Do you remember those moulds?

Update on the process of making sand filters for producing clean water.

Those moulds are stacked one on top of the other.

Now there is a hole running all the way through.

Silas and Mary are ensuring that the measurements are correct and the same width throughout.

The structure is covered with cement and then kept moist for several days. It should not dry out too quickly. 

Again, the long rains have caused some difficulties and more building materials have been washed away. However, we continue, undaunted.

By the way, banana leaves have a multitude of uses here, you would not believe!

Thanks for reading. Tricia x

We're at the mid point of our ten year project.

This is how the village project appears to me at the moment....

After five years of building links and foundations, we are halfway through the ten year plan and Gasundwe is ready to fly!  People are being empowered to take on responsibility for their own futures and it will happen.

We are at the stage of thinking seriously about income generation projects and linking with partners who can help with training, materials and start up grants.

Of course, we are still needing the regular monthly giving so that we can continue the education and feeding programme until the point at which the local people themselves will be able to sustain it. 

So much has happened in the last five years. Let's work together and make the next five as productive. 

If you are able to, please consider becoming a monthly donor or share any information you may have on possible partners for this next stage of our development.

Thanks

Tricia

And so it starts....

Our partner from Uganda, called Yona has arrived in Gasundwe and so the first training session for learning the skills of making Sand Filter Water Sanitation Pots has begun... 

Francois is getting the mud ready. 

Pieces of banana stalk are put in the centre of the moulds. There are a series of moulds of different sizes.

The wet mud is left out to dry overnight. 

I will let you know further developments......

Tricia

Making Teaching Materials

Everybody was busy in the village yesterday.

Gasundwe is always a hive of activity but yesterday there was no school because of local elections so we all helped out in making and using new teaching materials.

Even little Peace did his share:

Tricia

Entrepreneurship or Income generation to you.

Well! In addition to the building making rapid progress other brilliant things are happening as well. Today we had a visit from Musafiri who is the Field Officer for ACSD - African Community for Sustainable Development. This group works in Nyamasheke District and they help people living in the rural areas to learn new skills and eventually set up their own businesses. 

Many of our friends in Gasundwe are cultivators but their hard physical labour is not always profitable. So the possibility of learning a new trade and starting a business is very exciting and gives hope for a brighter future.

Once again this link came about because of my work with VSO. My colleague, Brigid, who was a volunteer in this district gave me the contact with ACSD and Alexis and I went to visit them last week. As you know things happen quickly in Rwanda. You can't let the grass grow under your feet. We need it for the cows! So today. Masifiri came to visit us and opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Thankyou Brigid.

Woah! What a storm....

The men and women have been working so hard on the building.

We have just come back from a meeting in our new (unfinished) classroom and what a good job we were inside. I have been in many storms here but this one was the most furious yet. 

It began with rain beating down on the tin roof and wind blowing though the window spaces. It got to the point where we couldn't hear the speaker so we sat quietly. Even the hammering from the workmen couldn't be heard over the rain and wind. It got worse and worse and rain was pouring off the massive roof. 

'Now, God is throwing heavy rocks at us, hailstones as big as golf balls and hard as rocks plummeting down from the heavens and bouncing on the roof. The noise was deafening, hurting my ears. The storm continues its furious outpouring for about twenty minutes. 

Then.... Suddenly, it stops and I can hear everyone chattering in closely huddled little groups. The sky cloud that fell down on us is clearing and it is getting light. I can see the other side of the inlet again.'

After the meeting we came out to see what damage had been done.

This wall was almost finished before the storm but during the storm all that cement had been washed down, running off the wall and into the earth. They had to start all over again.

The water collection tank had been dislodged from its foundations, such was the power of the storm. The only thing that stopped it rolling down the hill was the scaffolding pole that you can see sticking out.

So many challenges!

Tricia

Always happy

Here's a photo of Patrick who is always happy and enjoys making others happy.

Yesterday he was given the job of getting the mangoes down from the tree. At first he used a long stick with a hook on the end but that didn't suit him. They weren't falling down quickly enough so he climbed the tree and just shook all those mangoes down. It was raining mangoes at Mama's house!

He started playing the fool and his friends (not me, I am far too polite) started calling him a chimpanzee.

I hope the photo is good enough for you to see him.

Lovely Tante

Here is Tante dashing away with the smoothing iron! 

It's a hard physical life here in the rural areas of Rwanda but even so, hospitality is very important. This is my dear friend, Tante who has come to Gasundwe from her home in Gisenyi to help with cooking, washing, cleaning and all the other household tasks that are done for us by machines. She is so lovely and works so hard. I want to dedicate this blog post to her and to thank God for her love and friendship.

Tricia x

Encouragements

After a few days rest in Kibuye I returned to the village whilst Margo and Chris continued their exploration of nursery education in Rwanda. We want the school at Gasundwe to be run on principles established by the Rwandan government in partnership with VSO. Our friend and fellow volunteer Roos has helped to develop the guidelines and resources for this initiative. Her work was based on the work of previous volunteers and over the years the skills, knowledge and resources have grown and resulted in the situation as it is now. 

One big principle is that the system should be sustainable and where possible use should be made of locally available materials. So, in general, the importing of teaching materials from our rich countries is not helpful except to be used as models for people here to make using their own resources. 

I came back to Gasundwe on Tuesday having been asked to call at the police station on my way here. This is merely for security reasons. The police have an obligation to ensure the safety of visitors to their area. I showed my passport and visa and explained what I was doing here, and also the dates when I would be in this sector. The officer was very friendly and happy for me to be here. From now on I don't need to visit, I just need to telephone him when I leave and when I arrive.

Whilst I was at the sector office I went to visit the Executive Secretary to update him on our plans. I have met him several times before and it is an important part of the project to have personal links with the officials. My favourite link is with John Hakizimana who is the Sector Education Officer for Gihombo sector. When I worked with SEO s as a VSO volunteer I found them to be of very high calibre both intellectually and personally. Because they were out in the field they could see the very real challenges faced by the people and most of them had a sincere desire to change things for the better. John has given support in the past and he wants to bring other officials to visit Gasundwe so that they can see the problems for themselves. I asked if he could ensure that the person responsible for health and sanitation could come and I stressed that the main problem in the village is water. Sickness rates are high and the threat of cholera is ever present. I hope they will come soon.

It was a difficult day for me yesterday in Gasundwe, the old 'demons' came back to haunt me. 'What are you doing here? You have achieved nothing in five years, see these children are still walking around in rags, still dirty, still hungry. You are kidding yourself....' Added to that I was physically exhausted and had backache. Sometimes I forget I am getting older and that soon I won't be able to be as physical as this life here demands. I must admit I am also worn down by the constant demand for money. When I take a boat ride it seems I am expected to pay for everyone. I don't know why. I will have to ask Alexis about this when he comes today with Mama. Anyway, I had an early night and feel better this morning.

I woke up with the dawn as usual and heard lots of chattering outside. I realised it was Thursday and therefore it would be members of the Savings and Loan cooperative. I went to meet them.

It was very encouraging, and then appeared a string of guys carrying sacks of cement up the hill in preparation for making the concrete floor in the Children's Centre. It was a wonderful sight to me.

They go down to the shore where the cement has been delivered by boat, they fill their sacks, hoist the heavy sack on their head and climb the hill. Once here they empty the sack onto the pile inside the building. There were twenty sacks of cement and 8 guys to carry. They all stay together and just now I can see them outside the shop eating their breakfast do amandazi and water. They have completed that task for the day. They went up and down that hill three times each. Well done lads!

There are photos elsewhere on this blog which show the concrete floor being laid in the church building that we use for nursery school at the moment. (Thanks, Phil!) I think it was in 2011 or 12. There is also a lovely photo of young Jack Lofthouse lying on a plank of timber looking absolutely exhausted after helping with that dirty and back breaking task!! 

So, discouragement yesterday is followed by encouragement today.

Thankyou for all your thoughts, best wishes and prayers. As you can see I personally need your prayers as well as prayers for the work that is going on here. I am reminded of my frailty as a mere mortal every day but when I am here I know more fully the closeness and dependence on God that this life demands. 

In our developed world we complain when troubles come and sometimes we blame God ( even though most of the time most people never give their relationship with God a second thought). It is totally different here in this situation. Troubles breed faith and faith gives strength to overcome. There is a short little letter in the New Testament written by a man called James. It is worth reading in a modern version such as 'The Messenger'. 

Lots of love

Tricia

Second visit to the village. Part 3

After spending the day in the hustle and bustle of the market buying food, a grass mat and two new mattresses for the beds and looking at costs for the sand filter water pots we wandered back along the tarmac road to the place where Davide's boat was waiting for us. 

We had quite a surprise because the boat was already full of people and their new possessions. We couldn't imagine how we would all fit on the boat and indeed there was a kerfuffle when the security man said that some people must get off the boat to allow the people who had hired the boat to get on. What a 'carry on' there was, with people refusing to leave and me refusing to get on until they did. Without me they couldn't leave because I was paying for the hire of the boat. Eventually I said I would take all those people who were going to Gasundwe and everyone else must get off. Some folk disembarked and the others made space for us. We set off, but 'No' we had left someone behind and had to turn round. That mama got on and we set off again. We hadn't gone far when the engine cut out and we drifted for a while. This gave me the opportunity to survey the people and things that had been lumbered aboard. There were six people sitting quietly at the back of the boat whom I didn't recognise at all but I assumed they were from Gasundwe. On the floor of the boat there were several heavy metal windows and also long pieces of heavy timber. This man was building a house.

We started and stopped several times and at one point the engine was changed, and the spare was used. Oil was spurting out and mixing with petrol so Davide had his finger in that hole to stop that happening. It took a long time to get back to the lakeshore at Gasundwe. Many people and things got off the boat. However, the six quiet people at the back, their windows and timber remained.

It was obvious they did not live in Gasundwe and had told me a lie. I was unhappy about that because I very rarely experience dishonesty amongst Rwandans in Gasundwe. I indicated to them that I was not paying for the boat and that they owed Davide 5000francs. One man replied that they were very poor. My response was that if they could afford to buy metal windows and good timber they could afford to pay Davide for transport of those items.

We started the hike up the hill and I asked my friend if I had done the right thing. He said 'Yes, because they were trying to trick you.' I stopped fretting about it and enjoyed the homecoming. That night we had a wonderful feast.

It was great having Margo and Chris in the village because they are so friendly and sociable. Everyone wanted to be part of the action and to learn as much as they could from the abazungu, but I'm sure that Margo nd Chris learned so much from the locals about life in rural Rwanda, as well as history lessons and discussions about the possible future of the village. They stayed until Friday and then got the long, relaxing boat journey back to Kibuye with Jean Baptiste. 

I, meanwhile, had to take a moto journey of three hours to keep an appointment in Kibogora. I managed to get to Home St Jean before the boat and was drinking a cold beer when they arrived. 

That's the way to do it!

Lots of love

Tricia x

Second visit to the village. Part 2

'Wednesday is market day in Mugonero and it is an experience not to be missed. 

It was another one of those outings where everyone wants to join in and make the event into a party. We had our shopping list of things to buy and another list of things I needed to find out, so we headed down to the lake once again, saying 'hi' to everyone we passed.

At the lakeshore the fishermen were mending their nets and passed the time with humour and banter. Several of them come from DRC and speak a different language, called Mashi or Moshi (something like that). The most extrovert and outspoken of the men appeared to be called 'Machini' and was always saying 'Freshi, Freshi' He was a very popular character and very skilled at mending. The needle was made out of two pieces of reed tied together with twine. 

The short boat ride to Mugonero was quiet and uneventful, unlike the return journey.

We walked along the new Tarmac road until we came to the town itself. We knew we would be meeting two more friends who had travelled from Gisenyi on the big boat.. We made our way to the Resto and  there they were - Alexis and Tante. Twelve of us sat down in the shade to enjoy Fanta whilst     we discussed what  we needed to do next. The two finance officers met for the first time after months of e mailing across the miles.

It's difficult to describe Mugonero on market day. It is the social event of the week and the whole town throngs with people on one errand or another. There is always noise, colour and bustle. Friends meeting up, on a mission to sell their produce or catch up with the latest news. The crackly sound system blares out music and announcements. A floor show is provided by one of the mobile phone service networks, Airtel, who are promoting a reduction on some of their phones. 

Whilst half of our party went to buy provisions from the food market the rest of us split up into three groups. My task was to find out the cost of materials for making 'sand filter pots' which is a system of filtering dirty water to make it into clean water suitable for drinking.

This link and new project came about through a real 'God moment'. You know, one of those moments when coincidences happen and  you get a tingly spine knowing that this is not just a coincidence! I hope you know these moments sometimes and also appreciate them , like me.

I wrote on my blog that children were suffering again because of the dirty water. There had been an outbreak of cholera in the next door village and I was desperate to find some way of providing clean water. My daughter read the blog and showed it to someone in her church at home, because she knew he had something to do with water sanitation in Uganda. The very next day, Geoff phoned me from England and said he wanted to help and that he had an answer to our difficulties.

After a few messages back and forth it was arranged that an expert from the town in Uganda would come to visit us in Gasundwe and teach some local men to make these filter pots from local materials. It is a very exciting and hopeful development. Yona( our new Ugandan friend) can't come until after the Ugandan elections on February 18th but he will stay for three weeks. So keep a look out for future developments on this issue. website. www.sandfilteraid.co.uk  

Another exciting link has been formed through a friend who worked for VSO in Nyamasheke District. She gave me the contact details of ACSD (African Community for Sustainabale Development). The Canadian director just happened to be in Rwanda at the moment so Alexis and I went to see him on Friday. We were very excited about what they are doing in the rural areas. All their initiatives are based on traditional culture and their main aim is to relieve poverty amongst widows in the area. They have developed a safer and cheaper way of cooking but using locally available materials. They have developed bio composting toilets, model kitchen gardens where the waste from the toilet is used properly as fertiliser. They also have a scheme where they rent a piece of land for one year and 10 widows cultivate that land and with the profits they can pay the rent themselves the following year. We are hoping to form a partnership with them. Once again, we want them to come and stay in Gasundwe for a while to teach their skills and ideas.

I am beginning to get a clearer vision of the Children's Centre, not only as a building dedicated to improving education for young children and their families but also as a 'model' for a healthier lifestyle. The stove, the bio composting toilets, the water sanitation and the kitchen garden ideas all coming together alongside skills training in these areas.

So much in Rwanda happens by 'chance' and you really do have to take hold of the opportunities as they fall in your lap. Or, in my belief, as God the Holy Spirit leads you. Listen to that still small voice and step out in faith. It's not rocket science!

Lots of love for now

Tricia

So much news! But one step at a time. Buhoro buhoro.

So many things have happened in the village this week it is difficult to decide where to start! But I hope you have also been reading Margo and Chris' blog because they have been posting every day. Click on the link and it should take you there.

Here is a photo of Peace. He is the little boy of Esperance and until recently he still cried every time he saw me but now we are best friends and when I say 'Hi, Peace' he smiles back at me. His two older brothers, Reponse and Zedan are in the village now because school term has started. During the holidays they were in Gisenyi with their father. This is not an unusual arrangement in Rwanda. Their big sister, Sandrine also came back to Gasundwe but within a few days she had packed her bag to go back to her Secondary School for three months. Again, this is the usual practice because secondary schools are so far apart that it is not possible to travel every day.

The challenge is that ALL the schools go back on the same day so the buses are crowded with students and their school bags, mattresses, plastic buckets and anything else they can carry which may help them for their new term. This is something I knew about but had forgotten, so when I tried to book bus tickets in the usual way, by phone, it was impossible and I had to go down to Nyabugogo and pay for the tickets before they would give us a seat. I paid for five tickets because we had lots of luggage. Three people were travelling and two big suitcases. Usually this system works for me. However, this time even though we had tickets fully paid we were unable to get a seat on the bus because there is a new regulation that students returning to school must be given priority. It is a good regulation but the consequences for us was that after two hours waiting in the madness that is the bus park with the heat of the sun beating down we decided to negotiate a taxi cab to take us to Kibuye. It all worked out in the end, it always does!

After spending the night at Home St Jean, the next day we had a lovely boat ride on Lake Kivu, arriving at the village in the early afternoon. Once again, as we pulled into the shore there were friends there to greet us and to help carry our bags up the hill. 

Two more of our trustees of Village Rwanda UK were visiting the village for the first time and I wondered how they would respond. It's always slightly worrying because that first walk up a fairly steep hill can be exhausting but it's all made so pleasant by the warm welcomes from all the neighbours as we pass by their houses. And then to arrive at last at Mama's house is such a relief!

There was food and water waiting for us and lovely clean beds made up, complete with mosquito nets for us to rest whenever we wanted. 

Usually there are three bedrooms that can be pressed into service for guests, however, one bedroom is currently out of use because it is crammed with six cupboards full of resources that we were able to purchase from an orphanage that was closing down. So another bed had been erected in the room which already has bunk beds in it, making it a little squashed but Margo and Chris were very happy with the arrangement. I was fortunate enough to have my usual room, but Gabriel and several other guests had to fix themselves up wherever they could find a space!

Back in Kigali to re-group!

  I have arrived back in Kigali after a promising start in the village and a journey by boat, moto and bus.

Gabriel and I left Gasundwe on Friday morning last week, we took Davide's boat to Mugonero and got the bus along the new tarmac road to Kibuye. 

That new road has already made such a difference to the travel times from the village. In the past this journey by road, on the back of a moto would have taken 2 and 1/2 hours, and even longer by bus, but now it takes about 50 minutes. This improved infrastructure opens up so many possibilities for the local population; trade with the towns and villages along the whole route from Kamembe to Kibuye, opportunities for developing tourist attractions, little gift shops etc. But you need to be an entrepreneur and have a little bit of capital. Here in

 Rwanda there is a great drive for people to create their own jobs and I can see that there will be many small businesses here soon. There already are some but I expect in a couple of years time there will be many more. One of the most popular subjects for study in the schools and universities is Entrepreneurship. The young people are so keen to learn and they work very hard. They deserve success.

Arriving at Kibuye we were greeted by Gabriel's wife, Christine and then I left them to go down to the lakeshore to get the 'big boat' to Gisenyi. I have wanted to travel on this boat for some time so it was a treat for me. Alexis and his family live in Gisenyi and I looked forward to seeing them and staying with them for a few days. This big boat is a great asset to locals wanting to travel for work or family reasons. I have been told that it was given to the people by the president and they are very proud of it. They also love their president very much because he is making so many improvements to their lives and the lives of their children. 

It was a beautiful journey and totally unmarred by the torrential rain. Elsewhere in this blog I have described a journey on the lake in one of the usual wooden boats - a totally different experience. This is a big metal boat with windows and comfortable seating, snacks available and a toilet. 

I arrived in Gisenyi during the heavy rain, and in Rwanda unless you have a car, or are on a bus, nothing moves. So Alexis was stuck at home and couldn't come to meet me for a while. That doesn't bother me, it just gives me more chance to chat to the locals and have them laugh at my kinyarwanda. I spent most of the time talking to a young boy aged about 12. He was carrying a clean plastic bucket with a lid and inside there were lots of amandazi, which is a heavy type of doughnut beloved by Rwandans. He wanted me to buy one but I'm not keen so I declined. The business part over he asked lots of questions and I tried my best to answer. 

Alexis arrived as the rain stopped and we got on a small matatu bus crammed with people and produce. Alexis has very long legs and is almost doubled up when he is sitting in one of these vehicles! That's a problem I don't have.

I was very warmly greeted by the family and treated like an honoured guest. 

The church service on Sunday was something to experience. Wonderful!! 

Their home is right on the border with DRC. The town on the other side of the border is known as Goma. You may have herd of it. If you have, it will be in connection with either volcanic activity, earthquakes or conflict. Well, I can tell you that for the vast majority of the time these things are irrelevant. The main aim of life is living, feeding and clothing your family and supporting your neighbours. People come and go across the border every day. They are friends and and neighbours to each other. At the church there were Rwandans and Congolese of all descriptions worshipping together. They have many problems but they also have great faith. In UK we have many things but we are short on faith. That's because we think we can control everything in our lives, and we can control many things, therefore we think we have no need of faith. What a loss!

A couple of days later I said farewell fo my friends and caught the bus to Musanze which is famous for volcanoes and gorillas. The volcanoes are truly a magnificent sight on a clear day. I stayed in Musanze for a couple more days and then returned to Kigali by coaster bus, a journey on tarmac of about 2and 1/2 hours.

Lovely shower and rest at Tom and Ritah's house now.

Lots of love

Tricia

A lunch party and a boat trip

Today was another busy day in the village. 

You may think it is a sleepy village because it is hot and humid, but everyday for me here is different. 

This morning Eric came to visit the house. If you have been reading this blog from the beginning you might remember Eric. He is the little boy who was born with talipes in one foot. This means that his right foot was turned completely over and the only way to walk was with the top of his foot on the floor. I knew that if he had been born in the UK that foot would have been 'repaired' when he was a baby. My own godson was born with talipes in both feet. So, for Eric it was impossible to get health care as his family are basic farmers and do not have access to money for health care. I arranged for him to be seen by a doctor from a Belgium NGO. Eric had to leave his home in Gasundwe village and go to live with a family in Kamembe. To cut a long story short, two years later he returned home to the village walking and playing football. 

Now he is able to go to the local Primary School and also help his family with cultivating the land, which is how they make a living. Today he came to the house and helped us to make some teaching resources and learn some new counting songs like 10 Green Bottles, and 1,2,3,4,5 once I caught a fish alive.

After that, Esperance made us a lovely lunch with a Kivu Lake fish each, a very tasty treat! I only ate the fleshy part of the fish because I am a squeamish muzungu but all the others ate every part of those fish. I could hear the crunch as they it off the head. Nothing is wasted here in Rwanda!

After lunch we traipsed down to the lakeshore because we had arranged to meet Davide with his boat. The expedition comprised of Davide, Gabriel, Theogene and his little niece, Esperance and her little boy named Peace and me. 

Gasundwe village is situated almost at the end of one of the many, many inlets on lake Kivu and from our vantage point at the top of the hill on the peninsula we can see for miles. But just across the water is another peninsula, which looks like an island but it is not. We have heard rumours for about two years now that a rich man from Kigali is going to build a hotel on that piece of land and now we have proof. There is indeed a building being erected there. I jokingly said to Davide that we must make friends with this rich man! He took me at my word and organised for us to go and have a look around this building site. 

The lake was beautifully calm and still. I don't know whether you have read 'The Voyage of the 
Dawntreader' by C.S.Lewis but there is a point in that story when they reach the World's End and the water is still, calm and sweet. It is a very special  event in the story because it is at this 
point that Reepicheep decides to go and live in Aslan's country. When Lake Kivu is like it was today it always reminds me of that moment. 

As we neared our destination we could see many people working on the building and they waved to us with cheerful smiles. We also noticed that the rich man had built his own road so that he and his guests could access the area by car. So, we arrived at the opposite shore and 
made our way over the gangplank to the land. We were greeted by a friendly security guard 
who showed us the way to the main construction site. 

The manager/foreman gave us a guided tour and it is going to be a beautiful hotel in an amazing location with unsurpassable views. Rwanda is a beautiful country and visitors will really appreciate the peace and calm, but it does contrast markedly with the hardship 
experienced by the locals. This is what occupies my mind as I live here. And, truly, I have no 
problem with the acquisition of wealth, the important thing for me is how you use that wealth. 

If you hang onto it for personal greed, all that happens is that you get very fat!!(only joking!) 

The teaching of Jesus is clear on the use of money. If you don't know what it is get yourself a modern version of the bible - maybe The Message - and read it for yourself. Don't take my word for it. you may remember the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Matthews Gospel chapter 19, verse 21. The point of that story is not that Jesus is saying you must not be wealthy but that you must not treasure your wealth more than you treasure your relationship with God. Anyway, sermon over! Back to the story.

After we had a good nosey around and were informed of how much a room would cost per night (2000$, but I think they must've meant 200$, surely?) whichever, totally out of our price range! We got back on the boat and started to make our way out of the bay but just as we were leaving Davide saw the owner's car coming along his new road. Davide said we must turn around and that I must go and greet this man. So we did! We turned around and three of us left the boat and went to talk to the owner. He seemed to be genuinely interested in our project and asked for my contact details. I will try my best to follow up this contact. It would be a wonderful asset to the village and to the surrounding area.

We re-embarked and set off once again for home. This time singing praises to God. Esperance has a truly beautiful voice and I love to hear that music wafting over the water. It seems to be the voice of angels.

So, the sun sets on another amazing day here in Rwanda. 
Thank you for reading. Much love, Tricia 

There is a shop in Gasundwe village!!

The village is developing.... Our friend Alphonse has built and opened a shop in the village. 

He stocks basic requirements like rice (umuceri), sugar (isukari), tomato paste, oil, potatoes, bottled water. He also sells shoes (flip flop sandals) and a small amount of second hand clothing. 

Until now, the closest shop is in Mugonero which is a boat ride away. On Wednesday there is also a market in Mugonero. The villagers take their produce to sell and then they use the money fo buy other food that they don't grow themselves. Fortunately for me it is the season for mangoes and there are many many mangoes on the trees, also avocados are available all year round. Two of my favourite foods.

Back to reality here in Rwanda

My posts so far have been slightly whimsical but my meeting with Gabriel, our teacher, has brought me back down to earth with a bump.

I am so sad to hear that another child has died because of lack of clean water in the area. The village has been in quarantine for several weeks because there were so many people suffering with sickness and diarrhoea. The government put a health team there for some time. I'm not clear on the details, but once again it is clear that the issues are still very basic, even to the need for clean water. I will try to find out more details when I go to the village tomorrow. The village is out of quarantine but I hope to meet a health official.

The good news is that apparently the road from Kibuye to Kamembe is now tarmaced so it will make the journey much easier and quicker. We will still get a boat but that journey also will be shorter. I'm off down to the pharmacy to see if I can buy some water purifying tablets, and rehydration salts.

If anyone has any guidance on easy ways of providing clean water in communities like this please share, either by comments or e mail me on tricia.atherton@gmail.com

Thankyou, dear friends

Things I had forgotten about Rwanda

Things that I had forgotten about Rwanda but now that I'm back, I remember:

How red is the earth
How heavy is the rain
How quickly the soaked land dries out
How wide and welcoming are the smiles


How busy is the traffic in Kigali
How hot and sweaty it is in Kigali
How wonderful is a cold shower in Kigali
How wide is the gap between rich and poor in Kigali


How interesting is life on the road
How crowded the buses
How good to be by a window and be able to open it
How deep and wide is the River Nyaborongo


How beautiful is lake Kivu
How changing is the view of the layers of misty hills
How perky and cheeky is the pied wagtail
How lovely is is to back in a place with so many happy memories.


So, why am I missing home?
Lots of love everyone
Tricia xxx

Where am I ?

Well, I seem to have arrived!

Sharing the joy!

Happy New Year 2016 to family, friends and friends yet to be!

I have spent a pleasant and inspiring few hours reading through this blog which I started in December 2010 because I was preparing for a new adventure in my life. I had signed up for a two year placement with VSO(Voluntary Service Overseas)and had been placed in Rwanda as Education Leadership Advisor in the district of Muhanga. And what an adventure it turned out to be! How could I have predicted what would happen and to what it would lead? 

Tricia, ready for work.

This is me in February 2011 showing off my new work outfit specially tailored for me by the dressmaker in Gitarama. I only wore this type of clothing when I was office based. It was totally unsuitable for the bulk of my work which involved riding on the back of a motor bike, scrambling along earthen roads which were either wet and muddy or hard baked by the sun. Falling off into the mud was preferable to falling off the motor bike onto hard baked earth. But what exhilerating journeys and experiences to look back on and to read about.

In the early days everything was so new and there was so much to learn every day, no, every moment of everyday. I remember much of the time I hadn't got a clue what was going on, but I learnt to relax and just let life happen. Eventually it would usually become clear - but not always! Sometimes I never understood what had happened and why, but I  grew to love this country and it's wonderful people. 

My first trip to the village of Gasundwe in Nyamasheke District was one of the most exciting events of my life and I still feel privileged to have been given that opportunity. You can read about it again by going to the blog entry dated 20/02/11.

The boat we traveled on

The storm on the Lake Kivu

The villagers welcome us and praise God for keeping us safe.

The first time they saw me I was an unusual sight.

I have been back to the village many many times since then and so much has happened for them and for me, and this blog tells the story of those adventures. It has been lovely to read it again. Of course it also includes my experiences working for VSO and the experience of living in Rwanda for two and half years.

But back to the village - At this point, five years on we can celebrate and be thankful for many blessings:

Every school day for five years the youngest children in the village have had a protein meal, and for four years we have sent children to the local Primary schools.

Sometimes we get beans and rice. Thats a real treat.

Those children have been taught at our Nursery School by a talented, dedicated now highly skilled teacher using interactive learning methods. We now have two teachers and a cook working full time .

This year we have concentrated our efforts in the design and building of a Children's Centre which will incorporate our Nursery school and also provide space for an adult workshop and a Health Worker.

 

It became very clear on my last visit in 2015 that there is a great need for basic health and sanitation facilities and education. Consequently, we are now raising money to provide new toilet facilities. The plans are in place for a set of African Dry toilets, we just need more cash (hint, hint!)

Our dream toilets!

 

Please help us by donating either a small amount every month or a one off donation.

I was thrilled last year when some friends agreed to help me form a registered charity and thanks to lots of hard work we achieved charitable status in June 2015. Two of the trustees, Lynne and Darryl came to the village last summer for the first time and gave great impetus to the building project.

Village Rwanda UK,
Registered charity number: 1162004
E-mail: villagerwandauk@gmail.com
Website: villagerwandauk.com


I am packing my suitcase once again to return to Rwanda this week, I will stay for two months. Two other trustees, Chris and Margo, will come to visit the village for the first time and they each have specific tasks that they need to do. My particular task now is to look towards income generation and listen to advice and proposals from the locals. I keep my ear open and I try to network with others in Rwanda who may be able to give us skills training. 

The aim has always been for the village and the school to be self sustaining by the year 2020. Yikes! That's only four years away!!! Better get cracking.

'Thanks for helping my family' 

To donate please go to the website: villagerwandauk.com

Please keep checking in for updates in the next few weeks.