Graduation 2023

This was the first graduation ceremony presenting our Karate Club. The basketball court was the perfect place to practice to get ready.

Much ado about graduation.

We rented speakers so all can hear the presentation.

Preparation was a big project and took a lot of manpower. It required a very large space for many guests.

Many tents were erected and chairs placed. This photo shows only the graduates’ side of the field.

Not the best photo, but it gives you an idea of the number of tents needed. There still was not enough seating. More benches and mats had to be placed to accommodate the children and parents. It was so gratifying to see the turnout of families coming to honor our students as they graduated.

Tom Nunnally Sewing Center graduates

Urukundo Learning Center Primary 6 graduates

There were 166 preschool graduates and 61 Primary 6 students. In the center left of the photo are a district education official, National Board President Oswalde, Headmaster Viateur and Mama. What an awesome group!

Getting ready

I’m going home to the USA.

This will be a short trip — just six weeks.

I am preparing to travel to the USA. What better way to prepare than to relax and be pampered? A pedicure and manicure set the tone for my trip to visit family and friends. Such luxury!

Pedicure in progress.The young lady does house calls. I am grateful.

Musical instruments needed

I have a request.  Our school band needs musical instruments. Do you have a saxophone, trombone or any musical instrument in good condition gathering dust? If so,Urukundo’s music program could put it to good use.

Please check your attic or storage space. If you find one, dig it out, dust it off, make sure it is in good condition and get in touch with me.  brown.arlene30@gmail.com

I will be in the USA in August and would gladly transport your musical gift back to the Urukundo Learning Center and its music program. We need many kinds of musical instruments, not just the two mentioned above.

Message from Mama

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 newsletter

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.

Visitors in June

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.

New visitors

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.

Urukundo Learning Center news

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.

Gift for computer lab

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.

Buffalo State volunteers welcomed

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.