Saturday is "sports day" for the children in the program. So all the children gather in a nearby park that can also be used by cows to graze when it's vacant.... LOL. Today the cows had to move. Usually the older children and those who can keep up, play a mean game of "football" (soccer). It is their most popular sport & so glad we brought soccer balls, as they were in need of more. The younger children form groups of their own to kick or pass the ball around. They also like to play volleyball & rugby. It was cute to see them in jerseys that were donated by the original founder of the organization who was orphaned during the genocide and now lives in the UK.
On Saturday we also were able to go to the market & purchase goats to give families. It's another program just started in their organization. Through donations they purchase female goats for families/children enrolled in the program with a condition.... once it breeds with a male the first kid it produces that is a female, the family has to give it to another family and so it continues... to maintain sustainability. A goat costs equivalent to $35 CDN. A goat to these families is a form of a "savings account". As the goat reproduces their "savings" grow and once they need a new roof, fix their home, pay the rent or have a crisis, they can sell one of the goats. I would classify most people in Rwamagana poor compared to our standards yet are a lower middle class but this program helps the poorest of poor (ie: single mom, many children, can't afford school fees, etc...). I thought this was such a great program but I felt a little awkward handing out goats... LOL. You should have heard one scream as it was tied on its side to a basket on the back of a bike. A new experience every day!
We were also joined by a couple of students, Laure & Ken from Rochester University in New York State who are in their last year of biomedical engineering. This is Laura's second time here to fit a child with a prosthetic hand, to help him with daily life activities... fascinating! The 22 year old was here last year fixing some of the medical equipment at the Rwamagana hospital. This is for all of my nursing friends .... Fact: Rwamagana serves a community of 400,000 & as of last year did not have any ventilators on site & 1 nebulizer. So in other words, you don't breathe spontaneously on your own you die. Also, no doctors work on weekends or nights, so the nurses try their best to keep you alive or stable until the DR gets in... including deliveries (including high risk)not kidding.... unbelievable....
The market is quite the place! There are tables underneath what seemed to be a giant sheed with tables piled with fruits, vegetables, flour, you name it. It another area shoes, clothing and bright fabrics (new & old) laying or hanging everywhere to be sold.
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