Christmas and it is official...
The Officer Commanding invited us all to the Kigali Cenral Corps hall where we had a
meeting with speeches and wishes for the new year. Christmas songs were sung. The
general´s christmas greeting was read.
"Be lights in the world, carry out the light to the world... bring hope and love to the people!!
meeting with speeches and wishes for the new year. Christmas songs were sung. The
general´s christmas greeting was read.
"Be lights in the world, carry out the light to the world... bring hope and love to the people!!
All staff got a Christmas present and
We enjoyed fellowship and shared a meal together; fried potatoes, rice, fried bananas,
boiled potatoes, "spinach", peas with small green augergines, meat and chicken,
sauce and small sweet bananas and then after all that...
boiled potatoes, "spinach", peas with small green augergines, meat and chicken,
sauce and small sweet bananas and then after all that...
we celebrated Christ´s and all our birthdays for the year by sharing a birthday cake
- or three cakes, actually :)
- or three cakes, actually :)
Then a lot of different Group photos; all women officers in one, all men officers in another,
staff and Leadership, me and my husband Robert with the Leadership...
yes, a lot of photos were taken by many of us.
We will now close CHQ for Christmas and only do field visits - on Jan 5 we hope to inspect the new hall and preschool annex in Rwimiyaga ;) We are so happy and excited!
Thank you for all your support during these two years- time has passed so fast it seems.
I feel we have been blessed and will think of this time in Rwanda and Burundi as blessed. I thank all of the people here for receiving us so well. I am also so thankful for all the good things we have been a part of creating, starting, developing and end, evaluate and... yes, everything we have been involved in.
It has been a joy to be a part of the Childrens´sponsorship team, I thank the Salvation Army for giving me this opportunity and important assignment. Thank you!
So many good moments...
Officer Commanding also announced to the staff present that our term here in Rwanda
will be finished in March and that we will be going back home to Sweden on March 15.
Sad in a way, of course, but we know that the Lord is with us and we will be joining our
Children, which will be good. We now await news of who will replace us as Project Officer
and Sponsorship Secretary for the Command, so that we can make the transition as good
as possible.
So, now I wish you all a very merry Christmas!
Please let peace and joy spread in your life and share it with family, friends, strangers...
The newborn king is here :)
Please let peace and joy spread in your life and share it with family, friends, strangers...
The newborn king is here :)
Sincerely,
Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
Sponsorship Secretary,
Sponsorship Secretary,
THE SALVATION ARMY
Rwanda and Burundi
Rwanda and Burundi
All text and photos: Copyright Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
(Can after permission be used by The Salvation Army for information to donors, sponsors and Campaigns)
(Can after permission be used by The Salvation Army for information to donors, sponsors and Campaigns)
Someone asked me...
- How many preschools do you have in Rwanda?
We have nine preschools... that is if you Count all schools in our halls or that we are involved in together with Community and parents committees through "faith based fascilitation".
Catherine Booth preschool, Rutobwe preschool and Rubirizi preschools are run by the Salvation Army.
We "own" it- that means we have the government permit saying we are recognised as a approved private preschool.
We "own" it- that means we have the government permit saying we are recognised as a approved private preschool.
Then we have John Gowans preschool in Rwimiyaga and Gituro preschool in Nyagatare. They are both parents committee preschools, but they are receiving institutional support from Salvation Army donors.
Rukeri, Bitare, Runda and Rubuye are also parents committee schools. The parents asked if the Salvation Army could help them in starting preschools for their children -so Bitare, Runda and Rubuye preschools meet in the Salvation Army halls. These preschools have only the small school fees from parents to pay for material and teachers, they struggle but keep up a good work. At Rukeri, the Salvation Army rent a small hall for church activities so that is where the preschool meet during the week days.
Sincerely,
Mj Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
Sponsorship Secretary
Teachers' fellowship 11 Dec 2013
The theme was...
transparency and accountability; how to ensure financial accurancy...
and of course to enjoy Christmas; enjoy each others company, give information, share
a meal together and assure our teachers they are doing a great job and give them a
Christmas gift; a calendar for the year 2014.
transparency and accountability; how to ensure financial accurancy...
and of course to enjoy Christmas; enjoy each others company, give information, share
a meal together and assure our teachers they are doing a great job and give them a
Christmas gift; a calendar for the year 2014.
Role play; to practically do the financial administration...
and how to write receipts, how to save and document bankdeposit slips/TSA receipts for
the report and so on...
the report and so on...
Lunch conversation and sharing together
The Christmas gift is handed to the teachers by the Section Officers present.
"How to do Teachers evaluation" with Captain Dancille, new appointed Education Officer
and "How to fill out the Registration Card" together with the parents when meeting,
Major Anna-Maria
Filling out the registration cards, noting information to use in the meeting with parents.
-And if you see an e-pad... the officers here have been blessed by a donation for a project
that enabled us to buy and train to use this modern tool. It is nice, we can see it is really
making a change in work environment, the officers now can read books, send emails,
write documents, use the internet... and it is helping a lot.
We encourage them all to use it, so we hope they all will see the potential to help them in
their work so they continue to train to get the capacity to use it.
-And if you see an e-pad... the officers here have been blessed by a donation for a project
that enabled us to buy and train to use this modern tool. It is nice, we can see it is really
making a change in work environment, the officers now can read books, send emails,
write documents, use the internet... and it is helping a lot.
We encourage them all to use it, so we hope they all will see the potential to help them in
their work so they continue to train to get the capacity to use it.
Handing out CDs and books to the sponsored schools. Some of the non sponsored school
could also get some small gifts :) thanks to a small donation to Sponsorship department.
could also get some small gifts :) thanks to a small donation to Sponsorship department.
Photos: Theobald Kabagema
Copyright text and photos: Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
(Photos and text can be used after permission for The Salvation Army media)
Copyright text and photos: Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
(Photos and text can be used after permission for The Salvation Army media)
Rubirizi 29 Nov 2013
In Rutobwe we have a kitchen built by the salvationists where the Cook/cleaner makes
porridge every day. When visiting there I realised the women are cooking on the ground,
bending their backs...
So when I did the inspection at Rubirizi preschool, the Section Officer and I brought three bags of
cement, so that the salvationists can build a stove with "height" so that the cooking can be easier and not so
"strainful" (and it will save firewood).
We also brought all kitchen utensils needed to start the foodprogram from January, thanks to
porridge every day. When visiting there I realised the women are cooking on the ground,
bending their backs...
So when I did the inspection at Rubirizi preschool, the Section Officer and I brought three bags of
cement, so that the salvationists can build a stove with "height" so that the cooking can be easier and not so
"strainful" (and it will save firewood).
We also brought all kitchen utensils needed to start the foodprogram from January, thanks to
institutional support from you.
We brought basins, beaters, buckets, pots and pans, Jerry cans fo water, cups and pitchers.
Now the kitchen outside wall has been plastered, so we plan for a good start text term;
with everything prepared for a new school year.
The water harvesting system is in place, the "gutters" are leading the water to the big
water container
We also wait for a water Project ("wash") to be implemented. We are waiting for the government to
do the final documents so that we can start drilling a bore hole for the Rubirizi village. They
do not have any water source at all, and have to walk long distances to get water, so this
bore hole will make a big differnece in the villagers life. The villagers are waiting and longing
(as are we, it is not easy to be as patient as we have had to be) and now they have put up
a cover around the old bore hole so that no more damage will be done to it before the work
can start
And a miracle, little baby Anonzielle has been born to this world. Nursery teacher Anonziata is
now on maternity leave for Three months but will be back at school during next term
Anna-Maria
Copyrigt text and photos: Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
(After permission: can be used within the Salvation Army for Child Sponsorship activities and promotion)
We brought basins, beaters, buckets, pots and pans, Jerry cans fo water, cups and pitchers.
We also decided to bring 17 chairs that have been standing in a storage at OTC for the
last five years. They were made for the preschool in Kigali- the same land for the preschool
and hall that the government expropriated the land from the Salvation Army.
The intent was that we could build in another place, but it has taken the government a long
time to assist in getting the replacement land in Kigali, and there is still not any final plans
on paper :( The government wants us as partner and step by step, then a step back... we
are getting there.
So instead of not using the chairs at all, we will use them in the preschool at Rubirizi :)
last five years. They were made for the preschool in Kigali- the same land for the preschool
and hall that the government expropriated the land from the Salvation Army.
The intent was that we could build in another place, but it has taken the government a long
time to assist in getting the replacement land in Kigali, and there is still not any final plans
on paper :( The government wants us as partner and step by step, then a step back... we
are getting there.
So instead of not using the chairs at all, we will use them in the preschool at Rubirizi :)
Now the kitchen outside wall has been plastered, so we plan for a good start text term;
with everything prepared for a new school year.
The water harvesting system is in place, the "gutters" are leading the water to the big
water container
We also wait for a water Project ("wash") to be implemented. We are waiting for the government to
do the final documents so that we can start drilling a bore hole for the Rubirizi village. They
do not have any water source at all, and have to walk long distances to get water, so this
bore hole will make a big differnece in the villagers life. The villagers are waiting and longing
(as are we, it is not easy to be as patient as we have had to be) and now they have put up
a cover around the old bore hole so that no more damage will be done to it before the work
can start
And a miracle, little baby Anonzielle has been born to this world. Nursery teacher Anonziata is
now on maternity leave for Three months but will be back at school during next term
We wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Thank you for all support during this year- please
take a look on the blog and see all that has been accomplished- you help bulding a better
future, a way out of poverty!
take a look on the blog and see all that has been accomplished- you help bulding a better
future, a way out of poverty!
Copyrigt text and photos: Anna-Maria Tuftstrom
(After permission: can be used within the Salvation Army for Child Sponsorship activities and promotion)
