New math books

We share the joy.

Imagine a math book for every student! This is what St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in State College, Pennsylvania, USA, made possible. Every Primary 5 and Primary 6 student at Urukundo Learning Center will be able to use a classroom set of math textbooks. This is a first. When more than 60 kids have less than 30 math textbooks, sharing is necessary. No more sharing and better access to study materials. Even our teachers now have a teacher’s manual.

The church, which is Carol’s home church, raised money to buy the books, which were published by the Department of Education in Rwanda to fit our curriculum. Thanks to St Paul’s generous gift, other subjects will also have textbooks. Thank you, St. Paul’s UMC.

Headmaster Viateur and math teacher Pascal.

Books are ready to be stamped with the school stamp and assigned to a student.

P6 kids examine the new math books.

P5 students each received a textbook. We are blessed to have Carol here to help distribute the new books.

Come and visit

We are preparing for your visit. We (kids) are building a house for you to live in when you come to visit us. OK, so maybe it is a bit small, but Urukundo’s guest house is big enough. We have rooms with baths and good food to accommodate up to 20 people. There is lots of volunteer work to be done. There are side trips when you need a break from the work you came to do.

Work first; side trips later.

Pique your interest?

Contact:

Patricia Brown in the USA.

pdbrown@spiritworks.org

Louise Medland in Europe (England)

lsmedland@gmail.com

In Europe (England)

       or

Mama Arlene Brown at the Urukundo Foundation in Rwanda.

brown.arlene30@gmail.com

We are full of helpful information.

Worship Center news

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church also can be pleased with their young people who took the time to make bracelets to be shared with the Urukundo Worship Center Sunday School class kids.

There were about 49 kids who received the pretty bracelets and were delighted. Carol, who brought the bracelets, had one remaining.

Our kids loved the bracelets.

Recent visitors

Visitors in late March included the Schriver family.

Dr. Michael Schriver was our Urukundo Home for Children’s family doctor when he lived in Muhanga, Rwanda, and worked at the local hospital. His wife Orlinda is a midwife who worked with us establishing our Mama and Baby project. Their children, Folke and Hilda, were babies when they returned to Denmark. How they have grown!

I thank Michael for this comment. In an email, Michael wrote: “You have a very special place in our hearts, and we are so impressed and inspired by what you do and have done in Urukundo – continuing to improve the lives of destitute children and families in the community.”

It is always a blessing when after many years good friends return for a visit.

On April 25, we welcomed Lynne Sunderland

Lynne was raised in Scotland where her Mom and Dad and three siblings live, but she now lives in London, England. She has chosen to serve as a volunteer at Urukundo long-term. She is planning to be here for at least one or two months. Lynne attended Newcastle University and her hobbies are yoga, cooking, and travel. More about Lynne in the May newsletter.

Esperance, our PR person, is now the official greeter at the airport. She is a super fill-in for Mama.

Message from Mama

This message is one I never thought I would write nor did I want to write.

It is with a broken heart I share my grief.

On April 11, 2024, my Rwandan son Claude Habinishuti gave up the fight after a long illness and moved on to a better place. Claude was one of the first boys brought to Urukundo by the Umudugudu (village leader) when we opened the home for boys in 2007.

Claude was among the older street boys picked up by the police begging for money and food in the streets. He had no family that we were aware of. He was part of our Urukundo family. Claude was 29 years old at the time of his death. He is mourned by all his brothers and sisters in the Urukundo family.

March newsletter

Greetings from Mama

Tourist site experience

Amelia Clark, our volunteer from Florida, USA, who has been with us for three months, took advantage of a side trip offered to volunteers. She wanted to experience the flora and fauna in Rwanda. What better way to honor her passion than a visit to Nyungwe National Park, one of the oldest rainforests in Africa?

Amelia’s comments: “Nyungwe National Park is magical! The drive, passing through many villages and seeing the beautiful landscape, went quickly. And the instant I arrived in the forest, there were monkeys and birds and incredible trees and plants throughout. The canopy walk was breathtaking and the Kamiranzovu Waterfall is one of nature's wonders. I loved seeing the tea plantation bordering the forest and learning of the supportive relationship between the locals and the Nyungwe community.”

Amelia took the canopy walk.

Inside the park, baboons wander the roads.

New lawn space

The shady space under Mama’s umbrella is the perfect play area for little ones.

The grass eliminates scraped knees from running and falling. Playing ball is so much fun. The umbrella has many purposes and allows me to spend precious time with the babies.

Kitchen progress

We started demolition and construction on Feb. 17.  Our dedicated workers have been miracle workers. The progress below shows what they have accomplished in just over a month.

Proof we are meeting government regulations is posted on the campus wall.

March 1

March 6

March 23.  Window and door frames in place. Roof in process.

Stay tuned. Completion photo next month.

My dream

It has long been my dream that one day the kids (my Rwandan sons and daughters) who grew up at Urukundo Home for Children would someday run the foundation. Can dreams like mine come true? Of course, they can. I am satisfied that my dream is slowly coming true.

Celebrate with me.

The newest addition to Urukundo staff is Esperance Nyampinga. She was one of the first girls to be adopted into the home and our family in 2006. She has finished her education, worked in the outside labor pool for experience and now is a new hire at Urukundo.

Esperance joins our staff as the public relations manager. Her son Ethan accompanies her as advisor-in-chief. Esperance will wear many hats at the foundation. One will be with the volunteers who want to experience Rwanda and its many beautiful sites. Another will be managing the guesthouse and seeing to the comfort and needs of our volunteers as they take part in the everyday events at the Urukundo Village and Learning Center. She also will work closely with the National Commission for Children in caring for our children who are with bio and foster families. 

Learning Center competition

Each month, the Urukundo Learning Center holds a competition. In March, the competition was in public speaking. All grades were included.

Our library is an intricate part of our school. Our students are encouraged to read and learn by reading. The competition encouraged the contestants to pick a book, read the book and give a short review of the book. The ability to present in public before a large audience was the challenge. I was amazed at the variety of books chosen. Age and grade had a lot to do with it, I am sure.

Here are some of the book titles: How Do Animals Talk; Daniel in the Lions Den; Malala’s Magic Pencil; Little Red Riding Hood; The Amazing Life Cycle of Plants; Eerie Elementary: Recess is a Jungle; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; and Dinosaurs before Dark

Judges for the competition were teachers Remy Paul, Felex and Gisele as well as volunteer Amelia Clark.

Amelia has worked closely with the librarian Desire and assistant Olivier, encouraging our students to engage in activities that involve the library. Public speaking was perfect.

The top awards for outstanding ability were presented by, adults from left, parent representative Malegarete, myself, Headmaster Viateur and head of discipline Anuarite. The children who won are, from left,:Audrey, Christella and Stessy. We salute the winners.

Other awards were given in different categories.

A first for our music program and new to the program is our music teacher, who also conducts, is starting a program for teaching conductors.

It was great to watch a young conductor in action.

Visitors

On March 27,we said good-bye to our long-term volunteer Amelia Clark. She has been an asset to the foundation. Her work included the daycare, preschool, library and activity room. Her contributions of time and ideas are appreciated. She also has been tutoring Soso.

Soso will miss her.

She will be happy to see her family in the USA.

Erin Friday, a return visitor, was most welcome. Erin is contemplating a more permanent move to Rwanda. Not at Urukundo but as a businesswoman. Erin, who is a CPA, will be in Kigali and spend rest and relaxation time at Urukundo. Erin is already part of the Urukundo family.

My good friend Dr. Otto Fischer, second from left, made his semi-annual visit to Rwanda. Otto, from Korneburg, Austria, returns to minister to his pride and joy, Future for Kids, an NGO in Rwaza, a town in Rwanda. Otto also operates the New Vision Veterinary Hospital in Kigali.

Although his visits are short and he is very busy, he finds time to visit me at Urukundo. Otto looks out for my sweet tooth. He brings me chocolates from Austria. He also brings visitors and introduces them to the Urukundo Foundation. Daiana Birk and her partner Paul Schawarzmann both are upcoming veterinary doctors.

I Iook forward to October when Otto will pay a return visit.

The doctors visited the farm. Esperance, our new PR person, took them on a tour of the farm and our animals, including Ollie the dog.