This Communiqué has been written by the Vice-President of the REVE Kandale Foundation, Julie Martel, following her recent visit to Kandale.
Colette has returned to Kandale. This time she was accompanied by three board members –Julie Martel, Pam Pendleton and Robyn Souza. As usual, there was a full schedule of activities. Construction of Institute Gufwa Gubila continues under the direction of Frédéric Kaniema, the architect.
The team of builders moved quickly to dig and fill the foundation for the fourth block of classrooms. The community has been making bricks since December so they are ready to build the walls.
Students from all schools are pitching in to move the bricks to the construction site. The walls are going up!
Joseph Mange, who formerly worked for US AID and Save the Children and led the teacher training last fall, came from Kinshasa to apply his expertise in conducting a robust community assessment. His findings will clarify the most critical needs in the areas of health, education and food security. The results of this endeavor will help us to better understand the community and will inform our long-term planning and ensure we are sensitive to the areas of greatest need.
James Kabunga, our solar power consultant from Uganda, joined the expedition. He has been assessing the solar situation more broadly and identifying where enhancements should be made to improve life and work in Kandale. His first job was to install lights in the hospital so surgeries can now be conducted safely in full light. The addition of several electrical outlets will allow staff to sterilize instruments using an autoclave that had been sitting in storage until now, instead of boiling water over a fire outside.
Robyn, a nurse, spent time meeting with the hospital staff and the local community health workers gathering information about the healthcare situation in Kandale.
Pam Pendleton, an avid sewer, came with a load of sewing supplies and worked with the girls in the sewing program to enhance their skills as part of an internship preparing for their end of year exams. She appreciated the warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Coupe et Couture (sewing) students and their teachers. They impressed her with their eagerness to not only learn new skills but also to show off their knowledge and abilities. She saw that they were proud to make clothes they can wear.
Julie always enjoys working with the staff leaders, Merveille and Eudes, on a variety of issues, including the tracking and management of projects and funds. She found it very rewarding to be able to share her skills when working on projects being conducted by REVE Kandale.
A soccer tournament is planned for May. Representatives from each of the 32 teams registered, attended a training session conducted by Gauthier Musiko, an arbiter central (central referee) at the national level. The 17 Laws of FIFA were reviewed and attendees were instructed to bring those lessons back to their teams and set expectations on conduct. The visiting REVE Kandale team enjoyed several exhibition soccer games during the visit.
A high point of the visit was the 15 year celebration of the local REVE Kandale organization and 10 years of the Foundation’s partnership with them. A large contingent of traditional dancers came and performed to the delight of over 1,000 people. There was great pride in what has been achieved over the years and everyone looks forward to what the future brings.
