RWANDA GROUP TRUST
February, 2023
Dear All,
As this is
our first newsletter of the year, we
wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful new year. Every day,
lately, seems to bring more and more heartbreaking news of personal tragedies,
refugees, asylum seekers, wars, earthquakes, floods. The list is endless. As it
is impossible for us to help all, we will continue to do our best with our
Rwandan groups.
Since our
last newsletter we have seen the deaths of two of our devoted supporters, MaryHammond and Pam Hills. Mary, I
think, was a founder member of the RGT and a close friend of Rosemary Bamber.
She was involved in much fundraising and worked for many years in our charity
shop until her health deteriorated. Pam, too, with her husband, Pete, had been
a trustee for a while and worked in our shop. We thank God for them and pray
‘May they Rest in Peace.’
Tuesday, 17th
January we had our quarterly Trustees
meeting at Veronica’s house.
Trustees, Michael Donlan, Myra Gregory, Mark Ibison, Veronica Sanders, Judith
Potts, Clare Spicer and myself, Bernadette Roberts, were present.
We received the
following Utilisation Reports for the November tranche:
Fr. Placide in Cyangugu
used his funds for:
Education expenses for 34 students; food and clothing for 27
families; health care for 33 people, which included medical insurance for 31
people; hospitalisation for 1 person.
Petronille in Gikongoro
used her funding for:
School fees for 30students; Food and clothing for: 59 people:10
households, 10 people living with and/or affected by HIV/Aids, 20 people with
‘mental chronic diseases’, school lunches for street children. Health
Care…drugs and palliative care for 3 people with cancer.
Beatrice in Kigali
funded:
Contributions to school fees for 66 students; food for 3
malnourished children.
Fr. Fabian in Nyundo
provided:
Education for 29 students; food/clothing for 4 people; health
care for 2 people.
February’s Funding
We were able, again, to send £1, 500 to each group, instead
of the usual £2,000.
We also sent £600 to be divided between the 4 Groups (20
goats at £30 each).
We requested reports on
current circumstances of our groups. It’s interesting to note how the weather conditions vary
considerably in different parts of the country.
Fr. Placidein
Cyanguguwrites:
‘For nowadays we are
struggling with a big famine caused by:
1.The very high Sunshines for a long time and weather
condition. The seeds in the land have been dry so that there is no production
in this season.
2. The goods on the market are very expensive while many
people lost their jobs because of COVID-19.
3. Many people sold their domestic animals because of hunger.
It seems like restarting. People don’t have ability to find out money.’
Fr. Fabien in Nyundo
writes:
‘With the end of September, begins the season of great rains
with its harmfull consequences. Especially, we had a descent of the land that
washed away two houses and fields. Fortunately, there were no casualties. This
is also the period when people, after sowing, wait for the harvest without
having enough to eat. Deseases of all kinds take advantage of their weakness.
It is in this situation that parents must find the money for the back to
school.
These are the major cases that we share with you. We
reiterate our sincere gratitude.’
Today, 20th
February, Mark received the following from Sister Philomene, who oversees our 4
groups:
‘…I know that currently
the economic situation in the world is not good, I dare to send you two small
projects, a project of two water tanks for the Health Center, which requires at
least 2,000 euros (£1,600) to buy them and install them, another incinerator
construction project for Rusizi Disabled Center and Rusizi Health Center. there
was one, but suddenly it fell. right now, they don’t have a place to burn the
pampex, the sells and the things to burn from the maternity ward. this waste
incinerator project also requires a sum of approximately 2,100 euros
(£1,680)’……..’the health center needs the cisterns so much to have a water
reserve, when the water from the Eletrogaz runs out,the health center
completely lacks water. If they could find two cisterns of 10,000 cubic
meterseach, that would be enough for him…’
COULD THIS, PERHAPS,
BE A LENTEN PROJECT IN ANY OF YOUR PARISHES?
PLEASE LET US KNOW
IF YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS, DESPITE THE LATE NOTICE!
We continue with our
efforts to fundraise:
18 Knitted Queen Elizabeths raised £360…Thankyou Catherine Osbaldeston for
knitting 14 of those!!!
Keep Fit for Rwanda in the first 3 months up to the end
of last year raised £395 + £102.50 Gift Aid. Thank-you to all at St. Anthony’s
who are supporting that….and keeping so fit at the same time!!!
A huge thank-you, too, to the parishioners of St. Anthony’s, who, through Sunday coffee mornings,
weekly ‘Knit and Natter’ group and other specific fund raising events raised
£2,620 to be shared between ‘Life’ and our ‘Rwanda Group Trust’.
Future Fund Raising
We are selling recycled
Easter cards, Easter baskets (some with 5 finger puppets), and‘prayer pouches’.
Orders may be taken. I will deliver locally, but please pay postage if outside
of Preston.
As always, we thank
you all for your continuing support, be it in prayer, actions or donations.(Donations may be by bank transfer,
standing order or simply given to a Trustee)
For further details go to:
How to Donate Button or telephone
Michael Donlan 07864 990941/ Bernadette Roberts 07734972897
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