Ungana Foundation

Book Donation!

2009-11-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

Recently an English education company teaching in Japan named INTERAC made a sizable book donation through the Ungana Foundation, to the community of Gisenyi, Rwanda. The gentleman spearheading this charitable act is Brian McDonough, Manager of the Curriculum Development Department (pictured below in the center). Among the books they have sent are actual English language lesson books for children and adults, story books, college entrance exam preparation materials, and much much more. All in all, more than 300 books were shipped and should arrive in a few months. We can't thank INTERAC, Brian, Emi Takenaka and Ashley Linford (whose connections at INTERAC made this possible) enough for their efforts to improve the English literacy of Rwanda's poor.

When the books are received, we'll post pictures and more info regarding the placement in Rwanda.

Health Care Program

2009-09-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

A very gracias Brianne Moffitt and David Kuwada worked with the Ungana Foundation to put together a Health seminar for OB/GYN nurses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their focus was on complications and infectious diseases, as well as pain management. These nurses graduated and receieved certificates for their participation. Below are some pictures of the seminar and Dave and Brianne's visit to a Rwandan hospital. Notice the XO Laptops used to help the nurses follow the PDF slides of the seminar, very cool!

Getting to know Rwanda...

2009-09-08T11:10:00.000-07:00

Classes and the XO Team

2009-09-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

Back in the US

2009-09-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

What a run we had in Rwanda! Government consulting, university consulting, One Laptop Per Child, and much progress towards greater development goals in Rwanda and Congo. All of the US citizens working with the Ungana Foundation are now back home, while the local help is continuing the efforts for the next month and a half. Alyssa Callister and myself will do what we can to fundraise and build awareness about the project, while refreshing our minds and gathering new strategies to move forward. So after a few community events and an OLPC conference in Boston next month, we're back off to the land of a thousand hills.

Alexander Erickson
Managing Director, Ungana Foundation

The Deployment Assistance Program (XDAP)

2009-08-03T02:58:00.000-07:00

The Ungana Foundation is currently building an assistance program that compliments the laptops from One Laptop Per Child. Its called the Deployment Assistance Program, or XDAP. Below is a summary of the program:

In 2008 President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, signed a deal with One Laptop per Child Association (OLPC) to purchase over 100,000 laptops for Rwanda’s primary schools. OLPC is based on a product called the “XO” laptop; a piece of hardware utilized for children’s education more than a general processor. While understanding the XO is a step towards understanding technology, it drives overall education both through matriculation into the classroom and within a home environment. Requiring a combination of technical service and pedagogical training, the XO laptop is less a computer and more a virtual textbook. Children grasp this concept quickly while schools, teachers, and parents require a host of preparation modules before the community takes project sovereignty.

The Ungana Foundation’s XO Deployment Assistance Program (XDAP) provides this preparation including long-term support and after-school learning activities designed to maximize the XO’s value. Assistance means technical service for the Internet connection specifics and hardware provisions. It means teacher training, and student workshops. It means creating a regional laptop center for XDAP. This center serves as an information portal for recent private purchasers of the XO in Rubavu District, Rwanda. It makes laptops available, answers buyer questions, and tracks and manages XO laptop deployments across the district.

Simply put, children will benefit from these machines; imaginations will be exercised; and learning will take place in ways never before captured in a formal education setting.

We are seeking funding for this program from various sources, if you would like to help or you want to see the detailed XDAP plan, please email us at: info@unganafoundation.org

Alexander Erickson - Managing Director, Ungana Foundation

Differences in the Health Care World

2009-07-24T02:40:00.000-07:00

July is wrapping up and UNGANA’s nurse seminars are ready to impact the people of Goma. Brianne, our nurse, arrived to Rwanda on Saturday and it’s great to see the enthusiasm of our last volunteer of this summer. To start off Brianne’s experience of Africa I took her to tour the Gisenyi Regional Hospital. It was great to see her reactions of the vast differences of the clinics and hospitals from Africa verses the United States. She was awed by the conditions of the delivery rooms and equipment used to treat patients. It was good to hear her say “I can’t wait to show the doctors and nurses at my office these pictures to remind them how good we have it”. The visit was a great reminder to Brianne and I of the many medical circumstances we take for granted at home.
Even Rwanda, which is one of the fastest developing countries in Africa, is still leaps and bounds away from achieving the health care standards of most western communities. UGNANA hopes that the seminars of this week will just be the start to the many programs that will be implemented into the region. This exciting event is just the beginning of the many great resources that will soon be flowing to Africa. I can only look forward to the changes that will occur here and the hand that UNGANA will have in its success. Thanks for reading and I plan on bringing more great news here soon.

Brianne Nurse Volunteer

2009-07-24T02:33:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone my name is Brianne Moffitt. Dave introduced me a little bit previously, but I am indeed the RN. I am from Logan, Utah and I still reside there. I graduated from school three years ago and have worked for Cache Valley Women’s Center ever since. I was so excited when the Ungana Foundation asked me to come to Africa.

As we headed to the border of the Congo I have to admit I got nervous and scared a bit. I have only been in Rwanda for a few days and have only heard scary things about the Congo. As soon as we met up with our friends from the Congo I felt a lot more at ease. They knew exactly where to take us and how to get there. The city was so busy, the drivers were crazy. That probably ended up being the most dangerous part of the trip. We met at a school classroom which we appreciate them letting us use. When I came to Africa they told me I would be teaching 7 nurses a day instead it was like 16-20 nurses, most of who were male which was interesting to me. Doctor Jonathan was there to translate and he did a terrific job. Everyone participated and asked questions. It was so fun to hear the questions they had for me. For example one nurse asked, “Why are Americans scared of breastfeeding”? It was hard to answer that without smiling. When I told them I had never dealt with a pregnant AIDs patient in Logan, Utah there was shock. I told them I had to read about it and ask the doctors I work for about treatment. They did not believe me they kept asking me if I was lying. Their faces were unforgettable when I read statistics from the States on AIDs. It was a very humbling experience. They wanted to know how we do it, why are there so few people with AIDs. I wasn’t quite sure how to respond.

When I was finished with all of the material they asked if I could come back for more days. I told them I didn’t have any more material then they asked if I could get more. Throughout the seminar I could not tell if they were enjoying the seminars so it was great to see their responses. It was so fun/interesting to compare stories and treatments. They have taught me so much. When we left they had one of the nurses stand and thank us. It was so sweet and nice of him. It was such a great learning experience for me and hopefully for them too.

2009-07-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

Utah State University has written a nice article on our work over here in Rwanda with the XO computers and OLPC. Thanks for helping to get the message spread in the U.S. about Ungana Foundation's mission and goals.

Alyssa Callister

President

Ungana Foundation

2009-07-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

It's always fabulous to read some nice publicity about our work here in Rwanda! Thanks for helping get the word out that we are partnered with wonderful organizations doing great work.

...Yet among the most exciting of endeavors is a joint-venture between Université Libre de Kigali (ULK) and the Ungana Foundation, based in Gisenyi....

Alyssa Callister

President

Ungana Foundation

2009-07-13T04:39:00.000-07:00

It was the day of pomp and circumstance.

2009-07-13T01:26:00.000-07:00

Today we hosted a formal event, designed to give parents, district and city officials, and school administrators a look at the wonderful opportunities that are coming their way.

The event – highly publicized and attended by several popular leaders, including Senator Balinda, who is also the founder of the Independent University of Kigali (ULK) – was covered by Rwanda Television, and showed the country some of the things that ULK and The UNGANA Foundation are doing to enable progress.

We got the chance to showcase some of the XO laptop activities that the children at the E.P.GI Primary School have been working on over the last couple of weeks, and it was honestly amazing to hear the reaction of the crowd when one of our students logged onto her XO, opened the Web browser, and searched for images of Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame. She then wowed them with her ability to copy an image to the clipboard and paste it in a text document, then write a sentence about the President.

That’s after two weeks of having the XO for one hour per day.

This is a perfect example of the limitless opportunities that come as a result of the XOs. The kick-off event began a process that – with the guidance of The UNGANA Foundation, the teachers, school officials, and the entire community – has the ability to transform these children’s education.

Power into the hands of those that crave it.

Coy Whittier
Communications Associate
The UNGANA Foundation

Our Colleagues

2009-07-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

Getting known in Rwanda

2009-07-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

The other day we had breakfast with a gentlemen named Albert Nsengiyumva, a great friend and local contact. He was excited because the previous evening an acquaintance was telling him about the "Ungana Foundation". Albert was taken back! It wasn't just that someone knew about us, but this was his SECOND conversation about Ungana - the first was with the Minister of Education! He told us both gentlemen were well aware of our presence and stated "these guys are serious". We were certainly ecstatic to hear that Ungana was being hailed by the Minister of Education and came up in dinner conversation. It was a true sign that our organization is now here, and here to stay.

Also in our meeting with Albert, he informed us about a campaign he'd thought up years ago but never found the right partner. Between praises for our current work, and an offer to share USAID grant money, he invited Ungana to manage his idea; its called "Rwanda, Its Possible". The plan involves a national awareness of smaller entrepreneurs who have succeeded. Imagine a portfolio of success stories, publized throughout the country to inspire rural entreneurs and provide hope in the seemingly impossible. Albert's network of higher-ups would put the campaign on the national stage, recruiting Ministers, business leaders, Rwanda's most exclusive group the "Unity Club", and even the President himself. "Rwanda, Its Possible" is a perfect segway into our entrepreneurship endeavors planned for 2010.

Needless to say, things are moving at a quickening pace. Despite our many rejections to offers for partnership, the projects are building up. Our next step is funding then recruitment. We've met a great team of Rwandese young professionals to manage our programs and can't wait to give them personal ownership in what we're trying to do.

Loving Our Work in Rwanda

2009-07-05T22:30:00.000-07:00

The Little XO Computer That Could... in the Congo

2009-07-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

The deployment in Goma (Congo) is coming along as well. Although many officials and members of the media are excited for the project, it has been a wild two weeks in Goma.

This week, the President Kabila arrived in Goma and will be here for two weeks. Kabila is the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and it has been quite the spectacle. Kabila is rarely in Goma and the streets are lined with thousands of soldiers armed with AKs and rocket launchers. June 30 was the Independence Day in Congo and these soldiers were in formation as a part of a parade and celebration on the streets of Goma.

Despite the hectic environment, the planning for the deployment has been going quite well. A classroom is available at the district offices and the Education Privet (Director of Education in Goma) along with UNHCR is helping with a choice of the initial primary school.

The Ungana Foundation and students from the University of Kinshasa (involved in OLPC Corps) have extensive plans for the deployment including the children designing their own schoolhouse on the XO computers that will then be constructed by the Ungana Foundation.

Alyssa Callister

President

The Ungana Foundation

Entrepeneurialism

2009-07-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Ungana Foundation has been fortunate enough to develop a strong partnership with ULK (the Independent University of Kigali and second largest University in the country) and with Senator Balinda (Rwandan Senator and founder/director of the University).

As a result of this partnership we have been fortunate enough to work with the University on multiple projects one of which being the development of an incubation center. The incubation center is basically a resource center for students who want to begin their own businesses. Eventually the center will include affordable short-term office space but for right now it will operate on the basis of informational resources and a series of labs.

The Ungana Foundation has made many observations about the business culture in Rwanda since beginning operations here, one of these observations being that many Rwandan university students graduate and take positions far below their qualifications. This is due, in part, to a reserved nature and aversion to an entrepreneurial mindset.

The labs that the Ungana Foundation will set up in the incubation center are centered around changing this mindset. The labs utilize a mentor program, real world observation/case study, role play, and a community project to teach competitive thinking and leadership. The incubation center is set to open in the next few weeks in Kigali and will then open at the Gisenyi extension campus as well.

These type of entrepeneurial skills are a critical pillar of our foundation. Designing and setting up this center has provided much of the base research and curriculum necessary for the entrepreneurial training program that the Ungana Foundation will launch in conjunction with a socially responsible business in the near future.

Alyssa Callister

President

Ungana Foundation

Emphasis on Education

2009-07-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Ungana Foundation has been working tirelessly this month on a multitude of projects. The hard work that the associates have been exerting towards the goals of this organization can be seen in the many recent successes Ungana has experienced.

Ungana is focused on what we believe are the four pillars of development: Education, Entrepreneurialism, Health, and Environmentalism. Ungana has moved ahead with projects in both Rwanda (Gisenyi) and Congo (Goma) based on these core missions

The Ungana Foundation just completed a pilot education program at a second primary school in Gisenyi without the XO Laptops. This program highlighted the Ungana Foundations emphasis on English, money management, and health education to primary schools. The Ungana Foundation hosted five volunteers from various universities in the United States that each taught different subjects in the program. The program went extremely well and we expect to use the structure of the program with a few modifications at multiple schools in the area.

In addition to the primary school education the Ungana Foundation is also holding weekend English tutoring for educators in Gisenyi. Rwanda is currently switching from a Francophone to an Anglophone country and as such will be mandating instruction in English. This has been extremely difficult for the teachers as English is not their first language. Almost all schools in the area that we have spoken to have expressed a strong desire for a program designed to help this transition. The Ungana Foundation has been quick to oblige and we hope to help many educators in the area achieve their goals.

Alyssa Callister

President

The Ungana Foundation

Seeking a Ray of Sunshine

2009-06-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

"No ray of sunshine

is ever lost

but the green that it awakens to life

needs time to sprout,

and it is not always given

to the sower

to live to see the harvest.

All work worth anything is done by faith."

-Albert Schweitzer

After reading an article describing the urgent need for physicians in the French Congo, Albert Schweitzer, at age 30, told his family that he wanted to study medicine in order to become a physician for those suffering in Africa.

Almost a century later, the Ungana Foundation finds the state of medical care in Goma, Congo woefully lacking. One of the largest problems seen in Goma is the lack of medicines and equipment.

While in a meeting with the president of the Rotary Club last week we were informed that there is no medical scanner in the area. Patients in need of being scanned must travel either to Kigali, Rwanda (3 ½ hours by bus) or to Kinshasa DRC (5 hours by plane) to receive treatment.

We hope that with the help of a matching grant from the Rotary Club and other partners in the U.S. to substantially improve the healthcare situation in Goma. With our health care associates hard at work we look forward to reporting positive updates on this very urgent community need.

Alyssa Callister

President

The Ungana Foundation

Exciting XO Computers in Action

2009-06-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

The deployment in Gisenyi (Rwanda) is well on its way. The laptops are being deployed at EPGI primary (elementary) school to 84 children in P5 (fifth grade). Last week was spent setting up the server and access points at the school (to enable constant wireless internet access on the XO), training six teachers (2 hours a day for a week), getting the computers through customs in Kigali (the capitol city of Rwanda), and taking inventory/re-flashing all the machines (updating the operating system). Today we gave all the children their own computer (each with their own colors!)

We will be holding a large Expo to unveil the project and the XO on July 10^th. The Expo will be sponsored by the Ministry of Education in Rwanda and will include speeches by prominent officials, a demonstration of the XO put on by the children, workshops, and informational briefings.

Alyssa Callister

President

Ungana Foundation

Christmas morning as a 5-year old.

2009-06-30T04:16:00.000-07:00

That’s the closest comparison I can think of when trying to describe the look I saw on 85 Rwandan kids’ faces this afternoon as we handed them their new XO laptops. It really was incredible to see the amazement come out as they booted up what was now their first trip into the information age. During the next few months, and then for the rest of their lives, they will be able to progress like never before.

Rwanda is quickly beginning its ascent into being the foremost technological country in Africa, and is committed to making it happen in all areas of the population, including in primary schools. This investment in the future is inspiring, and was seen in the children’s excitement as we handed them this new instrument. Right off, they began testing the XO’s capabilities; taking pictures, searching for more information in the Wikipedia activity, and drawing pictures of their houses. Until now, the children have been entirely dependent on others for their education, awaiting instruction from the overworked, underpaid teachers. With the introduction of the XO, a child can supplement the education given them in school with their own interest-driven activities, with a healthy dose of problem solving, hands-on discovery.

At the UNGANA Foundation, we appreciate this refreshing confidence in the future. We are devoted to making this endeavor sustainable. Education is not effective with a “flash-in-the-pan” mentality, but must be seen as a process that will continue indefinitely.

With that in mind, we will continue to work with the ULK Primary School, offering them tools and preparing them for the time when they will be able to proceed on their own, learning things that we aren’t capable of teaching.

Coy Whittier
Communications Associate
The UNGANA Foundation

Today is the Day

2009-06-30T04:01:00.000-07:00

Today we’re going to the ULK Primary School to deploy 85 XO laptops to 85 5th graders who won’t even know what hit them.

They’ll have no idea that with these new machines, they will be able to take education into their own hands. Right now, they have no idea that they’ll soon be:

• Writing the stories of their lives
• Adding pictures of themselves to the stories
• Sharing activities with their colleagues
• Drawing pictures of their favorite animals
• Learning English by creating their own memorize activities
• Surfing the Web for information on their own country
• Using an encyclopedia to learn more about the endocrine system
• Writing a report on the East African Community with research from various sources
• Learning along with their teachers
• Teaching each other
• Working in groups without even knowing it
• Emailing pen pals on the other side of the world
• Blogging
• Showing their parents how to use a computer
• Creating simple computer programming
• Who knows, maybe creating complex computer programming
• Playing problem-solving games

A whole new world of educational possibilities is waiting for these children to discover. In partnering with One Laptop Per Child, the UNGANA Foundation believes that, when given the right tools, children are capable of doing amazing things; even in the most remote places. Today we will see that seed planted, and we will see it nourished.

Coy Whittier
Communications Associate

Volunteering in Rwanda

2009-06-23T02:02:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, I walked the last of the volunteers to Virunga bus station to send them off to Kigali and on to their respective journeys. I compiled a list that samples some of the experiences and accomplishments of the volunteers during the three weeks in which they participated in Ungana’s Masterminds programs:

Gave roughly 100 kids confidence in English conversation, Money Management, Health,
Music, Sports, and Art
Saw zoo animals in their natural habitat at Akagera National Park
Took a Road Tour of Gisenyi
Taught the same lesson 14 times in one day
Listened to the Von trap family singers sing Rwanda’s national anthem
Brainstormed, planned, and carried out 20 different lesson plans for 30 or 70 kids
Went to the beach during lunch
Played with street kids with a volcano in the background
Talked for an hour one night a week about personal love lives to complete strangers
Survived motorcycle taxi helmets
Got a sunburn at 5000 ft and 1 degree below the equator
Visited an orphanage with 670 children
Made banana leaf picture frames with local artists
Observed Rwandan education first-hand
Improved teaching resumes.
Spoke with local leaders
Slept with geckos
Gained bargaining skills in a goods market
Smelled methane
Adapted to a culture
Made new friends
Taught local athletes the ways of the Frisbee
Successfully managed 65 kids at one time in a 30 x 30 ft space
Waited 1.5 hours for food at a restaurant
Spent a cumulative one hour a week washing feet
Met Jack Hannah
Watched the complete third season of House
Demonstrated complicated activities to ESL kids
Over 10 days, put in 100 hours of work
Embraced the cold shower
Clubbed to Congolese Music
Fought mosquitoes
Learned Kinyarwandan, French, and ‘Jeff’ dialect
Spent three weeks in Africa’s most dense population

Made an impact

Thank you to Tyler, Christyn, Maren, Amber, and Ben for making the Ungana Masterminds program a resounding success!

Doctors and Children!

2009-06-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

Hello hello it’s just your trusty friend Dave, the Health Care Associate again to update you on the latest and greatest of the Ungana Foundation! Well as usual things are trucking along and we are digging our roots deep here in the Gisenyi/Goma area. I truly feel as though part of me will always refer to this place as home and I’m not stopping that feeling. Coy, Alyssa, Alex, and our new buddy Greg have come back from Kigali to start the launch of the XO laptops. I’m excited to announce that the health care team will be conducting some lessons with these magical machines. It is still in the plans, but we hope to teach the children of U.L.K. Primary School how to use their new toys to find out if they are sick, diagnosis their symptoms, and find new resources on how they can live a healthier life.

Our Medical Student Volunteer Program (MSVP) is laid out and we will soon be approving it through the Gisenyi Regional Hospital. We have refocused on a new Rotary Club to team up with here in the area. Our education programs are in the works to be implemented within the communities here soon. So all is great on the Rwanda front!

I’m sad to say the volunteers are leaving us. Ben, Amber, Christyn, and Maren have been great additions to the group and have really impacted the community of Gisenyi. I can already hear the kids asking me where their beloved teachers have gone. It’s sad to say goodbye, but there is more to come and we are all looking forward to the experiences.
Well, like the volunteers I must say farewell, but lucky for us we will meet again next week……
Chao!

Dave Kenika Kuwada
Health Care Associate

Dave’s Health Care Update.....

2009-06-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hey all its Dave once again to update you on the health care front here in Gisenyi/Goma. This week I have just been creating the needed, but not so fun documentation for the programs UNGANA is establishing here in the area. I’ve also been working on medical supplies as usual and I had my final meeting with Dr. John before he headed off to Kenya to finish his PHD. The meeting simply confirmed that we both have very high hopes for the future of the projects and the partnership with the University of Goma.

This next week I hope to meet again with the Director of the Gisenyi Regional Hospital, Dr. Sam, to approve the design I’ve created and finalize understandings for our Medical Student Volunteer Program (MSVP) which is to commence the summer of 2010.

As I was sitting around the living room discussing issues with the volunteers we discussed the issue of mosquitoes. I can personally attest that I highly dislike these insects and would think the world better off without them, but that’s just me…. Anyway the topic of nets and screens came in and I proposed the idea of a project concentrating on supplying homes with window screens for the future. I recently attended a conference that stated the great impact of window screens in reducing cases of Malaria and other mosquito vectored diseases/parasites. Currently, the Rwandan government supplies all citizens with mosquito nets, but why not supply these people with screens that are permanent and creates a mosquito free house rather than a mosquito free bed? I don’t know random thought, but I would love to hear your opinion.

Well those are the updates and thoughts of the week……

Dave Kenika Kuwada
Health Care Associate

Mastermind Volunteers

2009-06-07T05:08:00.000-07:00

UNGANA'S Mastermind volunteers spent this last week performing demo lessons, discussing classroom management strategies, and teaching 150 children at Mubano 1 school. Allow me to introduce the volunteer teachers:

Hello, my name is Maren Jacobson. I am volunteering in Giyseni for the month of June. I love it here. I am originally from Austin, Texas, but attend school in Logan, Utah at Utah State University. My reasons for coming out here are many, mainly my love for new experiences and new people. Having been here for just one week, I am very much looking forward to this next month and its events.

My name is Amber Rhodes. I am volunteering with the Ungana Foundation in Giyseni for their pilot teaching program. I have been assigned to specifically teach music and English. I am from Spokane, WA. I graduated from Eastern Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies and minors in music and Spanish. I am very grateful to have this opportunity to teach and volunteer here in Africa and I look forward to the next few weeks.

I am Ben Cragun and am here in Gisenyi volunteering with the Ungana Foundation’s teaching program, Masterminds. I am from Granite Bay, California, but have been at school in Provo, Utah at BYU for three years studying chemistry. Teaching is not my strength, but I am learning here how to be a patient teacher. I love to meet new people and have found a wealth of loving people here. I am excited to help the children here to have a better chance at succeeding in this world.

Hello dearest Ungana blog followers! My name is Christyn Costley and I am here in Rwanda volunteering with the Masterminds program teaching art and English. I have been here for almost three weeks and I absolutely love the people, the culture and immense natural beauty that surrounds me each day. I am originally from Ogden, Utah and have traveled quite extensively outside of my small hometown. I graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in International Studies and after volunteering here I will be working in Washington D.C. I know that I will walk away from this experience a more humble person and will gain more passion for serving those less fortunate. Therefore, I will forever be grateful for Ungana for granting me this opportunity.

While I find great refreshment in this team of talented and motivated volunteer teachers, I'm confident the next two weeks will bring both success and failure. However, along with talent and motivation, this group brings flexibility and imagination to every class and night discussion. I may function as their mentor, yet I assure you, their efforts have already taught me valuable lessons.

Ashley Linford
Programs Associate

More Pictures

2009-06-05T01:57:00.000-07:00

New Developments on the Health Frontier

2009-06-05T01:25:00.000-07:00

Today is blog day for Dave Kenika Kuwada and I’m here to update you on the recent developments of the health care department of UNGANA. Well since last week I’ve been busy setting up meetings, going to meetings, and researching sources for more meetings… Exciting? I think you would be surprised. In all this excitement I’ve been developing a close relationship with our friends over at the University of Goma medical school in neighboring DRC, and it is flourishing. I work closely with an anesthesiologist named John who I met at a medical conference last week, which I mentioned in my last blog. We have been working on creating a list of supplies, equipment, and drugs to send out to suppliers and anyone who can and will donate to the ever-pressing cause. Also, on our agenda is the establishment of nurse seminars and healthcare socials for late July.

Sir Coy Whittier – our Communications Associate, his aunt, and myself have also been looking into partnering up with the Rotary Clubs here in Rwanda and back at home in SLC to see what kind of projects we can collaborate on. The process is slow, but I have high hopes. Coy will be attending an OLPC conference at the end of the week and will be in the capitol so he will be dropping in on some of these Rotary Club meetings. All we can do now is hope for the best.

Well this is Dave sending his love from Afreka once again and as usual I’ll be back next week…..

Dave Kuwada
Health Care Associate

Pictures

2009-06-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

From Coy

2009-06-01T00:16:00.000-07:00

Throughout the last couple of days, I have gotten the opportunity to spend some time in Rwanda’s early educational system. Yesterday we passed the morning in the Ubumwe Community center, a wonderful building that was built in part by the Columbus Zoo and wildlife icon Jack Hanna. The facilities created a definite sense of community. Rooms were being used by distinct groups, providing needed services to children and adults. We first entered into a room full of artisans. There they used machines of various types and sizes to weave, sew and build various goods that would be taken to be sold in the market. In another room we attended classes with about 20 deaf children, and sat and watched as the teacher taught sign language. It was amazing to me to see the children get excited to learn new ways of communication. The last room was filled with handicapped children, who were overjoyed to show us their English skills by counting and showing us the colors. Both classes are provided to the children at no charge to the parents. The teachers work for little more than the assurance that they are contributing something to their country.

It was great to see our MasterMinds volunteers interact with the children; learning, teaching, and reinforcing. The UNGANA Foundation’s impact is slowly starting to resonate throughout the area. The spirit of the word ‘ungana’ – to come together to accomplish a purpose – is demonstrated in everything we attempt. Residents of Gisenyi are starting to take up the cause and offer their services to further our work. It is inspiring to be part of such an effort. Witnessing a people so committed to progress reinforces in me the knowledge that people will help themselves if given the tools and pointed in the right direction.

Coy Whittier

Communications Associate

The UNGANA Foundation

Thoughts from Tyler

2009-06-01T00:14:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days have been very interesting. I have spent most of the time in the Ubumwe Community Center. We have sat in on a variety of different classes. The class that sticks out in my mind the most is the class where about 20 or so deaf children were learning to sign and communicate. It was very cool for me to see their joyful outlook on learning and happy faces. In another room they have different stations for different crafts that they make. I sat in at one station and a couple men named John and Danielle taught me and walked me through making a picture frame from banana leaves. It was cool for me to experience this because I speak little Kinyarwandan and they spoke little English, yet we had no problem communicating. We also went down to some local soccer fields the other night and started up a game of Ultimate Frisbee which we taught to and played with some of the people there. They didn’t know the game or really how to throw a Frisbee but learned very fast and became very good. It was a very fun evening and was nice to get to know more Rwandan people.

Tyler Whittier

Masterminds Volunteer

2009-05-31T00:44:00.000-07:00

This week in the continued journey of the health care project I have found myself privileged enough to join a group of Goma doctors in a Continuing Medical Education (CME) Conference. This meeting has been graciously hosted by a group of American doctors who have formed an organization by the name of DOCS, which stands for Doctors on Call for Service. The main objective of these conferences is to keep physicians in the area up-to-date on the advances of the medical field abroad, as well as help further the education process, resulting in skills that are continuously improving. Also, this week a few members of UNGANA trekked to the rural village of Rugerero to find out more about the health needs of surrounding villages. We were able to meet with community leaders who informed us of the vast need of medical supplies, availability of clinics, and financing to even go see a doctor. Even though the government of Rwanda covers 90% of health care costs the remaining 10% can still be a devastating bill for an average villager. It humbles me to see that resources of all types are so scarce here, and now I feel stupid for ever complaining about a $20 co-pay…

Well, as the work continues I find that referring to the initiatives set by the Rwandese government has helped me stay on track and know what I must focus my efforts on if I am to really make a difference. I’ve also learned that the meaning of UNGANA, to bring people together, is what will ultimately help me be successful in this battle to achieve these goals. The help of local leaders, clinicians, and friends have put this into perspective for me and I will keep this close in mind to honor that. Thanks again for checking in this week and I know that the future will be well worth the wait. So, mwirirwe (Kinyarwandan for “good bye”) for now…

Dave Kuwada

Health Associate

Rwanda's Rebirth

2009-05-30T00:06:00.000-07:00

Being that this is my first blog, I'll introduce myself. My name is Alex Erickson, I am the Managing Director of the Ungana Foundation, an exciting new development not-for-profit I am very proud to be a part of. In my meetings with government ministry officials, local community leaders and everyday people, I can't help but notice the positive reaction we receive for this project! I am equally impressed by the great opportunities for change that lay before our team of dedicated individuals.

Its hard to believe Rwanda crumbled only 15 years ago under a horrific genocide. The country's GDP fell by almost 80%, the government was completely washed, and millions of Rwandese were left traumatized. But in my personal experience I have seen a resiliancy in these people that is unmatched. They are innovating, rehabiliting themselves and flourishing as an example to the East African Community. However, don't let this inspirational story fool you. Rwanda is a dense nation of 10 million people, 90% of which are still in poverty. It still has a long way to go.

Its my hope our organization can make a difference here. We are giving our all to build the best supplemental primary education program. We will ensure entrepreneurs have proper training and financial needs. Physical health is something we see as a necessity for development. And we want to see Rwanda utilize their natural resources to the fullest, however small they may be.

We are thankful for all of your support and stay tuned for updates on our progress!

Mwrirwe

Alexander Erickson

Managing Director

UNGANA's MasterMinds

2009-05-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

After a morning preparing materials for the MasterMinds Program and adjusting curriculum, two of the MasterMind volunteers and I visited a local community center in the afternoon. Time not used with MasterMinds gives the volunteers the opportunity to help out at the community center, aiding head teachers in English instruction. We rode motorcycle taxis through puddles on the roads of Gisenyi, past views of Nyiragongo Volcano and Lake Kivu, until we arrived at the gates to meet the director. There we discussed options for future opportunities: practicing teaching methods, gaining familiarity with Rwandan culture, and learning much from new friends that live deeply and love openly. Project Community looks forward to the arrival of four more volunteers next week and the beginning of UNGANA MasterMinds. I’m excited to be in Rwanda amidst hard-working people and imaginative minds.

Peace to all,

Ashley Linford
Programs Associate

Education = Power

2009-05-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

When we begin to see this simple equation as reality, we see its immense value. We do not expect our cell phones to work with an uncharged battery, nor do we expect our televisions to function while not plugged in. We even easily comprehend our folly when we are weak with hunger.

How then can we expect progress without education?

To give a person an education is to charge their batteries. Once this is achieved, several things can occur. The charge can lay dormant, slowly losing power as it lies without use. Or, it can spark a desire to act. With something as simple as an education, amazing things can take place. This is easy to note in conversation here in Rwanda. There is a literal hunger for knowledge. With the UNGANA MasterMinds Program almost underway, we can see how the children ache for increased learning. Our volunteers are working hard to prepare lesson plans that will sharpen the children’s minds, opening their brains to new concepts and increasing their desire to learn. Along with our Rwandan counterparts, we are hopeful that by working together, we can move in the right direction. This is our hope, and our mission.

UNGANA MasterMinds

The UNGANA Foundation

Thoughts on a Health Reform...

2009-05-21T00:35:00.000-07:00

Well the Ungana Foundation has set up camp! Alex and Alyssa have been back and forth between Kigali (the capital city) and Gisenyi to establish official status within the country and I have been meeting with hospitals and doctors to set up programs within the area. Recently I’ve been privileged to tour military hospitals, public hospitals, and private clinics where I’ve seen overcrowded beds and ancient medical equipment. In my journeys I’ve realized the vast need for doctors, machinery, and simple medical supplies especially in the area of Goma, DRC. The few doctors that are in the area try and pull their resources together to make up for this and to accommodate the needs of their patients. I met with one Congolese doctor by the name of Jonathan who told me the great need, especially for physicians. In Goma there is no such thing as a specialty. Doctors here perform operations that are normally done by cardiovascular surgeons, ENTs, OBGYNs, and Neurosurgeons in the states. It’s amazing to see the skill set that these few doctors have acquired purely out of necessity.
Currently, I’ve been sending out emails and trying to reconnect with people who might be able to help us in our quest to relieve the pressures on the health care system here. I’ve tried reaching out to university alumni, friends, big and small businesses alike to see what they can contribute, however, now I can only wait to see what responses I get.
This summer the health care department will be putting on seminars for local health care workers and community leaders to fully establish the Ungana Foundation within the area. Other projects currently being set up are our medical student volunteer program and the medical equipment program. A med student from USC is currently working with me to establish the education seminars and the medical student volunteer program that will start next summer. I’ve also been working with a past co-worker on developing a program to move unused medical equipment from the U.S. to local hospitals and clinics. Things are on their way, but still much work has to be done. Hopefully, with the help of hospital admin, doctors, and people back in the states we can achieve some of these goals we have set out for. I guess only time will tell, so until next time………

Gisenyi: Getting Down to Business...

2009-05-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

Upon our arrival in Rwanda we were fortunate enough to be greeted by our good friends Dou Dou and Solange. We traveled through the sunset to Dou Dou’s home in Gisenyi that would serve as our temporary base until our new headquarters was ready. Though we entered Gisenyi with tired bodies, our minds were eager and alive with the knowledge of the incredible work we knew we could accomplish through diligence and dedication. The next morning we wasted no time getting our operations up and running by establishing internet connection and setting up meetings for the following weeks. HAVING ATTAINED THE OLPC CONTRACT (Sorry this point cannot be stressed enough) we had much work to do in terms of setting the program up for success. Over the next week Alyssa and Alex met with U.L.K. Gisenyi, the school that UNGANA is working alongside to deploy the 100 XO laptops. Pleasantly surprised by the obedience and energy of the students as they formed lines and sang out chants in order of their grade, Alyssa and Alex knew they stood before the bright future of Rwanda. They left U.L.K. feeling inspired about their role in providing opportunities to the youth of Rwanda. This mindset would however be transformed in their search for an orphanage to employ the Club Go Volunteer program. The jarring realization about the vast amount of assistance needed to provide for the hundreds of orphans in Gisenyi alone is overwhelming and daunting. As heart-wrenching a picture that the orphanages depicted, the amazing spirit of the children and workers could not help but inspire some action and hope. With that, the UNGANA Foundation, in addition to helping 300 youths acquire the skills they need to become the future leaders of Rwanda, are currently seeking donations to provide basic needs to the nursery branch of a local Gisenyi orphanage. If you are interested in donating supplies, please email unganafoundation@gmail.com for more information. Although the UNGANA team is busy with meetings, project planning and all the other elements that go into setting up a new organization, they somehow find time to catch up with their regional friends. It goes without saying that the organization has been truly blessed with an amazing network of people at home and in Gisenyi. Through our friendships with Rwandans and Congolese we are able to gain valuable insight into our host community while establishing life-long bonds. And now that we have established our operational headquarters we truly feel as though we are on our way to becoming a valuable addition the Gisenyi community. We are honored to be able to work with such amazing people in a truly beautiful country and will keep you all posted about our work. For the latest daily information you can check us out on Twitter by searching tweetUNGANA, on Facebook, or on our website www.unganafoundation.org.

The Journey Begins...

2009-05-06T01:56:00.000-07:00

After weeks of hectic traveling, the Ungana Foundation is finally planting their roots in their new home base of Gisenyi, Rwanda. Please forgive our lack of updates, but in the coming stories you will soon understand why we have been largely unable to report our journey until the present time. Before the long narrative of our story takes place, it is necessary to thank all who have wished us well in our travels and have given their support and blessings to help ensure our safety. We would also like to thank all of the hard work that has been poured into this project by our associates, volunteers, friends and family, without whom we would not be able to call the Ungana Foundation a success. Gratitude aside, it is time to begin our tale. Picking up where our last post left off, we boarded a plane to Doha, Qatar. Taking full advantage of this stopover, we met with the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service to share our project with students and faculty in hopes to inspire students to start their own organization. After conversing with the students and faculty we felt energized about our work and ready to truly impact the lives of our host community. Even more invigorating is that right before our presentation we found out that:WE HAD RECEIVED THE OLPC CONTRACT!!! I apologize for the caps, but this point really really needs to be emphasized. Because not only are we starting our Social Entrepreneurial program alongside our Community volunteer program, we also have the ability to inspire the youth of Gisenyi through the deployment of 100 laptops! With this news we were eager to get to Rwanda and start providing opportunity and inspiration to the people of Rwanda. But before we could head to our final destination, it was necessary to conduct research on our Banana Fiber Machinery options in India. It is difficult to think how a five hour flight can take you from a calm commercially developed city to an overcrowded noisy world, but it was this shock that we experienced at 3:40 AM upon our arrival in Mumbai. Something that must be said about India above all else is the astounding kindness of the people. Through heat waves, night trains and somewhat terrifying rickshaw rides, our experiences with the people of Indian provided some sanity in our new uncertain surroundings. During our stay in India we learned much about the mechanical process of banana fiber and had the opportunity to witness the extraction of Banana Fibers first hand. This experience alongside our meeting with various organizations provided valuable information to help us in establishing our main project, Investment in Ideas for the Future (IIF). Although incredibly beneficial, the trip to India was not without its challenges. The hectics of our travel that I had referred to earlier in the post can be attributed mainly to our erratic schedule. In brief, within 48 hours we had arrived in Mumbai, travelled to Chennai at 11:00 AM and boarded a train to Tiruchi at 10:30PM. This may not sound as challenging, but add in incredible heat mixed with humidity, the second largest population in the world, 8 large bags and no sleep and hopefully you can see our difficulties. All complaints aside, we left India with a better sense of our project, new friends and a readiness to work towards our objectives. After 6 planes, two overnight trains, a variety of taxi's, and some foot work we arrived in our home and place of work for the next 3 months. Upon arriving in Kigali you cannot help but feel a sense of refreshment, especially coming from a long flight from India. The air is crisp and the streets are clean while the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Through our three hour ride through the sunset and darkness of Rwanda, it was finally possible to take a deep breath and reflect upon the enormity of the work we have set out to accomplish. In the following post I will elaborate on our time thus far in Gisenyi and provide an overview of the work we hope to accomplish over the next three months, stay tuned....

Bon Voyage

2009-04-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

Four members of the Ungana Foundation are about to embark on another adventure to Africa. Alyssa Callister, Alexander Erickson, Nancy Kowalski, and Dave Kuwada leave Monday, April 20 and will spend the rest of the summer months in Rwanda. Ashley Linford will join them in about a month's time and hopefully a few others will have the opportunity to travel there as well. Our thoughts go with them as they travel and we look forward to the many updates they will post for us in the future. Good luck and safe journey!