Developments in the Village - YAY!!

Sun Rise over the bus park

The closest market

Walking the last 45 mins of the journey

I took the first bus out of Git and caught the last bus back to Git. I left at 6am and returned home at 8pm having been on a bus for 3 hours and a moto ride for 5 hours and walked for an hour and half!!! - but it was worth it to see how well the village is developing. I could only spare one day away from work so it had to be done.




Just to remind you- Gasundwe Village is in Nyamasheke District next to the beautiful Lake Kivu. It is far easier to get to the village by lake and it is my preferred mode of travel. The area is stunningly beautiful but the life is very hard. There is no paid employment here so the people live a subsistence living by growing crops to eat and coffee to sell and by fishing in the lake. There is no water in the village and of course no electricity for miles around. 


The nearest school is one hours walk away, the nearest clinic is about 3 hours walk away. This is not unusual here in Rwanda, but what is unusual is that my friend from Rochdale used to live here before he had to escape in the early nineties. Fortunately that time is over and some of the family have returned to their home village. The Project was started last August and you can find more information on: 
http://rochdale2rwanda.webs.com/

Home

rochdale2rwanda.webs.com

By the way, if you buy Rwandan coffee which says it comes from the shores of Lake Kivu you will be buying Mama's coffee! She sends it with the other coffee growers to the co-operative in the nearest market town.


Also if you look carefully at Photo 2 you will see a small white dot on the hillside - that is the shiny new roof of Mama's house which, when it is finished will be a guesthouse for people wanting to experience a different way of life for  while. 


The project is intended to improve health, living conditions, education and life chances for all the villagers in Gasundwe. This will have a 'knock on' effect on the rest of the area (Gihombo Sector)The school is a Nursery school  - up to age 6/7years and we hope to extend to P1 next year. The villagers themselves are the driving force for change.

Such fat faced children!!

When I came to visit in December these children were skinny little things with hollow cheekbones - now look at them- full healthy cheeks! It's amazing what eating food every day will do for your body. 


If you want more information on the project please leave a comment or e-mail me tricia.atherton@gmail.com or message me on Facebook

Have you ever seen such a happy teacher in the UK?

The villagers have so many more plans, dreams and visions for their community, it is inspiring to be with them and I thank God every day for their survival. 




During the next few weeks beginning on April 7th (Easter Saturday) the country will commemorate the Genocide of the Abatutsi so this is a specially difficult time of year for many families. The  families of the victims and the remaining families of the perpetrators all suffer.


This Easter time lease pray for these wonderful people and their amazing country. I will be thinking of all my friends and family at home and around the world. 


Love and blessings to you, Tricia