CLASS TIME

It was great hosting our Swedish coordinators, Linn Hultin and Linnea Larsson, for 5 days. We visited some families, our office and the school where our children study. The school is a private school in the village where most of the children live. It targets low income earners and offers a package of improved educational services while keeping it affordable for the poor families that cant afford the more affluent private schools in town.

When we first met our children, they were studying in government schools whose standard is very low. They offer no lunch at school and most of the children would study on an empty stomach as their families could not afford a daily lunch for them. Additionally, it was exhausting for them to walk the long distance home for lunch and come back to school for the afternoon classes. Most of them also did not have school uniforms. However, as a result of this sponsorship programme, they now are getting a better quality education, they all have school uniforms and get lunch and break porridge at school. This has greatly increased their morale to study.

This term, as we continue to invest in the holistic development of the children that are presently in the programme, we have started on an expansion programme to enable us reach more OVC households and increase our impact in the community. Our work is now acknowledged by the local leaders who have appreciated the transformation in the children's lives.

We continue to greatly appreciate our sponsors and partners that have enabled us to reach this far. We believe that alone we can do something but together we can do great things.
We are now seeking sponsors for the new children that are being registered in the programme. Their photos and profiles will be posted here in a few days. With $30 per month you can sponsor a child and give them a better education to secure a better future. The package also includes empowering the household with an income generating project; health improvement, and spiritual/social development programmes for the children.

Here are some class time images from our visit at the school.

TOWARDS SELF-SUSTAINABILITY.

As we have mentioned before, we don't focus only on the individual child in our child development strategy. We do our best to encourage, and not diminish, the role of the parents/guardians in the holistic development of their children. We believe that the ability of the parent/guardian to provide care, guidance and protection to the child is key to the success of our efforts and the sustainability of our achievements in the child's life. Hence, boosting that ability is an integral part of our child development model.
This month, one of the families we have focused on is that of our boy GODSON NSABIMANA. His mother, pictured below, has recently undergone an operation which has left her weak and unable to carry on the strenuous work that she does to take care of her five children. She can no longer dig to earn income until she fully recovers. Hence, we thought it necessary to support her to do a simple home business which does not recquire much physical effort. After discussing with her, we settled for what is pictured below. She sits at the small market near her home and sells foodstuff. Sometimes she gets someone to sell for her. This is just the beginning. We hope, as she gets stronger, to help her strengthen and enlarge the business.
This will benefit not only the registered child but the whole family hence an improved domestic environment for the child to grow and develop.
We continue to pray and plan for bigger income generating enterprises but we just have to start somewhere.....

A NEW START FOR A NEW HOPE

Welcome to yet another season of study and labor here at Falcco. The children are back to school for the 1st term of the academic year.

We are glad to report that last year was a landmark year because one of our teenagers, Munezero Jackyline, completed her two year tailoring course and is now in the process of getting self-employed. We met her as a school drop out without any hope of a better life. Now her transformation is undeniable. She is happy, more outgoing, and is making meaning of her life with the skills and exposure she has acquired. More of her story will be coming up soon.

Below pictured is another transformation story in the making. Geoffrey Nizeyimana started school quite late and somehow failed to fit in with the much younger class mates in primary school. This led to low morale and a general loss of interest in studying. However, after much patience and counselling, together with consultations with his mother and family, we discovered that he was interested in acquiring vocational skills. We have now put him in a vocational training institution and we are amazed at the change of attitude towards studying. His attendance is regular unlike in the past. He is studying carpentry, which was the course of his choice. In the pic, he is captured doing some practicals.
Many thanks to his new found sponsor and to all that are sacrificing your resources to create these transformation stories.

Holiday time.

This month has been great as we have been having a lot of interactions with the children; playing games, teaching them life skills and a bit of academic revision. In the first pic below, Samuel Ihorihoze, the youngest in the group, makes a contribution in a discussion about cultural traditions and local proverbs and riddles. We were amazed how much they knew in terms of riddles and wise sayings used in this part of the country.
When saying riddles, the challenger says "saku saku", the rest reply "Soma" (meaning literally, READ). Then he gives the riddle and one person gives the meaning.

One riddle that was brought up says in the local dialect "Mfite abaserikare batatu omwe nabura ndarurara" (I have 3 soldiers; when one is absent, i go without food). The answer was given promptly by one of them: It was "Amahega" (cooking stones). In Africa, the traditional stove or cooker was composed of 3 stones placed in a triangular shape close to each other. The food in a cooking pot is placed on top of the 3 stones (amahega), and firewood is placed under the pot (between the 3 stones) and lit with fire. More firewood is added to keep the fire burning until the food is ready.
The idea behind the riddle is that if one of those stones(soldiers) is removed, the family will not cook that day hence going hungry.
In African culture, the use of riddles, stories and wise sayings is a common tool used in a home setting to teach important values and life lessons to children. Here we are....

More Xmass Action

Some more fun...

XMASS 2014.

Merry Xmass and happy new year to all of you!

This Xmass was one of a kind here at FALCCO. Members of Transformation Revival Centre, a local church here, teamed up with us to organise an Xmass service and party for the children. Many thanks to the members for their involvement and contributions.

The children practiced the whole week for their musical presentations. We had some parents and other guests come over for the Xmass morning event.
Ululations and "Jingle Bells" filled the air as the knife touched the edge of the cake. The cake was cut by Justine Cyimpaye (representing the other children) assisted by a FALCCO volunteer, the director, a parent and one other guest.

Some children got a bit scared by the "fire" around the cake but realized later it was actually harmless!
We greatly appreciate our sponsors and friends who have made this year 2014 a memorable one for the children. We look forward to an even greater year 2015.

Tis holiday time again for our children. This is the end of academic year holiday and they will be having more time to help out at home and relax.
Xmas is on and preparations are underway for a children's xmas party on 25th Dec. Song practices are taking place and everyone is getting more and more expectant for the long awaited xmas cake!
Pics will be up as soon as our network is stable.