Monday 01/06/2015.
Well, here I am, back in the lovely Rwanda – not quite so
naïve this time, each time I come I learn to be more circumspect about life
here. The realities are that people who have experienced poverty, danger,
insecurity are just out to survive, to make as much money as they can. I’m learning more and more about this side of life in Rwanda. I
don’t like it. But that makes it even more special when I meet people like
Alexis and Gabriel who do what they do from genuine desire to serve other
people whilst also looking after their own families.
It was lovely to meet up with them today at Beausejour
Guesthouse in Kisimenti, under the deliciously smelling, bright magenta Bougainvillea.
Big welcome and hugs all around. The double shoulder greeting, smiles. Somehow,
here in Rwanda there is always a sense of relief when a person is greeted,
relief and thankfulness that you are still alive. We caught up with all the
news from the village and made plans for our visit.
All things worked out well with meeting up with Lynne and
Darryl. They arrived, but their baggage didn’t. They are two of the trustees of our newly registered charity. They lived in Rwanda for a year so they know the ropes.
Thursday 04/06/2015 at Home St Jean, Kibuye
Today we travel by boat to Gasundwe. Lots of really positive
things have happened. The helpful conversations with Tom in Kigali about many
things. His suggestion that we make a contract with the church leaders for 10
years with no rent but making improvements to the building. (Alexis suggested
we put in a concrete floor like we did in the old church building). Would that
come first? Once we have the contract with ADEPR, we can move. The first five
years we would be sending money, after that the GiFo would be making the money
themselves. And would take over.
Building latrines. We met up with Christianne and Baj and
went to see their construction site in Macheo. Great. Ecolodge camping project.
One of their contacts, the pastor is coming to the village with us today to
give advice and options on toilets for the children- bio toilets.
We will fence around the school building
The teachers’ office will be shared with the GiFo
coordinator
I have an appointment with the SEO on Friday to discuss EYDC
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| Darryl asleep on the toilet rolls on the boat trip to Gasundwe. |
Everything here is a stop – go – stop-wait- then what?
Friday 05/06/2015 at Pascal’s house, waiting for him
to take me to the Umurenge, He’s changing the wheel on his moto (again!) so
familiar!
The walk from the guesthouse has been hot and sticky. Why do
we always have to rush? Got an appointment at 9am with the SEO, that’s why!
Maybe eventually it will not be like this. I can relax instead. The people
along the path have welcomed me back like an old friend. ‘Muraho, Tricia!’
shoulder hugs, greetings. There was an umudugudu meeting along the path. The
chief came to see us yesterday and checked our identity. He is responsible for
security and for notifying the authorities about who is in the area.
A bent, very old lady with a stick struggled down the path
from her house to greet me. She had tears in her eyes and her daughter (50ish)
also. Her granddaughter from high School rushed to greet us. This family now
live close to Pascal, near the road (well, near the mud track).They used to
live in very very poor accommodation down by the lake. The government have
moved them up the hill and away from the lake where it is safer from attack and
where they can access facilities. That is one reason why they are delighted to
see me.
I have just learnt that one very big consequence of our
project is that previously the local authorities didn’t know a great deal about
the village and the situation of the people. They could only look at statistics
and location on a map. There is a national plan to group people more closely
together so that services can be provided, infrastructure etc. The people around
Gasundwe were going to be re-located until we introduced the school and the water,
i.e. Until we began to build infrastructure in that specific locality, that
caused the authorities to change their mind and allow the people to stay in
their homes, apart from the very vulnerable like the old lady and her family.
The people were very happy that they could stay in Gasundwe.
Electricity is in Pascal’s house and village – called
Nyabitare. This road where Pascal’s house is forms the border with the next umudugudu. Anyway, there is electricity here
now. There was also water here before Gasundwe and the pipes to the village
join the mains here at this point.
On our walk from Mamas house we look across the river valley,
where the rice is growing green and healthy, to Rususimiro (Viro 3), and see
the electricity going to those houses. The people of Gasundwe are saving up for
their contribution for the government to install electricity in the area. It
will be in three phases. 1st phase will be sufficient power for
lighting. 2nd phase… 3rd phase. The electricity, like
water, has to be paid for and will be metered. So the people will need to have
enough income to pay their bills – links with secure livelihoods. Water at the
Nursery school has been cut off, disconnected because it was not metered. Mama
has paid for a meter to be installed at the house. Who will pay for the meter
at the school or in the village at the top of the hill? The people have gone
back to using the spring water, straight from the hillside.
Later that day. The meeting at the Umurenge was very
positive, having got through the ‘When are you building a Primary School?’
conversation when I was able to once again insist that we were not building a
primary school but we would help Viro school, I was able to explain the vision
of a children’s centre. It really clarified thing in my own mind too. The SEO
took us to see the Executive Secretary who was also very supportive.
Whilst I was away, Lynne and Darryl spent the day with Gabriel and Gaudence at the Nursery School.
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| Esperance making the protein enhanced porridge |
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| Gaudence is the new assistant teacher |
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| Here is Gabriel serving the children with porridge. |
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| Interactive teaching methods |
Saturday 06/06/2015. Gasundwe Village
Another productive day. This morning, Lynne and I, along
with Reponse and Seden, the two boys of the household, went for a walk towards
Pascal’s house. We met many people along the way, including the umudugudu chief
with many villagers. (This morning, early, I heard him calling them to come to
the meeting) We also met the health worker, Stephanie, and a lot of others,
Visitors to Gasundwe would enjoy such a walk with someone who can point out the
different crops, farming methods, coffee growing process, bananas, avocado
trees, mango trees etc.
When we got back we sat and helped Mama to get the beans out
of the pods. Esperance was washing clothes under the tap. We had seen other
women washing clothes in the streams running down the hillside. The water tap in
the village has been disconnected until it can be metered, which is fair
enough, but how will the villagers find the money to buy the water? This is the
same situation with the Nursery school, there is no water there now. Mama has
paid for a meter to be installed at the guesthouse, so we have water. Regarding
electricity we have had to rent new batteries to store power from the solar
panels. Otherwise there would be no electricity. Maintenance is a constant
issue. It raises the issue of maintenance again and payment for water use and
later electricity.
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| Esperance doing the washing under the tap. |
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| Helping to get the beans out of the pods |
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| Our Primary School children enjoying reading on the grass outside the guesthouse. |
