December 2008
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Home based on Jewish Principles to help Rwandan Genocide Orphans
December 15, 2008
By: Nicole Kallmeyer
The Globe and MailRwandan genocide survivor, Innocent Gisanura, doesn’t know much about Judaism, but the counselor at a new home for genocide orphans can explain the Jewish philosophies of tikkun halev and tikkun olam.
“The first is healing the heart, the second is healing the world,” he said.
These are the guiding principles of Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, built amid the undulating rural landscape of Rwanda’s Rwamagana district, 50 kilometers from the capital of Kigali.
[To read more of this article, download the PDF]
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Anne in Rwanda – Thursday, December 18
Thursday, December 18, 2008
It was lonely to wake up without Jason today….I missed our early morning snuggle. I went to take my usual cold shower with my usual dread, but when I turned on the taps….no water. Unfortunately one of the big issues we have is that “people” – who knows who – turn on the taps and just leave them running. Its possible that they turn them on and there is no water and they just leave them open, but I have seen village people – i.e. our people – walk by the outdoor laundry sinks where the water is running away and not bother going over to turn it off. Lots of education on every front is really needed.
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ASYV Teachers in Israel – Complete ICELP Training
The ASYV High School Teachers have completed their training at the International Center for the Enhancement for Learning Potential (ICELP) in Israel and received their diplomas. They now will now begin a week of training from Cisco Systems and head back home to Rwanda.
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Anne in Rwanda – Opening Day, Monday, December 15
Monday, December 15, 2008
Today was just unbelievable. The morning started out very slowly, and in dealing with (and watching Nir deal with) so many frustrating issues (water, houses not complete, things not working, not enough beds)…and many others that I won’t go into here. Anyway, at some point Sifa and I turned to each other and said “we are going to ignore everything from now on and just enjoy” – and shook hands on it. It is interesting that both of us were feeling kind of down this morning….I was exhausted too, which didn’t help.
The kids started arriving at about 11:30 this morning. They gathered at the dining hall, and then in groups of about 20 they were taken on tours of the village by the counselors and house mothers. At 2:00 pm gathered on the veranda of the dining hall. Each child was supposed to come with one guardian, but of course many many more showed up. Everyone was very gracious though, and it was good. At about 2:30 we started, with Sifa introducing all the village staff, and then me. I told the kids that they would be asked the story of the village many times, so I thought that it was appropriate that they heard it from the source. I basically went through the history, with Sifa translating. Many “grunts” of acknowledgement, as you know the Rwandans do when they agree and are following, and lots of bursts of clapping. It was really wonderful, and quite incredible really to be standing with that beautiful view, talking about the future of both the kids and ASYV. I had been asked many times what my hope was for these children, and I told them it was for them to see this as an opportunity, to take advantage, to learn as much as they can and realize how much they can achieve, and then to take those lessons and share them with someone else. The vice-Ambassador for the U.S. had asked if she could come today, and I told her yes, but no speeches as this was just a welcome home. When I went to sit down next to her she had tears in her eyes, and said….”the power of one…what an incredible story”.
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Liquidnet At the ASYV Village Opening
There are four members of the Liquidnet Family in Rwanda to attend the opening of the village and to set up the village’s internet capabilities.
To view their impressions of the village and their trip; visit their blog at http://race4rwanda.tumblr.com/
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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.
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