Below is our September news for you, catching up on some things before I return to Rwanda for the end of the school year..

For our American supporters, please click here for information on the new Foundation which has been set up by our wonderful friends in Utah. Thanks to their huge efforts, American citizens can donate in the States and receive receipts for tax relief purposes. On behalf of the people in Kinamba we thank them very much.

Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying life and that you a fit and healthy!

Very best wishes to you, Meg

Click here to download the full article as a PDF.

Hello to everyone from the UK

I have enjoyed a prolonged stay at home this year, enjoying catching up with family and friends and spending many pleasurable hours in my garden. I live in a wonderful rural area in Northern Britain and have particularly enjoyed watching the swallows bringing up their family in my wood store.

Like the swallows now, my thoughts are turning to a southward journey and it is time to start to pack up the house and pack my bags full of things for Rwanda.

Now is a good time, before I go, to say thank you to the many people without whom our project would not exist, nor would it function so well.

Thank you first of all to my wonderful and long-suffering sister, who provides essential logistical and emotional support for me as well as practical support in patiently dealing with the multitude of requests which continue to flow, either from here or from Rwanda.

Thank you to the growing number of sponsors, whose commitment is providing essential long-term funding which guarantees the sustainability of our work.

Thank you to the huge numbers of Cumbrian school children who arrange events to raise funds and who collect humanitarian and school items for the children and community in Kinamba. I have visited many schools during my stay here this time, talking to the children about the differences and similarities of the life at home and school for the children in the UK and in Rwanda. I have to answer some challenging questions sometimes and everyone is always very interested and more than willing to try to help in what ways they can.

We have held a number of events this summer, coffee mornings, supermarket collections, a cookery demonstration and ‘knit and natter’ gatherings, all supported by a growing number of people eager to help us. The children just love the knitted jumpers and this year we should have enough for each child, without having to choose which class will go without (always tricky!)

These events are a good opportunity not only to raise money but to catch up with friends, make new ones, and plan the next venture.

Thank you to the growing number of friends who as individuals do so very much, giving talks, auditing accounts, helping to organise and run around collecting and packing things for the container, organising events like dinner parties and sponsored walks and bike rides. Impossible to name everyone here, but you know who you are!!

We recently sent a huge amount of things with Steeles of Barrow on the first stage of the journey to Rwanda. Special thanks you to Jules and her wonderful team for giving us the space on the container they are sending to Rwanda. We are very excited about this.

Special thanks also to our good friends in Utah who have been very active on our behalf in setting up a fund in the USA. This will give USA citizens the opportunity to donate at home which will be much more cost-efficient. My sister and I were made so very welcome during our visit last year.

Thank you to the staff and community of Benowa High School in Queensland Australia. Jonathan from the sports department came to help out with our holiday school in 2011. When he returned to Australia the students and staff soon got involved in supporting several of our children.

A huge thank you must be given to the wonderful people who have volunteered with us, giving their time, energy, experience and expertise to help the project grow. Far too numerous to mention here but I am so grateful for help in so many ways – with IT, teaching, teacher training, administration support, holiday schools, English language teaching, teaching practical skills, researching new ideas, report writing. I have met some incredible people and learnt so much from them and I know they would say their involvement with the project has been enriching.

Finally I must mention the work and dedication of the staff in Rwanda, some of whom are pictured here. They would tell you their lives have changed through their involvement with the project and they work so hard to give life-changing chances to the children and community we serve. They are a great team and are totally committed to their work. They know very well how much they depend upon you and constantly tell me to say thanks.

And so to pack! The next news will be from Rwanda.

As always, wishing you all you could wish for yourselves in your lives,

With very grateful thanks to one and all, Meg