7800 square feet of hope and potential!

Oct19
What a difference a year makes!  As I reflect on where we were last year at this time it’s amazing to think our goal is so near. Construction has moved along well and I’ll be heading to Rwanda October 21st to check things out first hand.  With the roof scheduled to be up the later part of October, in time for the start of the rainy season, the 7,800 square foot Rwinkwavu Community Library and Learning Center will open its doors in the first quarter of 2012.
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Site before construction began this past March – note Partners In Health storage building on the right

Our focus this trip is on finalizing the myriad details that need to be in place to get us up and running. We’ve carefully thought out furniture, equipment, programming and staffing and how this will all work together. After a couple of years looking at two dimensional drawings it’ll be so thrilling to walk into the main entrance and through the RCLLC room by room. Imagine story hour in the preschool room, shouts of children on the playground, afterschool homework groups, soccer nights in the amphitheater, game night in the Reading Room, a group of adults practicing their English.  A welcoming space characterized by the buzz of congenial congestion that’ll serve the needs of all age groups, bringing the generations and community together.

October 13th site photo – same view looking towards the storage building - roof trusses going up

October 13th site photo – same view looking towards the storage building - roof trusses going up

We believe that ultimately, the quality of what happens inside the building, along with local participation and a feeling of ownership, will be what defines the success of the Center. Be sure to continue to check our blog for updates and photos from the road! Betsy

Foundation and Slab Portion of Construction Nearly Done

Aug2
As I write this update the slab is being poured…or not exactly. I should say it’s being laid. The workers mix the cement on the ground at the site and transport it via very large bowls carried on their heads. Foundation rocks are also moved this way or in wheelbarrows. There’s no heavy machinery…all excavation, footings, foundation and slab work are done with hand tools and muscle. One of the things we were adamant about was that the work force should all be local. There are approximately 150 workers employed, divided into day and night shifts AND 50% of these laborers are women! They dig, lift and transport just like their male counterparts. There’s also a carpentry and welding workshop on-site where most of the woodwork and metal components and furniture will be made by local craftsmen. So, with the foundation and slab portion of construction nearly done we are looking forward to seeing the brick walls go up at the end of the week! Be sure to take a look at the slide show…as they say a picture’s worth a thousand words. Betsy

World Read Aloud Day – March 9, 2011

Apr15
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What a whirlwind! This was our first year participating in LitWorld’s World Read Aloud Day, and we decided to visit each of the five schools in the Rwinkwavu area.

p3092076Rwandan pop star Shanel volunteered her time for the day to read to the students in Rwinkwavu. The kids were extremely excited for Shanel’s visit and as we approached each school children standing along the side of the road were screaming, “Miss Shanel, Miss Shanel” eager for her to look their way.

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We chose a Kinyarwanda story from Bakame, a local publisher, called Kageni by Augusitini Gasake and illustrated by Feligisi Seminega. The kids were captivated by the story and it was incredible to watch the sea of happy faces turn like dominos to see the pictures. At one point in the story, a bird sings “zwi, zwi, zwi” and the children had so much fun tweeting along.

The students and teachers at Nkondo One were well prepared for our visit. We were escorted into the school’s beautiful courtyard. All of the students marched in and sat under the trees for story time. Four of the students had prepared an English story to read to Shanel. They proudly stood in front of their classmates and took turns reading.

At each of the schools the teachers thanked us and said that it was so nice for the students. Inevitably, the conversion would result in the teachers asking for more books. It was fantastic to be able to tell them that in one year we will have a library full of books along with boxes of books to lend to each of their schools. What a great day!