.
The path to the new Sewing Center location goes down and down. Down is bad, but coming up and up is worse. There has to be a shorter way down and up for me. Don’t know just how to make that happen. An elevator is out of the question, and an escalator is impossible. This is definitely a path for young people.
This path is challenging.
Visitor Marilyn Ely and I both appreciate Benjamin’s assistance
A resting place. I will not do this walk often.
The middle level includes the Sewing Center staff office, a first aid room and a large classroom. Outside painting is yet to be done.
Inside the middle sewing classroom. Hands-on training with treadle machines
Making patterns and cutting materials are all in the learning process.
The view from the middle level is spectacular.
Lower-level sewing instruction class building
So much more space! Lower level hands-on training classroom.
