As part of an outing with a Global Education Working Group, I visited the Gihembe Camp in Biyumba, a city in the north of the country, about an hour’s drive from Kigali. There are a number of refugee camps in Rwanda. They shelter refugees from Burundi or as is the case in the Gihembe camp, refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Buyumba is quite far from the Congo, so many of us on the way to the camp were not actually sure where the refugees in Gihembe were from. We soon learned they were Tutsi’s who had fled from the Congo.This camp was actually established in December of 1997 at which time most of the refugees were transferred from Gisenyi near the Congolese border. In March 1998, the first count established a population of 14,248 persons. Subsequent movements took place until 2004.
The demographics of this camp are staggering: it is huge - 17,274 people of whom 10, 500 are under the age of 18! In this group there are marginally more females than males. In the next age group, 18-59, there are 1110 women and 537 men! There were no birth rate figures, but it must be significant, given there are more than 3000 children between ages 0-4 yrs. There are also close to 100 single, young, mothers under the age of 18. I missed the medical part of this tour as I was talking to the literacy educators, but I saw no sign of any birth control counselling. This camp is run by UNHCR with the following partners : Government of Rwanda (MINELOC), American Refugee Committee (ARC), Jesuit Refugee Service(JRS), German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) , World Food Program (WFP) During our visit we learned that this camp is in effect run by the Jesuit Refugee Service.
The literacy program in this camp will be discontinued in December as there are no more funds. In September 2006 there were 271 adults enrolled, 33 men and 238 women. The Head of this program is very concerned about the future of these women, many of whom have been abandoned by their spouses. What will become of these women?
My impressions as I walked through the camp: Very friendly children and adults. There was a sense of structure and organization, but also of a very densely populated area. Speaking to the educators, one can see they work hard under difficult circumstances; not unlike what I see in the South Province of Rwanda. One marked difference is the quality of French spoken, however. The students I spoke to who were in third form preparing for Tronc Commun, were very well spoken in French, something one is not likely to encounter in the rural parts of the South province.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Friday, September 15, 2006
Heart Wrenching
Heart wrenching !
How can I continue to be so deeply affected by these students sent home yet again this week, in third term, to go get their « Minerval » Minerval are the school fees and school ends the first week of November. If you haven’t paid, you do not get your year. If you haven’t paid you cannot come into class and you cannot eat in the cafeteria. Students are being forced home. The “gérant” tells me that students are sent home to fetch their parents and bring them so they can explain the family’s dismal financial situation. At this time, 6 weeks before the year end, 200 of the 864 students at the high school behind my home, have been sent home. Thirty-two of 125 6th form students who write an all-important National Exam in November, have also been sent home. If in my small school there are 200 out of school looking for money, how many students are there in all of Rwanda roaming around the countryside? I do not know, but it must be significant!!
If you have been reading my blog, you know I support some students myself and that my church is now taking care of another 6! Well, every day I am stopped by students in the street who are looking for help:one story sadder than the other.
As I eat my lunch, I know they are wandering about not getting any food. I have to harden myself.
How can I continue to be so deeply affected by these students sent home yet again this week, in third term, to go get their « Minerval » Minerval are the school fees and school ends the first week of November. If you haven’t paid, you do not get your year. If you haven’t paid you cannot come into class and you cannot eat in the cafeteria. Students are being forced home. The “gérant” tells me that students are sent home to fetch their parents and bring them so they can explain the family’s dismal financial situation. At this time, 6 weeks before the year end, 200 of the 864 students at the high school behind my home, have been sent home. Thirty-two of 125 6th form students who write an all-important National Exam in November, have also been sent home. If in my small school there are 200 out of school looking for money, how many students are there in all of Rwanda roaming around the countryside? I do not know, but it must be significant!!
If you have been reading my blog, you know I support some students myself and that my church is now taking care of another 6! Well, every day I am stopped by students in the street who are looking for help:one story sadder than the other.
As I eat my lunch, I know they are wandering about not getting any food. I have to harden myself.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
The group of six
You will have to imagine the picture. Cannot manage the technology today!!!
The Group of Six
I have finally met the group of six students who will be helped with their school fees through a bursary fund which originated at my church in Toronto, Rosedale Presbyterian Church. It was the Youth Group of this church who decided they wanted to use some of the Outreach Budget to help students in Rwanda stay in school. From left to right, Thomas, Chantal, Béata,Clénie, Jean and Gustave will be assisted with their school fees, some personal hygiene materials and school supplies. As we sat around and got acquainted this afternoon, we went through the basic things they might need. As we moved from notebooks and pens, to geometry sets, one of the young people said that he didn’t have a mattress.
Three others also admitted, ashamedly, that they had been sharing the bed of a friend because they did not have a matress.When we moved to uniforms, all admitted they have just one pair of trousers or one skirt and one shirt. Two of the boys’shirts were worn to the point of having rips. One of the girls shyly came forward to say that she does not own a uniform and was wearing one borrowed from a friend. Shoes were another problem:most were wearing borrowed shoes. The young people understand we cannot solve all their material problems, but we will do our best to equip them with the proper bedding, plastic sandals in addition to their school equipment and toilet articles. Further activities we plan to undertake with these students are to provide workshops in leadership , organizational and entrepreneurial skills. The plan is that when they have received some training they will serve as leaders in a vacation camp for primary school aged children. In order that the young people from Toronto and also the rest of the congregation, will get to know the circumstances of these young Rwandans, we have asked the six students to write a letter once a term where they talk about themselves, their families and their asademic studies.
In our discussion today all students agreed they would continue to do their best to find some funds to help pay their expenses. Although this term we are financing the school fees 100%, we encourage them to come forward with whatever small amount they have been able to save.
The Group of Six
I have finally met the group of six students who will be helped with their school fees through a bursary fund which originated at my church in Toronto, Rosedale Presbyterian Church. It was the Youth Group of this church who decided they wanted to use some of the Outreach Budget to help students in Rwanda stay in school. From left to right, Thomas, Chantal, Béata,Clénie, Jean and Gustave will be assisted with their school fees, some personal hygiene materials and school supplies. As we sat around and got acquainted this afternoon, we went through the basic things they might need. As we moved from notebooks and pens, to geometry sets, one of the young people said that he didn’t have a mattress.
Three others also admitted, ashamedly, that they had been sharing the bed of a friend because they did not have a matress.When we moved to uniforms, all admitted they have just one pair of trousers or one skirt and one shirt. Two of the boys’shirts were worn to the point of having rips. One of the girls shyly came forward to say that she does not own a uniform and was wearing one borrowed from a friend. Shoes were another problem:most were wearing borrowed shoes. The young people understand we cannot solve all their material problems, but we will do our best to equip them with the proper bedding, plastic sandals in addition to their school equipment and toilet articles. Further activities we plan to undertake with these students are to provide workshops in leadership , organizational and entrepreneurial skills. The plan is that when they have received some training they will serve as leaders in a vacation camp for primary school aged children. In order that the young people from Toronto and also the rest of the congregation, will get to know the circumstances of these young Rwandans, we have asked the six students to write a letter once a term where they talk about themselves, their families and their asademic studies.
In our discussion today all students agreed they would continue to do their best to find some funds to help pay their expenses. Although this term we are financing the school fees 100%, we encourage them to come forward with whatever small amount they have been able to save.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Motorbikes banished from Kigali for a week!
Motorbikes banished from Kigali for one week
From out of nowhere, a week ago, motorcycles were suddenly taken off the streets of Kigali! They were polluting, accident prone, unruly and considered undesirable by those who make the rash decisions this country sometimes has to live with.
Kigali is a city spread out over many hills with a relatively small centre. There are taxi busses (holding 22 people that drive on various routes but do not touch the down town area nor do they enter the residential areas. When one arrives at the edge of downtown with one of these buses, it was easy to hop on the back of a motorbike and for a dollar or two be quickly taken to your destination. The alternative? :Walking or taking a regular taxi, although the latter is too costly to consider unless you are a party of three or four. I was in Kigali yesterday and it was like a ghost down: just cars driving along with no bikes weaving through the traffic. Apparently though, the bikes are back!!! A meeting was held in the stadium last night with all the motards who thought they had lost their livelihood only to have it given back to them a week later. They will have to live with more regulations to improve the safety of their passengers. Well, there is no harm in that!
From out of nowhere, a week ago, motorcycles were suddenly taken off the streets of Kigali! They were polluting, accident prone, unruly and considered undesirable by those who make the rash decisions this country sometimes has to live with.
Kigali is a city spread out over many hills with a relatively small centre. There are taxi busses (holding 22 people that drive on various routes but do not touch the down town area nor do they enter the residential areas. When one arrives at the edge of downtown with one of these buses, it was easy to hop on the back of a motorbike and for a dollar or two be quickly taken to your destination. The alternative? :Walking or taking a regular taxi, although the latter is too costly to consider unless you are a party of three or four. I was in Kigali yesterday and it was like a ghost down: just cars driving along with no bikes weaving through the traffic. Apparently though, the bikes are back!!! A meeting was held in the stadium last night with all the motards who thought they had lost their livelihood only to have it given back to them a week later. They will have to live with more regulations to improve the safety of their passengers. Well, there is no harm in that!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Back in Kigeme after 8 weeks leave!
Back after eight weeks of leave!
Yes I was away for 8 weeks, 7 in Canada and 1 in the Netherlands. It started as a sick leave and became a 4-week holiday. And now I am back in Rwanda.
There is much to be done!! Where to start? Well it just happens. Valens, whom I have written about before and whose school fees I pay, was nowhere to be found this week, the first week of the final term. He finally showed up at lunch time Friday and told me a frustrating story: frustrating for 2 reasons. Firstly it is complicated and Valens has good French but somehow the Rwandans don’t pass on information as concisely as they could so I got lost in the details. Secondly, the news was bad: he was not at school this week because last term, the 15th of July, he was caught off campus (not in class time, so not skipping!) and told that after the holidays he was to come back a month late, the 25th of September. To make it worse, his friend Pacifique was also accused. The prefet claims he saw both of them and Pacifique swears up and down he was not there. An expulsion of 5 weeks for walking along the road off campus! Valens had come back from my housegirl’s house to see if he could get his report which he had kept in safekeeping in my house. She had the key. I am desperately trying to find the “Prefet de discipline” to see why this very severe punishment was given. He could have cleaned the dorms, or the latrines, but miss 5 weeks of last term before a national exam which will allow him to choose a specialization for the last 3 years of high school?? I clearly have to hear the other side!!!! I will keep you posted.
Had a long discussion with Theodore Prefet de discipline. This severe punishment is to show the students they mean business to enforce the rules. Apparently the principal had threatened the students that you could be expelled for the rest of the year!!!! I think I have negotiated a 2 week suspension (rather than 5)provided the boys write a request for pardon and a lessening of the punishment!! Pacifique ended up lying in this request for pardon by saying he had broken the rules when he had not. We decided he had better defer his word to that of the prefet.
This prefet, by the way is no bully. He is trying to run a school almost single-handedly because the principal is often absent and the prefet des etudes has been away since January for a “formation politique”. He came back yesterday but will resume his duties a bit later as he has not seen his wife or little girls for all that time! Getting back to Theodore, he admitted to me that he is under pressure from the rest of staff to be stricter and that he decided to flex his muscles.
I will have I discussion with the principal and Theodore on Monday. Hope I can convince them to look at other ways to enforce rules.
Happy ending: boys' pardon accepted and they can come back to school provided they bring their parents.
Yes I was away for 8 weeks, 7 in Canada and 1 in the Netherlands. It started as a sick leave and became a 4-week holiday. And now I am back in Rwanda.
There is much to be done!! Where to start? Well it just happens. Valens, whom I have written about before and whose school fees I pay, was nowhere to be found this week, the first week of the final term. He finally showed up at lunch time Friday and told me a frustrating story: frustrating for 2 reasons. Firstly it is complicated and Valens has good French but somehow the Rwandans don’t pass on information as concisely as they could so I got lost in the details. Secondly, the news was bad: he was not at school this week because last term, the 15th of July, he was caught off campus (not in class time, so not skipping!) and told that after the holidays he was to come back a month late, the 25th of September. To make it worse, his friend Pacifique was also accused. The prefet claims he saw both of them and Pacifique swears up and down he was not there. An expulsion of 5 weeks for walking along the road off campus! Valens had come back from my housegirl’s house to see if he could get his report which he had kept in safekeeping in my house. She had the key. I am desperately trying to find the “Prefet de discipline” to see why this very severe punishment was given. He could have cleaned the dorms, or the latrines, but miss 5 weeks of last term before a national exam which will allow him to choose a specialization for the last 3 years of high school?? I clearly have to hear the other side!!!! I will keep you posted.
Had a long discussion with Theodore Prefet de discipline. This severe punishment is to show the students they mean business to enforce the rules. Apparently the principal had threatened the students that you could be expelled for the rest of the year!!!! I think I have negotiated a 2 week suspension (rather than 5)provided the boys write a request for pardon and a lessening of the punishment!! Pacifique ended up lying in this request for pardon by saying he had broken the rules when he had not. We decided he had better defer his word to that of the prefet.
This prefet, by the way is no bully. He is trying to run a school almost single-handedly because the principal is often absent and the prefet des etudes has been away since January for a “formation politique”. He came back yesterday but will resume his duties a bit later as he has not seen his wife or little girls for all that time! Getting back to Theodore, he admitted to me that he is under pressure from the rest of staff to be stricter and that he decided to flex his muscles.
I will have I discussion with the principal and Theodore on Monday. Hope I can convince them to look at other ways to enforce rules.
Happy ending: boys' pardon accepted and they can come back to school provided they bring their parents.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Michelle and Thomas visit Rwanda!
I am much behind with writing to keep you up to date. It's August 4 today and I want to go back to April and early May, when Michelle and Thomas came to visit. They were most supportive and enthusiastic and it was very affirming to have them spend time with me and show such a genuine interest in my work with the schools. Michelle was able to confirm the fact that Rosedale Presbyterian Church has committed funds to support a number of secondary school students at Kigeme high school, by paying the school fees and incidental costs for school supplies and personal effects. We have chosen 6 students whom we will start to help immediately. These same students will receive some training in leadership, organization and entrepreneurial skills in preparation for their role as camp counsellors in a vacation camp for very poor children from primary school to be held in November 2007.
Here are some of the highlights of Michelle's and Thomas' visit. We spent an hour of (quality) time with a group of 13 mountain gorillas two of whom were competing silverbacks. These dominating males weigh more than 250 kilos and we were able to observe them from only 3 meters away! It was rivetting to be so close to these magnificent animals. We also accompanied Valens to his parental home so we could see where he lived and meet his parents. We left at 7am and took short cuts by going straight up the mountain and down the other side. Seven and a half hours later we arrived at his house. It was the last Saturday of the month, so we passed many a road crew fullfilling the "umaganda " requirements of community clean-up. This remote part of the province is rarely frequentded by abazungus (white people) so we caused quite a commotion as we came marching through. At one point, around noon, we had 100 or so people walking behind us, hoes over their shoulders. I have perhaps only walked this long in one day on two or three other occasions in my life. Very tiring but quite rewarding. Before we left to meet up with the motor bikes we had ordered for 4 pm, Valens asked me to give his father some advice. His father had come to visit me in Kigeme back in March to thank me for paying Valen's school fees. At that time I had offered to pay Evaste and Chantal's ( Valen's brother and sister) fees also, provided he promised not to sell any of his animals or land. This time, at his house, I praised him for supporting his childrens' going to school and urged him to continue to encourage the three children to stay in school.
Thomas and Michelle were wonderful guests and my first visitors. It makes a big difference now in the way we communicate. They know what I am talking about!
Here are some of the highlights of Michelle's and Thomas' visit. We spent an hour of (quality) time with a group of 13 mountain gorillas two of whom were competing silverbacks. These dominating males weigh more than 250 kilos and we were able to observe them from only 3 meters away! It was rivetting to be so close to these magnificent animals. We also accompanied Valens to his parental home so we could see where he lived and meet his parents. We left at 7am and took short cuts by going straight up the mountain and down the other side. Seven and a half hours later we arrived at his house. It was the last Saturday of the month, so we passed many a road crew fullfilling the "umaganda " requirements of community clean-up. This remote part of the province is rarely frequentded by abazungus (white people) so we caused quite a commotion as we came marching through. At one point, around noon, we had 100 or so people walking behind us, hoes over their shoulders. I have perhaps only walked this long in one day on two or three other occasions in my life. Very tiring but quite rewarding. Before we left to meet up with the motor bikes we had ordered for 4 pm, Valens asked me to give his father some advice. His father had come to visit me in Kigeme back in March to thank me for paying Valen's school fees. At that time I had offered to pay Evaste and Chantal's ( Valen's brother and sister) fees also, provided he promised not to sell any of his animals or land. This time, at his house, I praised him for supporting his childrens' going to school and urged him to continue to encourage the three children to stay in school.
Thomas and Michelle were wonderful guests and my first visitors. It makes a big difference now in the way we communicate. They know what I am talking about!
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
More about "staying in school"
February 14, 2006
More about "staying in school"
Well Valens is a regular visitor at my house and he assured me after I had bought the two mattresses for him and his sister that his father wanted to come and thank me. Having been away in Kigali for a week, I returned to Kigeme last Saturday. Valens came to do some English and to have a talk with Antonia (who was visiting) and me. He assured me that it was quite possible his father might arrive sometime on Sunday and could he come and meet me. I said I would be home. On Sunday, Antonia and I had a quiet morning reading outside. At 2pm we dropped by my office to use internet for a bit and then I took her to the taxi bus stop where we waited almost an hour!! Having walked back to my house, I found Valens and his dad ( I didn't even get his name) sitting on my step. Of course I invited them in, offered them a Fanta and received his many thanks and a basket of passion fruit. From father I heard, through Valens' translations, that his other two children were in school but that he had been unable to pay the full amount of the first term. I ended up offering to pay school money for the other two. Dad had made the effort to pay some to get them into the schools, but without selling his land and/or a goat he will not be able to pay the entire first term without which the children get sent home. We are not talking a whole lot of money - probably a total of about $400 for the three of them for the whole year. I feel compelled to do this. Valens is a sweetie and works really hard. He is 20 in grade 9; he was the one that should have left school last December so the other brother, Valens, aged 18 and in grade 11 and Chantal who just passed the grade 6 nat exam in November, could attend school. I decided all three should be in school - Valens because at 20 he is still determined, Evaste because he has just 2 more years and Chantal, well, because she is a girl. I repeat to Valens and his dad that this is just for one year at a time, but I have a feeling this might be more of a long-term thing. Any way as we sat there talking I found myself throwing together a quick soup because papa had walked for 5 hours to come to see me and he was probably hungry. After a quick meal, we said goodbye with him pumping my hand in more thanks and making me promise I would come and visit the family.
More about "staying in school"
Well Valens is a regular visitor at my house and he assured me after I had bought the two mattresses for him and his sister that his father wanted to come and thank me. Having been away in Kigali for a week, I returned to Kigeme last Saturday. Valens came to do some English and to have a talk with Antonia (who was visiting) and me. He assured me that it was quite possible his father might arrive sometime on Sunday and could he come and meet me. I said I would be home. On Sunday, Antonia and I had a quiet morning reading outside. At 2pm we dropped by my office to use internet for a bit and then I took her to the taxi bus stop where we waited almost an hour!! Having walked back to my house, I found Valens and his dad ( I didn't even get his name) sitting on my step. Of course I invited them in, offered them a Fanta and received his many thanks and a basket of passion fruit. From father I heard, through Valens' translations, that his other two children were in school but that he had been unable to pay the full amount of the first term. I ended up offering to pay school money for the other two. Dad had made the effort to pay some to get them into the schools, but without selling his land and/or a goat he will not be able to pay the entire first term without which the children get sent home. We are not talking a whole lot of money - probably a total of about $400 for the three of them for the whole year. I feel compelled to do this. Valens is a sweetie and works really hard. He is 20 in grade 9; he was the one that should have left school last December so the other brother, Valens, aged 18 and in grade 11 and Chantal who just passed the grade 6 nat exam in November, could attend school. I decided all three should be in school - Valens because at 20 he is still determined, Evaste because he has just 2 more years and Chantal, well, because she is a girl. I repeat to Valens and his dad that this is just for one year at a time, but I have a feeling this might be more of a long-term thing. Any way as we sat there talking I found myself throwing together a quick soup because papa had walked for 5 hours to come to see me and he was probably hungry. After a quick meal, we said goodbye with him pumping my hand in more thanks and making me promise I would come and visit the family.
Grace and her 4 girls
January 31, 2004
Grace and her 4 girls
Pastor Félicien invited me last week to accompany him into the countryside just outside the village, to visit some families. He is the parish priest of Kigeme and has decided to take the time at the end of the afternoon to make his visits. One of my initiatives is to invite the forty or so pastors in the diocese to choose one family in their parish whose school aged children are not attending school for whatever reason. I would like these pastors to build a relationship with this family with the intent to perhaps lend them the necessary support to help them get their children to school. This would give insight into 40 families and the specific hurdles they have in getting their children to primary school. Anyway, accompanying pastor Félicien would give me insight into the plight of some of these families. We arrived in the yard of a small hut where Grace was nursing her youngest daughter seated on a bare, dirty, foam mattress in front of the hut. A toddler was close by playing with a small, empty, red tomato-paste can. There were two other children of Grace's, girls, aged 7 and 8. All four children were wearing faded, tattered dresses falling off their shoulders because the sleeves were worn through. Félicien had told me about Grace. Back in September her husband had decided he was too hungry and left for Kigali. He never came back. Grace was left with the 4 children and two goats. She works some fields at a distance from her house. The harvest last October was quite good. The upcoming harvest will be poor because of the lack of rain. She also had a small pen next to the house where she kept a neighbour's pig. A few weeks ago the neighbour sold the pig, but has never even mentioned giving her money for having used her pen. Grace keeps her two goats in the house with her and the children at night, because bandits come at night to try to take them away. When Grace took one of the children to the local hospital, her health insurance was not valid because the children were not written in on her identity card but on her husband's. Félicien will follow up on this: trace the whereabouts of the father through his family who still lives in the surroundings and order him back to deal with the papers for the children so that Grace can carry on.
At the end of the visit, Grace asked one of her children to say the Lord's Prayer. When she finished, Félicien commented she had more or less included all the elements but that they were a bit jumbled. Then the oldest girl took her turn. Her version sounded more fluid. It was quite funny when Félicien burst laughing and told me she had said instead of “Give us our daily bread”: “We do not know where our food is coming from, but please give us some”. Mother obviously has moments of humour in spite of her hard life.
I was able to ask Grace some questions about her children and about her situation. She is a courageous woman, who, although struggling, is able to care for her children and herself. She was thankful for the visits so far and sees it as an answer to her prayers that Félicien has come out of nowhere to help her get identity papers for her children.
To be continued.
In the mean time I have hit the clothing market in Butare. This is an extensive second hand clothing market where there are piles and piles of neatly folded, very clean but extremely wrinkled clothing. One could easily find some of the discarded clothing that we, in the west have all given away in the black garbage bags. I zeroed in on the children's clothes thinking of Grace's 4 children. I was able to purchase 2 dresses, 2 jumpers, a skirt and 4 Tshirts. Last week Félicien and I went to drop these off to Grace. She was very thankful. I shall keep this family in my mind and in my prayers.
Grace and her 4 girls
Pastor Félicien invited me last week to accompany him into the countryside just outside the village, to visit some families. He is the parish priest of Kigeme and has decided to take the time at the end of the afternoon to make his visits. One of my initiatives is to invite the forty or so pastors in the diocese to choose one family in their parish whose school aged children are not attending school for whatever reason. I would like these pastors to build a relationship with this family with the intent to perhaps lend them the necessary support to help them get their children to school. This would give insight into 40 families and the specific hurdles they have in getting their children to primary school. Anyway, accompanying pastor Félicien would give me insight into the plight of some of these families. We arrived in the yard of a small hut where Grace was nursing her youngest daughter seated on a bare, dirty, foam mattress in front of the hut. A toddler was close by playing with a small, empty, red tomato-paste can. There were two other children of Grace's, girls, aged 7 and 8. All four children were wearing faded, tattered dresses falling off their shoulders because the sleeves were worn through. Félicien had told me about Grace. Back in September her husband had decided he was too hungry and left for Kigali. He never came back. Grace was left with the 4 children and two goats. She works some fields at a distance from her house. The harvest last October was quite good. The upcoming harvest will be poor because of the lack of rain. She also had a small pen next to the house where she kept a neighbour's pig. A few weeks ago the neighbour sold the pig, but has never even mentioned giving her money for having used her pen. Grace keeps her two goats in the house with her and the children at night, because bandits come at night to try to take them away. When Grace took one of the children to the local hospital, her health insurance was not valid because the children were not written in on her identity card but on her husband's. Félicien will follow up on this: trace the whereabouts of the father through his family who still lives in the surroundings and order him back to deal with the papers for the children so that Grace can carry on.
At the end of the visit, Grace asked one of her children to say the Lord's Prayer. When she finished, Félicien commented she had more or less included all the elements but that they were a bit jumbled. Then the oldest girl took her turn. Her version sounded more fluid. It was quite funny when Félicien burst laughing and told me she had said instead of “Give us our daily bread”: “We do not know where our food is coming from, but please give us some”. Mother obviously has moments of humour in spite of her hard life.
I was able to ask Grace some questions about her children and about her situation. She is a courageous woman, who, although struggling, is able to care for her children and herself. She was thankful for the visits so far and sees it as an answer to her prayers that Félicien has come out of nowhere to help her get identity papers for her children.
To be continued.
In the mean time I have hit the clothing market in Butare. This is an extensive second hand clothing market where there are piles and piles of neatly folded, very clean but extremely wrinkled clothing. One could easily find some of the discarded clothing that we, in the west have all given away in the black garbage bags. I zeroed in on the children's clothes thinking of Grace's 4 children. I was able to purchase 2 dresses, 2 jumpers, a skirt and 4 Tshirts. Last week Félicien and I went to drop these off to Grace. She was very thankful. I shall keep this family in my mind and in my prayers.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
The challenge to stay in school.
January 24
Earlier, I wrote about Valens, the 20 yr. old student whom I support in his 3rd year of high school ( the equivalent of grade 9). He has started his school year with renewed confidence. Last weekend he went home to hear whether his sister had passed her “examen national” at the end of grade 6. Yesterday evening, he dropped by to tell me that yes, she had passed. The new school year started January 9 but without grade 7's and grade 10's. The grade 6 and grade 9 exam results came out a week ago and it takes another week for the students to learn which school offers them a place. There are no telephones to make a quick call to get the information. People have to walk to the district office to learn the results and then go back to the school to see where they might be placed. Valens could not tell me if his sister would actually be able to continue on to high school. Based on how good the results are successful candidates coming out of grade 6 are placed in the school of their choice. Secondary school costs money, however: about $400 a year if one counts residence, food, school materials and travel home. For a family whose income may be as little as $20 a month, such a sum would be unaffordable. In Valen's family there is a third child, a son, who is 18 years old. Although 2 years younger, he is 2 years ahead of Valens. Fortunately money was found to pay his school fees. In Valens' family there may be little money, but there is the awareness that school is important and a strong commitment to get the children there.
Such was not the case for 14 year old Claudine. I saw Claudine while I was having a chat with Vénantie, the principal of Kigeme Primary School. Claudine had passed the exam she wrote last November. She came to report to Vénantie, that her father was not allowing her to further her education. He had told her that she should stay home; education was only for the privileged and the rich, he had told her. The principal urged Claudine to go to the local government office to tell her story. That office will likely invite Claudine's father to come and talk and they will urge him to change his mind. Claudine's case is an all too frequent one where a girl who wishes to continue, is not allowed to do so. Vénantie urged Claudine to come back the following day to tell how things had gone. Vénantie told me that every year at this time it breaks her heart to see many young girls thwarted in their efforts to continue their education.
January 31
Valens went home again this past weekend and reported joyously yesterday evening that his sister Chantal has started first form in a secondary school. School is an hour and a half walking from home, so she will be in residence. The family were happy with the 12, 000 francs I had sent with Valens to buy a mattress for Chantal. This afternoon I will make a run to Gikongoro to buy a mattress for Valens also. I reckon sleep and food are two important factors for academic success wherever one goes to school.
Earlier, I wrote about Valens, the 20 yr. old student whom I support in his 3rd year of high school ( the equivalent of grade 9). He has started his school year with renewed confidence. Last weekend he went home to hear whether his sister had passed her “examen national” at the end of grade 6. Yesterday evening, he dropped by to tell me that yes, she had passed. The new school year started January 9 but without grade 7's and grade 10's. The grade 6 and grade 9 exam results came out a week ago and it takes another week for the students to learn which school offers them a place. There are no telephones to make a quick call to get the information. People have to walk to the district office to learn the results and then go back to the school to see where they might be placed. Valens could not tell me if his sister would actually be able to continue on to high school. Based on how good the results are successful candidates coming out of grade 6 are placed in the school of their choice. Secondary school costs money, however: about $400 a year if one counts residence, food, school materials and travel home. For a family whose income may be as little as $20 a month, such a sum would be unaffordable. In Valen's family there is a third child, a son, who is 18 years old. Although 2 years younger, he is 2 years ahead of Valens. Fortunately money was found to pay his school fees. In Valens' family there may be little money, but there is the awareness that school is important and a strong commitment to get the children there.
Such was not the case for 14 year old Claudine. I saw Claudine while I was having a chat with Vénantie, the principal of Kigeme Primary School. Claudine had passed the exam she wrote last November. She came to report to Vénantie, that her father was not allowing her to further her education. He had told her that she should stay home; education was only for the privileged and the rich, he had told her. The principal urged Claudine to go to the local government office to tell her story. That office will likely invite Claudine's father to come and talk and they will urge him to change his mind. Claudine's case is an all too frequent one where a girl who wishes to continue, is not allowed to do so. Vénantie urged Claudine to come back the following day to tell how things had gone. Vénantie told me that every year at this time it breaks her heart to see many young girls thwarted in their efforts to continue their education.
January 31
Valens went home again this past weekend and reported joyously yesterday evening that his sister Chantal has started first form in a secondary school. School is an hour and a half walking from home, so she will be in residence. The family were happy with the 12, 000 francs I had sent with Valens to buy a mattress for Chantal. This afternoon I will make a run to Gikongoro to buy a mattress for Valens also. I reckon sleep and food are two important factors for academic success wherever one goes to school.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Back in Rwanda with my crew
Back in Rwanda with my crew!
Have been a bit lax with no entries for almost 2 months. I did sneak to Holland for 3 weeks and there indulged myself like a mad woman in food and drink and spent a ton of money on myself and on things to take back here. A pleasant surprise in Holland was the fact that the clothes I had left there in July were miles too big. I had to find a friendly Moroccan in Bussum to have them taken in. This did mean I was allowed to shop some to get decked out for the few festivities I attended – my own Birthday party arranged by friend Ineke and the 25 th wedding party of my cousin Willem and his wife Pien. Those two really know how to party! Then I mustn’t forget the Christmas and New Year’s at Elise and Jan Willem’s. Mother and I also went for many a lunch and a dinner or two and of course mammie’s 94th birthday on Des 27. Anyway, I was looking forward to going back with some trepidation mostly due to the fact I had gotten quite lazy. And being back almost a week it still feels OK.
Jacqueline, who comes for food frequently, was glad to see me but gestured to her ragged and filthy skirt asking if I had brought her a new one. I had not, but am now resolved to buy her a new one even though I have decided Jacqueline is not very likeable. She always asks for more and does not help herself very well. Quite pathetic, but not likeable.
Claudine, my help, looked after Jacqueline three times a week while I was away. That is to say she came to my house three times a week and cooked for Jacqueline and watered the garden. The latter was necessary as it only rained once during my absence. Since I have been back it has rained practically every day. Claudine was happy to see me and excited about the clothes I brought back for her. She is also pleased I now have 3 working radios. She has one on all day and I have to ask her to turn it off during lunch because I just cannot bear the music and chatter. The garden is looking good. My sister Myra’s carrots were duds unfortunately so we will now try the carrot seeds I got from Richard and Deb Holdsworth. The zucchinis are growing as is the corn. There are some cucumbers and beans and swiss chard coming and I am going to seed some more flowers and try the tomatoes. The latter are so cheap and quite tasty at the markets, that it is hardly worth the trouble. As far as my plot is concerned, the climate is great but the soil is very poor. We have applied a second bit of compost – from my garden waste after the first compost came from the local cows. Speaking of we, I come to Valens, the student whom I helped stay in school at the end of the school year by paying the remaining $35 of his school fees. In exchange - we established this in November - he was to help me in the garden. Before Christmas, which was just after the school year ended, we decided I would support him this coming year also. School feels are about $300 plus supplies and toiletries. Before I left, Valens told me he wanted to start taking photos and was looking for an old camera. There is a lot of interest to have your picture taken here. Also people want their weddings and parties photographed and they are willing to pay. Valens figures he can get some extra money by doing this and hopes to help pay for his brother’s school expenses, not to speak of his younger sister who also wants to start secondary school but is still waiting for the results of the national exam she wrote in November at the end of grade 6. Anyway I did find a neglected camera in Holland and put a roll of twelve in which he shot today and will take to town tomorrow to see how they worked. My aunt and uncle in Bussum handed me 25 euros before leaving and I bought film for him so he can get started and make some profit right away instead of having to purchase the film too. Valens is a tiny 20 year old. A bit of a country bumpkin, but eager to learn. As he says, he is too frail to be cutting down trees or doing other physical labour (which by the way is hard to find as is any kind of paying work), so he might as well take pictures and leave himself enough energy to work on his studies. He is 20 entering the 9th year of schooling with three more to go if he gets this year ( a national exam) . The school tells me he is one of the best students in his year. Yet when he was leafing through a MacLean’s magazine lying on my coffee table, he did not know anything about advertising. He had never heard of Microsoft, or IBM and did not understand the difference between the pages with articles and the ads! This just captures how isolated the youth in this part of the country are from the rest of the world. Evenif they wanted, it is hard to find books, magazines and newspapers to read. Public computers are more than an hour by bus away and that costs $2! There is a lot I can help this kid with and he really is keen to learn. He is aware of his very African accent in French and wants me to help him improve. Below you see Valens at 5.30 am leaving my place (this was in December) on his way home – a 6 hour walk. I will keep you posted.
Have been a bit lax with no entries for almost 2 months. I did sneak to Holland for 3 weeks and there indulged myself like a mad woman in food and drink and spent a ton of money on myself and on things to take back here. A pleasant surprise in Holland was the fact that the clothes I had left there in July were miles too big. I had to find a friendly Moroccan in Bussum to have them taken in. This did mean I was allowed to shop some to get decked out for the few festivities I attended – my own Birthday party arranged by friend Ineke and the 25 th wedding party of my cousin Willem and his wife Pien. Those two really know how to party! Then I mustn’t forget the Christmas and New Year’s at Elise and Jan Willem’s. Mother and I also went for many a lunch and a dinner or two and of course mammie’s 94th birthday on Des 27. Anyway, I was looking forward to going back with some trepidation mostly due to the fact I had gotten quite lazy. And being back almost a week it still feels OK.
Jacqueline, who comes for food frequently, was glad to see me but gestured to her ragged and filthy skirt asking if I had brought her a new one. I had not, but am now resolved to buy her a new one even though I have decided Jacqueline is not very likeable. She always asks for more and does not help herself very well. Quite pathetic, but not likeable.
Claudine, my help, looked after Jacqueline three times a week while I was away. That is to say she came to my house three times a week and cooked for Jacqueline and watered the garden. The latter was necessary as it only rained once during my absence. Since I have been back it has rained practically every day. Claudine was happy to see me and excited about the clothes I brought back for her. She is also pleased I now have 3 working radios. She has one on all day and I have to ask her to turn it off during lunch because I just cannot bear the music and chatter. The garden is looking good. My sister Myra’s carrots were duds unfortunately so we will now try the carrot seeds I got from Richard and Deb Holdsworth. The zucchinis are growing as is the corn. There are some cucumbers and beans and swiss chard coming and I am going to seed some more flowers and try the tomatoes. The latter are so cheap and quite tasty at the markets, that it is hardly worth the trouble. As far as my plot is concerned, the climate is great but the soil is very poor. We have applied a second bit of compost – from my garden waste after the first compost came from the local cows. Speaking of we, I come to Valens, the student whom I helped stay in school at the end of the school year by paying the remaining $35 of his school fees. In exchange - we established this in November - he was to help me in the garden. Before Christmas, which was just after the school year ended, we decided I would support him this coming year also. School feels are about $300 plus supplies and toiletries. Before I left, Valens told me he wanted to start taking photos and was looking for an old camera. There is a lot of interest to have your picture taken here. Also people want their weddings and parties photographed and they are willing to pay. Valens figures he can get some extra money by doing this and hopes to help pay for his brother’s school expenses, not to speak of his younger sister who also wants to start secondary school but is still waiting for the results of the national exam she wrote in November at the end of grade 6. Anyway I did find a neglected camera in Holland and put a roll of twelve in which he shot today and will take to town tomorrow to see how they worked. My aunt and uncle in Bussum handed me 25 euros before leaving and I bought film for him so he can get started and make some profit right away instead of having to purchase the film too. Valens is a tiny 20 year old. A bit of a country bumpkin, but eager to learn. As he says, he is too frail to be cutting down trees or doing other physical labour (which by the way is hard to find as is any kind of paying work), so he might as well take pictures and leave himself enough energy to work on his studies. He is 20 entering the 9th year of schooling with three more to go if he gets this year ( a national exam) . The school tells me he is one of the best students in his year. Yet when he was leafing through a MacLean’s magazine lying on my coffee table, he did not know anything about advertising. He had never heard of Microsoft, or IBM and did not understand the difference between the pages with articles and the ads! This just captures how isolated the youth in this part of the country are from the rest of the world. Evenif they wanted, it is hard to find books, magazines and newspapers to read. Public computers are more than an hour by bus away and that costs $2! There is a lot I can help this kid with and he really is keen to learn. He is aware of his very African accent in French and wants me to help him improve. Below you see Valens at 5.30 am leaving my place (this was in December) on his way home – a 6 hour walk. I will keep you posted.
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