Blog
Playground for Children
I met Reza virtually when I was doing research on NGO's or donors that invest in children and safe play. He runs an NGO in Canada that focuses on building playgrounds in developing countries. They strive to build them locally and with sustainable materials. This month Dufatanye will have a playground for the children. Nov. 2020
1st Gen. Chocolatiers
I helped Patrick open a Gofundme account for his employees. The Corona lockdown has almost destroyed them, but we hope not. They make amazing chocolate from fresh cacao and the employees will have a hard time to find another job. Just the way it is in Rwanda. If we have 1,999 people donate $25 we can reach the goal.
Wellness Home
I love that my friends Dembe and Leonie have taken the time to help those suffering from T1D and allow them to live in their home. Here they receive nutritious meals, education on diabetes and a loving family environment to help them get back on their feet.
They use their own money to help those who desperately need intervention. Diabetes is a very difficult disease to live with in Rwanda, much less manage. There are shortage of food issues, money issues and many are stigmatized. Many here die of diabetes
Dembe and Leonie are building a house and it will add extra rooms for those living with T1D. It will be a safe place for them to come, learn and be healthy while they learn to manage their disease.
The picture is 2 of the guys living with them now. One is 40 and one is 20.
You can help to support the build. You can follow their work on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/wellnessorg/
You can help build the apartments here: https://donorsee.com/project/6567
Beatrice Has a Home June 2020
Her home was finished in July and all the neighbors came to celebrate with her. She is so grateful to the donors and thankful to God for His love shown to her. The green on the doors and windows are for life, and growth. Pray that the family grows stronger and their harvest is plentiful for food.
T1D Needs
I'm back in Rwanda after a 2 month rest back home. Sometimes I even question myself why I'm out here trying to educate, help, raise funds and encourage. I try to educate the people here on trauma, Bible, management skills, NGO skills, social media, etc while also trying to educate those who don't live here on how little the poor have in comparison to how much the developed world has both monetarily and educational access. Many times I feel I fail to give proper understanding of the life. Sometimes it makes me want to throw in the towel, thinking "well if they don't care, why should I?" Then God sends help unexpectedly and I'm reminded that it's the Spirit that moves the heart of man to help another.
I visited with 2 ladies with T1D(diabetes) to hear their story and their needs. Both live in unimaginable poverty where food is a daily game of searching for money or vegetables lying on the road(rare) and without a meal they cannot inject the insulin they need to control their T1D. Many here die of diabetes because of their lack of food or the money ($3/month) to buy the insulin.
So you tell me, how else can I share their story and people grasp their need for help and encouragement?
You can see their stories and others and donate at donorsee or Rhodacnsl.
A Home for Beatrice June 2020
We have been building Beatrice and her 3 children a new house. One week after shooting the video and need for DonorSee her current house fell to the ground. Termites had eaten thru the wood of her parents home.
We have accomplished a lot in 3 weeks from bricks to footer to walls and now the roof is on the house.
We need your help though to complete the house Phase 3 and 4 which you can read on the DonorSee project site. We will be stalled until we raise the rest of the funds. Be great to accomplish Phase 3 which is a little over $1,000.
We can't do it alone and need your help. Read about it thru the link below and donate either DonorSee or thru Rhoda and thank you for blessing a family in need.
Still Distributing Strong May 2020
We are in week 7 from the original stay at home order in Rwanda. The restrictions have been loosened slightly with precautions in place, but the harvest is not in and people are still suffering from 7 weeks of no work or income.
To date, Dufatanye has distributed food and soap to 3,163 households impacting 18,258 lives. That is 53 tons of food that has been loaded, offloaded, reloaded, measured and handed to the individual representative of the family. I say all that to say it is a lot of physical labor to distribute this way.
I am constantly impressed with how many kg's these guys can lift and carry. They are truly hardworking and resilient. The communities we served have been blessed by the donations from USA and UK. You have been a strategic part of their survival through this time in their lives. Thank you for willingly giving for people you may never meet face to face, but you recognized their desperate need and gave.
https://www.zmission.org/covid-19-emergency-relief-for-rwandan-families.html
Distributions during Stay-at-home order April 2020
I have been consulting in Rwanda for the past 6 months. During the stay-at-home order we have trained a local NGO and distributed food items and soap to more than 12,000 individuals to help them fight the hunger that comes from 6 weeks of no work. It has been a challenging time, but people will have food.
https://www.zmission.org/covid-19-emergency-relief-for-rwandan-families.html
The Dance - April 2020
These women are of the historically marginalized group in Rwanda. Let me tell you though, they can dance and sing. When we have guests I get to see their love of the art of dance and always involve everyone sitting in the room. You have no choice, but to dance with them and the children and move like a cow with the drums. They are the ones who make clay pots and carry dirt on construction sites. They are short in stature, but powerful in dance.
They have very little in the way the world expects us to live. No money, no education, few skills, but their song and dance is joyous for everyone.
We are raising money to help support their food needs during Corona.
https://www.globalgiving.org/microprojects/emergency-food-to-support-250-marginalized-people/
Bahama Response Oct 2019
In Sept. '19 Hurricane Dorian thrashed the Bahamas for 3 days with storm surges, flooding and 185-200 mph winds. I was able to join an INGO working on Grand Bahamas to provide food, water, non-food items to those affected by the flooding and destruction.
Also, we installed satellite communication for communities to contact family and friends sheltering in the city. One man standing in what once was his house. After 3 days of Dorian beating the Cay, he is now left with little to start over with, but he is determined to stay and rebuild
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The Cay is mostly fishermen who lost all their boats and equipment to dive for the fish and conchs. The season is now, so they need people/orgs to help them get started again with boats, motors and dive equipment. It was a privilege to serve the people of Grand Bahamas.
The Mother's of LR - Aug 2019
These women, these women right here. They are women who previously had leprosy(Hansen's disease) before the cure came out in the '80's and they received enough medicine to cure them of the disease, but not before the disease left it's marks on their bodies and isolated them from their villages and families. They have had a difficult life because of war, famine and societial structures that consider them less.
They live in the village of Luri Rokwe, South Sudan. I love these women and do what I can to support their physical needs. Your donations have helped supply food for them monthly since 2011.
Now they have 4 waterpoints in the village are all broken and need to be repaired. A cost of about $1,400. Please help if you can.