The Maranyundo and US students after a wonderful day of festivities
As we were still feeling the relaxing effects from our Akagera vacation, the group had a lot of energy going into the second half of our 14th day here in Rwanda. Unfortunately, however, several of us were sick with a virus that has been going around and were not able to attend the day’s events. After a morning teaching session with the Nyamata girls, we all took a fifteen minute walk to a nearby boarding school, Maranyundu. Here we met up with Grace, whom has visited Seattle, and has also been so outgoing as to start a Richards Rwanda chapter (titled A Brighter Future) at the boarding school as well. As we entered, the first thing that the American students recognized was the beauty of the campus (in fact I wouldn’t be able to count the amount of times ‘beautiful’ was said within the first ten minutes of arrival on both hands). Instead of the red soil that is typically seen in schools’ pathways, the red was covered by a layer of cool-beige stones. The buildings matched this color and were lined around a circular field of the greenest grass that I have ever seen. To begin, we greeted Grace and her classmates and they proceeded to take us on a tour around the campus. It was a relief to be with the Maranyundu girls because they were fluent in both English and Kinyarwanda making communication between us and both them and the Nyamata girls’ easy as they are terrific translators as well as conversationalists. We then proceeded to play some bonding games, including snake tag, mingle, and a Rwandan version of rock-paper-scissors. In one activity, we all sat in a circle and all the American students were given Rwandan names: some memorable ones included Ingabo, belonging to Jay, its meaning soldier or shield, and Manzi, belonging to me, meaning the highest class hero (it suits me well, huh?). Throughout this two hour period, several more American students retreated back to the bus, either from dehydration, or the virus, leaving our group much smaller than usual. In polite fashion, we took our leave and headed back to the bus, ready to eat the well anticipated pizza at the restaurant right down the street from the Auberge.
-Alec
woow i remember that day it will alwayz be in my memory!!!!!!!Richards Rwanda made me improve in my spirit of loving ,caring,helping and having fun with ma young sisters in nyamata!thanks to all of you who helped jessica and her family to build up this organisation.I am also a member of the Richard ‘s Rwanda committe @ Maranyundo girls school.if this goes on and on the world will be filled with joy and harmony.THANK YOU RICHARD’S RWANDA ORGANISATION.