UBUNTU Swiss-Rwandan Organization
WE CAN'T HELP EVERYONE, BUT EVERYONE CAN HELP SOMEONE
Newsletter 2021
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First of all, we would like to thank all our patrons and members for their support, be it through a donation or membership fee. We hope you can all look back on a successful year despite the adverse circumstances.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our planned trip for October 2020 due to the pandemic. Although an entry at this time would have been possible, we decided to take this step. Because the conditions of the entry regulations were extremely strict and we would have had to go first 2 weeks in a shielded building in quarantine. Since our number of vacation weeks is limited due to our job, we did not want to spend this valuable time doing nothing. Well: postponed is not canceled, we simply plan a year later.
Rwanda has not had an easy year. With our board members and some friends we were in regular contact with Rwanda. They were one of the first countries to have the lockdown, the RBD (Rwanda Development Board) ordered much stricter conditions than we had with us. The only thing is that the Rwandan people do not get any compensation for business failures, nor can they apply for credit. They are completely left to fend for themselves. We heard from starving people who didn't know how to make ends meet. Our board members were also hard hit, so we made isolated donations to them from our private coffers. No UBUNTU money was used for this, after all the income is earmarked.
We all imagined the past year differently. How the fresh year will develop is still open. What remains, however, is planning uncertainty. Corona has changed a lot in our private and business lives worldwide. However, we always see such events as an opportunity. Existing practices and processes are being questioned, because the crisis shows one thing very clearly: we all need to act and think more agilely in order to be better equipped to deal with the unforeseen. Regardless, we will face whatever challenges we encounter this year.
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Our project trip is now scheduled for October 2021 (02 - 16 Oct). We have commissioned tenders for school furniture through a foundation in Kigali. This foundation will now solicit bids from certified carpentry companies. We hope to place the order in spring so that the furniture (school desks with benches) can be delivered to the schools in October.
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In addition, we will deliver two water tanks to the schools, thanks to a donation we could already order them.
For 2022 we are planning another project trip in spring (May), this time on the topic of SPORT. We will visit the elementary school Kambyeyi with 2 young sports enthusiasts. The two volunteers would like to redesign the playground there. The making of 2 goals will be done in Rwanda itself, the 2 volunteers will bring soccer balls from Switzerland. Small materials such as whistles, marking spray, etc. will probably also be brought from Switzerland for the sake of simplicity. We are already looking forward to this sports adventure with our boys and hope for countless matches and corresponding footage, which we can then use again for our website.
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Also, these two volunteers (Noëmie & Dario) have agreed to open the Instagram & Facebook account and continue to support us "digitally".
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Furthermore, we will tackle another solar project. For this we are already in contact with a producer from South Africa.
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In order to be able to equip the first school with school furniture, we calculate a need of about CHF 10'000.
This would be enough for about 50 school desks.
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With this project we can do two good things at once: on the one hand we provide a carpenter's workshop with orders and work, and on the other hand the students are happy about more space. Because often they sit four to a bench or even on the floor due to lack of furniture.
For the financing of this furniture in October 2021 we are currently still missing
CHF 8'000. We are very grateful for every donation. MURAKOZE CIANE!!!!!
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In addition to the costs of school furniture, there are of course the transport and chauffeur costs. We hope to be able to finance these costs with the membership contributions that have been earmarked for this purpose and have already been received.
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Each donor receives a personal metal plaque with engraved name and details of the supported project. A donor plaque is placed on the premises of the respective school.
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Donors can transfer their contributions using the enclosed payment slip or to IBAN CH73 0685 0610 4936 3750 0 (Bank Avera, formerly Clientis).
Cordial UBUNTU greetings
