Sewing students met with Mama

Students from the Tom Nunnally Sewing Center arrived at the gate.

Head teacher Epiphanie led her students.

Greeting Mama. I do like the hugs received.

They shared that they would like classes with electric machines to learn on. 

Rwanda now has sufficient electricity, and so the places that hire our students ask if they can operate electric machines. When they say no, the job goes to another person who can.

Our sewing school needs machines that run on electricity. We are looking to purchase electric machines (funding needed) to better equip our students for the job market. I decided, thanks to a donation from Lace Ladies in the UK, to purchase a sample machine. Several machines were evaluated. This machine was chosen. It comes as a unit that includes the work table. It is a beautiful, top-quality machine.

We hope to purchase 14 such machines. Funding appreciated. Basic sewing skills will be taught using the treadle machines, and advanced sewing will be taught using the electric machines. Advancement means better equipment.

A photo with Mama completed their visit.

Learning Center news

We are winners in boys basketball, music, and poem.

National Board President Oswald and Executive Secretary Eric congratulate the winning teams. First position in boys basketball, music, and poem (composition). Quite an accomplishment!

Our boys basketball team won the district title and will advance to compete for the province title. The trophy is special. Coach Olivier is proud of his boys with good reason. They are the best!

The administration treated the team and coaches to Fanta and cookies in celebration.

Music director Emanuel and the winning team.

Our music and poem (composition) team won first place again and moved to the next level. I'm unclear on how this works, but I am not confused that they are in first position. The next competition level is in April. These kids are winners on and off the field of competition.

Second-term competition

Mathematics Competition Day took place for Primary Level 1 through 6.

School competitions prepare our students. Math is such an important subject. Every facet of life uses math in one form or another. Covered in the competition are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, whole numbers, and fractions. Both mental and written math were included.

Students gathered to witness and support this competition.

Assembly for competition.

Individual students responded to math questions using their mental capacity. Then a group also answered on the spot.

Written quiz

Computer programs became a part of the testing in this competition.

Our Primary 6 kids did very well. The computers, a gift from our donors, have made a difference in the lives of our students. We can compete.

Secondary School news

Landscaping is in progress. We also are working on the handicapped walkway.

On March 14, the Ministry of Education came to inspect the new building for accreditation. Here’s some of what they saw:

Room ready for lab equipment.

Classroom desks and chairs, which are a gift from the Forest Hills Rotary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.  The classroom also has shelves, a teacher's desk, and a white board.

Secondary school library. Space for research and study.

The Secondary School girls' uniform was modeled by Primary 6 student Divine. I like the new look.

The Tom Nunnally Sewing Center made this uniform and will continue making uniforms for Urukundo Learning Center students. This is an ongoing program each year. We are blessed to have our Sewing Center and its students.

Landslide problems

This landslide is not on our property but borders our land, as the photo shows. With another heavy rain, the buildings and fence may be on the road. To protect our school, it is up to the Urukundo Foundation to add support to the bank along the road.

Repair in progress. When your land is made up of mountains, you protect your structures. This is an ongoing process.

The stormwater received a passage to the stream (log bridge) at the bottom of the road. Our structures are safe.

Message from Mama

For these many years, Urukundo has expanded one day at a time. With God in charge, our progress has worked well for the children in the Muhanga District.

Now we are working on a five-year plan. OK, we can do that. This plan lets our followers know where we would like to go in the future, not where we will go. God is still and ever will be in charge

  1. Finishing the work started by the team from Hebron Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. We hope to tile the floors and walls as high as 3-year-old hands can reach in the five rooms in the daycare. Three are done; two more to go. Tiles make painting every year no longer necessary. Tile washes. Practical.

  2. Fencing the remaining part of Urukundo’s property. 

  3. Electric sewing machines for the Nunnally Sewing Center.

  4. Constructing a gymnasium for indoor sports on the present basketball court.

If you find one of these plans to your liking, you can designate where you would like your gift to be used. Undesignated funds will be used where needed.

Thank you, one and all.

Love,

Mama

February newsletter

I really like February, even though it is very cold in many parts of the world. It is a short month, but a month dedicated to love. Love is what the world needs most. I hope you shared your love.

Music continues to be a theme. Last month, you saw the installation of soundproofing and renovation of Hillside House, the new center for music education.

An additional improvement was racks for students' shoes.

An overhang roof, tiled porch, and shoe racks make a difference. They save on dirt and mud tracking in on the acoustic carpeting.

Socks work. No shoes inside.

Song and poem culture competition

The district level of the culture competition took place on Feb. 21 at St. Joseph Kabgayi, a secondary school. It is held every academic year, prepared by the Ministry of Education to detect and support talented students in sports and culture in both primary and secondary schools. Our school competes in the primary school section. Our students, sponsored by the Urukundo Foundation, participated and performed very well. Our school won first positions in both poem and song. Now we will represent the district at the next level, province, on March 8 in Nyanza. 

Everyone attending the competition was happy and excited to see the student band of Urukundo Learning Center on stage performing! We didn’t go with the competitors only but also with the band to entertain the audience. No other school in the Muhanga District can do what Urukundo did. We wish to win again and continue to the national level.

Our school competed in the Muhanga District music and composition competition.

Those competing included the Urukundo chorus.

Another competitor recited an original poem.

A singer and band participated.

The band played for entertainment at the competition.

The Urukundo Foundation salutes all who represented the Urukundo Learning Center in this competition.

Well done.

Urukundo Learning Center

Continuing with the goal of textbooks for all classes, we have purchased textbooks for the new junior high classes. Thank you to those wonderful friends and family whose gifts for my birthday made this goal real.

Textbooks for Senior 1.

Textbooks for Senior 2.

Textbooks for Senior 3.

Never before seen. Not sure why. It does look good

Back view of the retaining wall and Secondary School building.