Culminations and ruminations

Console and her team "bring the service and the milk to you!"

“You can’t always get what you want but if you try sometimes you get what you need.”

We want funding and need help getting it.

So while Steve and Susan worked their customer service hearts out with Languida and Console, Kate and Richard left their own meetings to travel all over town . . .guiding Pat Burns through Kigali and to our Associates. We have great fortune that Pat has joined the team. She is an artist and documentarian who just happens to be Rwanda visiting her daughter. Pat reached out to us with introduction and an offer. “Bpeace looks like it’s doing good work. I have a few days. You have any footage you need shot?” With a beauty school and a 2nd class to fundraise for we met this world traveling grandmother of nine for the 1st time Friday over breakfast. Within the hour she began filming Rwanda through the eyes of Bpeace. Peter Lien will be creating movie magic with the footage that Pat shoots. Can you believe both Pat and Peter just happen to live in Philadelphia? Susan will be translating and serving as our Associate’s voice. Our aim? Bring a window to Rwanda for our volunteers and funders.

With Pat's video camera in hand on a warm, sunny Kigali Saturday we luckily happened upon the evidence of almost three years of Bpeace effort . . .and the many more years of our Associates’ hard work. The video will take some weeks to produce so Kate took a few stills of two stops.

A grand re-opening at Harriette’s New Generation Salon

At Harriette's: "Welcome to our new men's shampoo room."

Regis is always with us.

With the help of a Bpeace/FINA Economic Development loan, Harriette renovated her salon and we were there for the grand re-opening. Closed for 2 weeks, a shiny tile floor now expands the salon’s usable space and a new shampoo room on the men’s side provides a new service and income. The walls have been repainted and a large blow-up of Regis training graduation from 2007 is proudly displayed. The salon was packed with newly uniformed staff members (who participated in Steve’s customer service training on Monday) and many happy customers. Thanks to all who endeavored on the loan. And congratulations to Harriette who has carefully applied Bpeace training and worked hard to make her success expand.

Dreams come true at Sylvie’s Bambino Family Park

Pat and Richard by Sylvie's airplane ride.

At Sylvie's: Riding around and around.

A surprise waited for us at Sylvie’s . . . 300 HUNDRED children attending BCR’s Kids Fun Day. The park was jammed with kids climbing over rides and parents enjoying the pool. With music playing, a groaning buffet table and drinks flowing, the crowd was delighted and so were we. Over the past years we have watched (and helped) Sylvie steadily implement and expand her vision. Yesterday we stood in sunshine, surrounded by green parkland and listened to the sounds of children’s excited screams and the soft laughter of watching adults. On the way out, a carload of kids with HAPPY BIRTHDAY hats came our way. The front seat passenger had a huge white frosted birthday cake on her lap. Suddenly greetings went all round. It was Richard’s sister Hope and his nephew who had come to Sylvie’s dreamscape to celebrate the young man’s most important 7th birthday. Just another dream day for a child in paradise.

As the day waned
Over drinks on the Serena veranda Kate met with Sorwathe, the largest tea company in Rwanda. Cocktail tidbit: 98% of all Rwandan tea is exported. It ends up in the blends of many teas including Tazo. Sorwathe has been here since the mid-70s. In his spare time, its Director General has helped local women organize to manufacture low cost cooking ovens. A rural business is emerging to expand the making of these “peace stoves." The name was coined because food can stay warm until husbands find their way home. No more late night demands for hot food preparation by sleepy wives. Can Bpeace help as part of our next class of Associates? Richard will meet the business leadership. Sorwathe will think about ways to introduce funding.

The team set off for Joy’s house for an evening of Obama talk with the many friends and neighbors who always gather for the great food at this Gayhaya Links partner. A dinner at Joy’s is always a highlight. You can’t stop the conversation among this charming group of Rwandans who never fail to make Kate and Steve want to move to Kigali. We left with a long list of Nairobi restaurant recommendations for our upcoming days there from Solange (also known as Dou-Dou’s sister for those readers who know the restaurant Replublika). We also left with a real sense of the Obama impact here as the refrain kept getting repeated that “America is a great country”. From a continent where peaceful elections, power transition and opportunity without prejudice are a rarity, there is profound wonder at American democracy.

So with Susan and Richard falling asleep waiting for the old folks we ended the day . . .with promises of a Joy and Steve cook-off in our Grandview kitchen and a sense of wonder at a world which brings us all together.