News from PREFER Preschool
Year End Report 2008
Water Storage and Bathing Area, October 2007
We began the school year with 123 children in three separate classes: Pre K (under 3 years old) Kindergarten (3 and 4 year olds) and Pre Primary (over 4 years old). We began a waiting list of students wanting to attend our classes but by July there were over 100 names so we had to close the list.
There are 20 secondary students that we were able to help this year at a cost of just over US$6,000. It is so much fun to have them home during breaks. Many of them come to the pre-school daily to tutor the primary students on break. My house is noisy and fun with them around and far too quiet with them gone. They all went off to school looking smart and fully supplied.
This is Shadrack and Esperance's last year so at the completion of the year they will be taking exams. Josef came home after the first term and told me that school used to be difficult because he was always worried about tuition and supplies, but now he is free to study and do his best. Josef has received 76% on his final report.
Milliam continues to teach sewing classes each morning. 2 teenage girls are currently taking classes and the children's clothing is reaping the benefit of having seamstresses on site.
We met Rubyiruko and Uwamahoro in April, the day after their mother died. Neither of these twins weighed 5 kg - they were about the size of a 3 month old. We've had them tested for HIV and both are negative. We hired their father 'Celestin' and he has turned out to be one of our best workers. Their Grandma continues to visit us once per week to allow us a chance to see the babies and to pick up food and soap that we provide for them. It is wonderful to see 2 healthy babies with chubby cheeks; they have both come a long way.
Our triplets are walking and moving about which causes havoc for their mother, but they sure are cute. We continue to supply that family with milk, soap and medical.
This year we have found 4 babies that had been abandoned. Each baby is living with a family that has agreed to take the baby into their home as one of their own. We in turn agreed to help with supplies for the baby and siblings. Their 4 adoptive mothers come every Monday for supplies and we are seeing these babies getting cleaner and healthier each time they visit. I have very much respect for the 4 women who have taken these babies into their hearts and homes when they already have a family to care for.
Cockeyed Optimist, December 2007
July 1st saw the bungalow becoming a reality and not just a dream. Rocks, sand, cement, trees and more bamboo than I had ever seen was delivered to the school. Randy and I chose the site and in no time at all the workmen had dug the foundation. While some were digging others were hammering boulders into smooth rectangular shaped blocks. The trees were stripped and placed with the cement and rocks to build our walls. The roof was a bit tricky as we had improvised our own ladders, plus we were using slick silver roofing sheets and the pitch on the roof is extremely steep. Before I knew it we had this huge shiny building taking up half of our front yard. Now it was time for our 5 old fellows from Kinigi to come and weave the bamboo and grasses from the very peak of the (inside) roof and fanning out to cover the entire surface of the roof; emember this bungalow is 9 metres in diameter and the roof is extremely high. I gave them gloves but they did not like them so I continue to tweeze bamboo out of their fingers and apply meds and band aids. It seems to have taken forever but they are now finished and it looks far more beautiful than I had imagined.
July also saw the fence completed. Jean Pierre has finished off the cement columns and all fencing including gates are in place. Final cost was close to US$16,000, it took almost 2 years to complete and it was worth every penny. We are the only school that must close the gates so children do not escape into school. No one has ever wanted to leave.
We gathered 25 local women together and assisted them in forming a soap making association. We agreed to help them with start-up costs to the amount of US$1000. We hired a teacher and classes began. They held the classes on the pre-school property weekday afternoons. We have rented 2 empty rooms from Mama Buddha that are sturdy, lockable and not in close proximity to anyone. It is dangerous material after all. Some of the ingredients needed must come from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The insecurity they have been experiencing is making it difficult to obtain those products, but the women are trying their best with the supplies we can get for them.
Our baby group has grown over the past few months. The growth seems to have coincided with Simon and Cybil feeding them each morning. We are now able to give the babies bread and sorghum (purchased from Mama Yvette) each morning. It is the only 15 minutes of the morning when all of them are quiet. We have also hired a woman to help Ron, now that we have 36 of them 3 years and under we thought he deserved another set of hands.
The Cuban Doctors are continuing to find information regarding the necessary surgery for the 4 year old boy with the tumour on his back. It is now three times I have treated him for a burned foot. The family sat him near the fire for warmth and did not notice when his foot caught on fire. With his circulation as bad as it is, it takes his little body forever to heal a wound.
When the groups from Caicos Islands and England arrived they hit the ground running. I have never seen people work so hard and with such dedication. What they accomplished in their short time here surprised everyone, including themselves. They have total respect and admiration from our entire community; we could not have done this without them.
New Toilets, December 2007
During construction classes have continued, only playing has stopped. We have bricks under the tarped classrooms, the bungalow was not finished, it had hundreds of sharp bamboo spears pointing out in all directions, and mounds of dirt, sand and gravel are covering the area in front of the barn. Trucks delivering materials are coming and going all day which makes it difficult for the teachers to keep the children's attention, but, they all want to be here. I offered the teachers and children 2 months off but none of them agreed, I was totally out voted.
We were given some very nice office supplies that we shared with our Musanze Police force. We met the Commander and his detachment early one morning to deliver the office materials (including a football for the police football team). They were so appreciative and asked us to send on their thanks to you for helping them in their job. Their reaction made me realize that I focus on the children; I forget that the adults in Rwanda have not had much of a childhood themselves; they've never received gifts or thanks for their services. It was a great feeling for all involved; we will definitely do that again.
We supplied 3 schools with materials, a total of 2400 students were provided with an assortment of school supplies.
110 people received medical insurance for a 1 year period. The insurance will cover 90% of their medical costs leaving them with only 10% to pay.
We have gifted 197 families with goats this year. Our 'little' goat project is known throughout North Province. We have had people masquerading as others to try to receive a goat; some have come to the preschool with quite a dramatic story of their impoverished state while 1 stranger tried to quietly walk off the property with a goat hidden under his coat! No matter what the story I insist that each recipient arrive with a letter from the local government, acknowledging they qualify for the program and the gift is recorded. It always amazes me to watch the transformation in the receiving families. They arrive at the preschool quietly and seem to be trying to make themselves small. When the goats are presented the grins begin, and when all the goats have been distributed and each family is holding their very own goat, now, believing it is really true, they just seem to swell with pride. They stand taller; talk a little louder, cannot stop hugging me and saying thank you, and want to hurry home to show off their newest and best possession. So many times I have had someone come to the school or stop Teste and me on the street to tell us a new baby goat that has just arrived. This goat project started everything and continues to be a huge help to the families.
In October it had been announced by the government that by 2010 English will be the main language taught in all schools. The poor teachers were panicked; very few have any English at all. So, for the months of November and December, PREFER hired two very qualified teachers to give English lessons to the primary teachers in Musanze. I knew this was important to them but when we had 156 teachers sign up in the first 2 days we were all amazed. The teachers are thrilled with this opportunity and have asked if it is possible to continue with classes during the breaks in the 2009 year school year.
I finally got my Maple Ridge women to come and see for themselves where the clothes, toys and funds, they have been sending for 5 years, was going. Trudy, Petra, Randy and Selena, you made my year by being here with us. You have been in on this from the beginning and you were finally able to hear, feel and fall in love with my world.
When our Aussies arrived in September they were on a mission; to eliminate poverty within Musanze District in the 3 weeks they were here. They almost got it done.
It's a good day to meet the President, June 2008
When I think of January 2007, the property had 163 trees on it and about 50 dirty neighbour children wanting to watch the mzungu, now there is a flourishing garden that feeds many of the neighbouring families, the goat barn that has turned into storage area, sewing classroom and medical clinic, a hygienic cement 2 cubicle toilet, the most beautiful 9 metre in diameter bungalow you will ever see, and a 3 classroom plus office school house that is nearing completion. We have had so many fabulous people join us this year and help make it so very special.
I look into the faces of our children and see a happy inquisitive child. That was not the case 2 years ago. In the beginning, when I would reach out to touch one of the children they would cringe or cower. Hitting is extremely common. Our school is a safe place 24 hours a day for the families of our community. There is always assistance available whether in the form of food, soap, medicine, clothes, school supplies or a non-judgemental ear. Often times many of the Mamas gather at the school and we will speak of tolerance toward the children, other ways of parenting rather than hitting or talking down to their children. We speak of the importance of telling the children they are loved, and reminding them they are good children who carry water and firewood after attending school.
Together you and I have assisted this community to begin to heal and grow strong together. This community is cleaner, healthier, better dressed, better fed, better educated and stronger in their belief of themselves and their worth....which is immeasurable. I love this community for their strength and spirit, the determination and perseverance they possess has my total respect. What these families have seen and survived is indescribable, far different from the reality you and I were raised with, yet they work, play, love and want the best for their children, just like any parent anywhere in the world. I love that I am here to witness this rebirth of Rwanda, to be a part of the transformation from poverty and war to education, growth and peace.
My community is filled with a strong belief in a brighter future because of you.
Your gifts, donations, support and love have touched more than 3000 persons this year, you made their lives better, their smiles bigger and their hearts a little more tender. You have saved lives and stopped deaths, we can never repay you for what you are doing but we can continue to grow strong with education and love and make you proud of us. I promise you this.
