Rwanda, Kigali - August 25
Last day to "get 'er done" and then a special dinner. The team was working hard to get the last stretch of wire fence installed. After a long day at the work site, the team went out for a celebratory dinner.
Last day to "get 'er done" and then a special dinner. The team was working hard to get the last stretch of wire fence installed. After a long day at the work site, the team went out for a celebratory dinner.
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| Last day on the fence line |
We went to a restaurant called Heaven and indeed the food was divine! It is a training school for locals for the hospitality industry. It was
unbelievably good food. I had goat, as I figured this would be the best goat I
would ever taste. Yup, tender, yummy not gamey, delicious kebabs. Falafel so
delicate I couldn't believe it. Guacamole with plantain chips, sweet and light,
not rich and cloying.
This is a Rwandan success story. Once trained at Heaven, the students are sought after by the high-end hotels. While in training, they receive a good salary, and once fully trained they are guaranteed a good job.
It was a satisfying end to a long day of work.
This is a Rwandan success story. Once trained at Heaven, the students are sought after by the high-end hotels. While in training, they receive a good salary, and once fully trained they are guaranteed a good job.
It was a satisfying end to a long day of work.
DWC volunteer
Rwanda, August 2016
Tuesday evening we were invited to dinner in the home Elizabeth's sister. The Ineza foundation board members were there, with their families. Lots of good food, snacks, drinks, conversations in a mixture of languages.
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| Team leader Michael clowning around with Cecelia, Vilma, Juanita and Stephanie. |
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| The whole team plus new friends |
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| Celebrating the end of the trip, a birthday and a wedding anniversary. |
Luinda Bleakley
DWC volunteer
Rwanda, August 2016
Rwanda, Kigali - week two
Build that fence!
The height of the wire mesh was marked on the standing posts. The location for the drilled holes was marked, and then laboriously drilled. A large section of wire mesh fencing was unrolled, stretched, and then the top wire was threaded through. The fence hangs from this wire, so it has to be strung taut, and placed at the right height above the ground. There was good back and forth between the DWC team and the fellows from the co-op, as they learned how to install a mesh fence.
Build that fence!
The height of the wire mesh was marked on the standing posts. The location for the drilled holes was marked, and then laboriously drilled. A large section of wire mesh fencing was unrolled, stretched, and then the top wire was threaded through. The fence hangs from this wire, so it has to be strung taut, and placed at the right height above the ground. There was good back and forth between the DWC team and the fellows from the co-op, as they learned how to install a mesh fence.
Meanwhile, the welders were working on building the big gate. Brian and Al,
from the DWC team, worked with the welders from the co-op and with Paul from
Ineza foundation, to create the metal gate to go at the top of the property.
Luinda Bleakley
DWC volunteer
Rwanda, August 2016
Rwanda, Gashora Sunday August 21
A visit to Covaga co-op centre, which was the site of previous DWC projects
Half of our current team had worked previously on projects in Gashora. We were all welcomed with open arms and open hearts. DWC's past projects have supported the women's weaving collective. We heard grateful speeches saying that the co-operative provides work, and hence income, to pay for medical care, to pay for schooling for the children and to support families.
The project for the DWC trip of two years ago was to build community gardens and a terrace/patio behind the co-op building (also built by DWC). The kitchen gardens allow each family to grow vegetables and, if there is excess, to sell their produce.
There is an agriculturalist and a nutritionist in the community. The agriculturalist's role is to help the families know how, when and what to plant, how to use the manure from the goat or cow for fertilizer and how to harvest seeds. The nutritionist's role is to teach the mothers how to cook with the produce. They plant vegetables such as onions, carrots, beets, greens like spinach and more.
The warmth and good will in the community was palpable; little wonder that the teams keep coming back with such enthusiasm.
Luinda Bleakley
DWC volunteer
Rwanda, August 2016
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