Posts from December, 2008
-
Anne in Rwanda – Friday, December 12
Friday, December 12, 2008
Today began much like yesterday, although I was looking forward to my early morning cold shower. I hopped out of bed, turned on the fawcett and ….no water. I didn’t shower last night because I was told that the tank had just been filled; and since it was past midnight when I went to my room and it was chilly…I decided to wait. Now I was kicking myself. After trying for ½ an hour I gave up, and got dressed and organized to go to breakfast. I decided to try one more time before I left the room…and…miracle of miracles….there was water! Turns out there had been water all along, but someone forgot to turn the tap that opens the water tank into the pipes. I can tell you that were the best cold shower I have ever taken!
The day today was devoted to scheduling the first 2 weeks of the children’s lives at the village. There is so much work that still needs to be done but I remind myself of 2 things: 1) they have been in the village for a month, during which time Jean-Pierre, their fearless leader, spent over two weeks traveling the countryside arranging for the kids who had been chosen to come to the village; Nir was crazy busy with construction, move in etc., and Anne and Sifa were nowhere to be found. 2) They have the warmest hearts and are so excited to be here and to make a difference. They do not understand yet how to apply what they have learned, but they have barely had time to internalize the – so far purely theoretical – philosophy and methodology they have heard. I do believe they will get it but I am reminded that this project is exactly that….a project. And it is going to take quite some time on every front.
Continue… -
Anne in Rwanda – Thursday, December 11
Thursday, December 11, 1008
Today was orientation at the Village for all the staff who are currently living and working there (that is everyone except the teachers, who are still in training in Israel). We began the 3 day seminar, with some introductory remarks by Jean-Pierre, and then some “ice-breaker” games which were led by Mor, one of the Israeli volunteers. We had to learn to say “my name is….in Kinyarwandan; and “my job is……..” and then go around introducing ourselves, and then had to recite who we met and what they did. Not easy, but fun.
After this, I had the floor, and I spoke to everyone for about 2 hours about the origins and history of ASYV and also the philosophy behind what we are doing, who our partners were that made it happen, etc. They were really fascinated – they had heard partial stories before, but it kind of blew them away. After a break, they had more questions for me, which we eventually had to cut off – I think they could have gone on forever. The truth is they are so serious about trying to understand exactly what we want from them – i.e. what it is that they need to do in order to create the type of Village we are talking about. They want to discuss not only tools but how to use them, in what circumstances. They asked really great questions, and I think were genuinely pleased with the answers. After a break for a really delicious lunch (rice and beans are a staple…you would love it here) and a great salad too with avocado….my favorite …anyway Sifa then spoke about the ASYV philosophy in the Rwandan reality. This quickly led to a continuation of our previous discussion – i.e. applied philosophy. After this 3 of the counselors led an exercise where we were each paired with someone and given a list of personal questions designed to let them get to know you (meaning of your name, favorite place, food, animal etc.) and also to talk about the personal meaning of being at ASYV….I am here because…..; I wish I could find……at ASYV; The thing I like most about ASYV is….; the thing I like least about ASYV, etc.
Continue… -
Anne in Rwanda – Wednesday, December 10
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Today was orientation at the Village for all the staff who are currently living and working there (that is everyone except the teachers, who are still in training in Israel). We began the 3 day seminar, with some introductory remarks by Jean-Pierre, and then some “ice-breaker” games which were led by Mor, one of the Israeli volunteers. We had to learn to say “my name is….in Kinyarwandan; and “my job is……..” and then go around introducing ourselves, and then had to recite who we met and what they did. Not easy, but fun.
After this, I had the floor, and I spoke to everyone for about 2 hours about the origins and history of ASYV and also the philosophy behind what we are doing, who our partners were that made it happen, etc. They were really fascinated – they had heard partial stories before, but it kind of blew them away. After a break, they had more questions for me, which we eventually had to cut off – I think they could have gone on forever. The truth is they are so serious about trying to understand exactly what we want from them – i.e. what it is that they need to do in order to create the type of Village we are talking about. They want to discuss not only tools but how to use them, in what circumstances. They asked really great questions, and I think were genuinely pleased with the answers. After a break for a really delicious lunch (rice and beans are a staple…you would love it here) and a great salad too with avocado….my favorite …anyway Sifa then spoke about the ASYV philosophy in the Rwandan reality. This quickly led to a continuation of our previous discussion – i.e. applied philosophy. After this 3 of the counselors led an exercise where we were each paired with someone and given a list of personal questions designed to let them get to know you (meaning of your name, favorite place, food, animal etc.) and also to talk about the personal meaning of being at ASYV….I am here because…..; I wish I could find……at ASYV; The thing I like most about ASYV is….; the thing I like least about ASYV, etc.
Continue… -
Anne in Rwanda – Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Once again on the plane from Brussels to Kigali….it seems to be the only time I have a moment to sit and reflect on where I am, what is happening in my life. I like this leg of the journey…it allows me time to prepare for being in Rwanda. It feels as though I haven’t been here in so long; in the life of this project 5 months is indeed forever. So much has changed since the last time I was here. I have no doubt though, that there is much that has remained the same.
In the last month or so I have often been asked what it feels like, now that our first 125 kids are moving into the village. I am thinking about what we have accomplished in the last year. On August 17, 2007 we had a groundbreaking ceremony on a piece of land that had no roads, no infrastructure – a bulldozer had just cleared some land upon which we could hold a ceremony. We did have the village plan, and the land that was cleared was intended to be – and is now – the village “center”. Today directly behind this spot is a 2 story dining hall large enough to seat 750 people, with an incredible outdoor patio with extraordinary views of the beautiful surrounding hills and lakes. 32 children’s houses are nestled beautifully into the opposite hillside; a soccer field is slowly taking shape between them. On a hill behind the dining hall sits the ASYV high school, nearing completion for its opening day in January. And these are just the buildings.
Continue… -
ASYV Founder in Rwanda for Opening of Village
Anne Heyman, Founder, ASYV, has traveled to Rwanda for the opening of the village. On December 15th, the first 125 residents will come to the village to begin their new lives.
While in Rwanda, we will be posting Anne’s thoughts about this wonderful event. So stay tuned and come back often to hear a day by day account of a dream come true.
-
THE VILLAGE IS OPENING ASYV Update – December 2008
With the doors of the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) set to open this month, and the first cohort of Rwandan youth about to make ASYV their home, we want to take a moment to both look back with pride at all that had been achieved and look forward to all that has still to be accomplished.
The following timeline shows the highlights of the project chronologically; from immediately following the lecture Anne Heyman attended in November 2005 at which she first learned of the lingering legacy of the Rwandan Genocide, until today, when the first Youth Village in Africa stands ready to receive its first residents.
Anne’s first step, with the guidance of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), was to research youth villages in Israel. In so doing she came up with a model which could be followed and replicated, that of the Yemin Orde Youth Village. The next step was to determine whether this model would make sense in the Rwandan context. A trip to Rwanda in May of 2006 soon confirmed that not only would the model fit well with Rwandan cultural norms but that there was a desperate need for it. A subsequent trip to Rwanda in July of 2007, during which a group of Ethiopian Israeli graduates of Yemin Orde shared the model and their stories, led to the formation of a group of Ethiopian Israelis who will each spend time volunteering at ASYV. During that trip Sifa Nsengimana was hired as the project’s Executive Director and a local Country Director was hired as well.
Continue… -
ASYV Teachers at The Feuerstein Institute
December 1, 2008
Below is a photo of The ASYV Teachers studying at the International Center for the Enhancement for Learning Potential (ICELP). They are engaged in a 6-week program designed to provide them with the skills to maximize the students’ aptitude for learning.
