Then and Now

by Susan DeCarlo, African Road board member

I was first introduced to Steven and Providance Turikunkiko in the summer of 2010.  As part of a team led by Leigh Harvey, friend of African Road, I spent ten memorable days walking the dusty African roads.

We worked with Kelly Bean, African Road co-founder, (my first introduction to this remarkable woman) and with Steven. Our group visited each of the child-headed orphan households scattered around the country-side. The hope was that the information we gathered would help Kelly present the needs of the orphaned youth to an anonymous Foundation who was considering donating funds to help these young people.

At New Destiny Cooperative, we met women widowed by the genocide, who were establishing a fledgling tailoring and crafting business. We made beads, chatted, listened to their stories and bought bags and baskets.

Steven and Providance’s small home was bursting at the seams with the young ones they cared for. While we were there, two more little ones were brought to them – their mother having just died of HIV/AIDS.

Fast-forward to the fall of 2012.

Now an official African Road board member, I looked forward with great excitement to my second visit to Rwanda. Dear Steven, Providance, Alice, Emma . . .  the staff at A.E.E. guesthouse . . . dear familiar friends I was longing to see.

What a difference two years had made!

At Togetherness Cooperative, due to the work of African Road, a covered meeting place and small office building form the centerpiece of 6 acres of land, planted with a variety of crops. The orphaned youth have sturdy animal shelters, composting toilets and even a rough soccer field! No more long treks to the valley for water as a well on the property provides water for them and the surrounding community. While there are still many needs (adequate power to the well, leveling the soccer pitch, etc.) the sense of accomplishment and stability was clear. The youth had even begun a preschool, all on their own! In two short years, these orphaned youth have found a place in the community. They, once the forgotten ones, are now in a position to give back, to dream and to look to a hopeful future.

It didn’t appear a lot had changed for the women of New Destiny Cooperative. They have moved to a better location and are still doing sewing and some crafting. My friend and team member, Kay and I visited three of the women’s homes to better understand their circumstances. We came away with the realization that there is much still to be done to help these survivors of violence and war.

Steven and his family had moved to a home closer to town, which helped greatly with ease of access to schools, marketing and medical care. But his home was still bursting at the seams! I have a feeling that it always will be . . . Steven’s big heart has a hard time saying ‘no’ to a child in need. The great news was that a permanent home was on the way for the Turikunkiko’s. We took a preliminary look at land and houses – in anticipation of the fund-raising campaign (now successfully completed) to raise money to build them a home. Before we worried about helping them pay their rent. Now we’re ‘worrying’ about a house building project! What a wonderful ‘worry’ to have!

So little can make such a big difference to our Rwandan friends. We were able to fund Providance’s small business endeavor, empowering her to provide food for her family in the months and years to come. Purchases of jewelry from our friend Alice provided her with much needed monies for her daughter’s upcoming wedding. A shopping trip for bulk foods for the youth cost little in dollars, but brought big rewards in smiling thanks. A suitcase full of donated girls soccer uniforms resulted in gleeful young women running and playing in their first ever gear that was ‘just for them.’ Glow sticks, puppets and new clothes had the little ones dancing and playing! Tiny hands holding ours, little arms wrapping us in hugs – so much love shared with us!

I can’t wait for my next visit!