After a few days doing the doable at the youth center in Nyabiheke refugee camp, we are going across camp to the busiest place - the health center. This health center is the sole health facility for over 14,000 refugees. “Each and every day, it is this team that ensures the facility is running,” explains Bernad, ARC’s Country Director in Rwanda. Our staff work tirelessly to provide the best care. They’re always thinking about their customers – mainly mothers and their young children - and how to make their experience at the health center even better. Their waiting area is always full and mothers sometimes wait with their kids for up to three hours before they are seen. So, the team posed an idea. “The wait can be long and the kids get restless, they need a space to play and be safe,” says Jacques, an ARC Rwanda team member. It would take time and some serious manpower, but with everyone pitching in - our construction team, members from the community and the health center staff – … [Read more...] about Kid-Friendly
Campaigns
Youth Center Activities
Over the past few days, we’ve spent some time fixing up the Nyabiheke youth center. We’re back today because we know that a space is so much more than a building – it’s what’s inside. And right now, the space is nearly empty. They have some old, worn-out basketballs and soccer balls, a few dog-eared books and a prized TV for watching movies and soccer matches. For the hundreds of young men and women who use the space weekly, the few books and deflated basketballs are not enough to keep them engaged. “I go to the youth center at least five times a week, sometimes every day,” says Innocent. “We lack opportunities after secondary school. When we finish, there is no university course for us so many are spending their days here at the youth center.” With limited educational opportunities and job prospects, the youth center is where people continue their informal education in whatever ways they can. “Some can share the skills they learned before coming to Nyabiheke. There are many … [Read more...] about Youth Center Activities
A Beautiful Mural
Today, we’re back at the youth center in Nyabiheke Refugee Camp. Now that we’ve cleaned the space up a little bit, it’s time to add some color and energy. We partnered with our friends Kurema, Kureba, and Kwiga, to create a beautiful mural in the youth center. “We want to reflect the hopes and dreams of the youth who use this space. Some of them may look up to sports players or musicians,” says Victor, ARC’s Site Manager in Nyabiheke. The artists sat down with the youth to create a sketch for the murals – one inside and one outside. Then, we set to work getting paint, brushes, ladders and mixing containers. Youth from all over Nyabiheke gathered, working together to bring the youth center to life. Our friend Andrew, a Rwandan government representative, stopped by to see what was happening. “Now, it really looks like a youth center – from the inside out. It’s vibrant and full of so much activity. I’m even wishing I could make my office here,” he exclaimed. Just a few paint … [Read more...] about A Beautiful Mural
Nyabiheke Youth
We’re hopping from Houston across the Atlantic to the rolling hills of northern Rwanda for the next few days. Nyabiheke Refugee Camp is home to over 14,000 refugees from neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and many who live here have called it home for close to ten years, including the youth who sit on the camp’s youth committee. These youth have big dreams. They practice karate, study English, read about economics and play basketball. And, they even have a space meant for all these activities. “We are interested in so many activities and we use this space for those things,” explains Gitau, the president of the youth center. “These passions and studies can mean a lot to our future.” The youth center is a gathering, meeting and recreation space for all the youth living in Nyabiheke. But, it could use some upgrades. The lights have been burned out for months, the floors are dusty and littered with trash and metal scraps, several windows are broken and the doors stand … [Read more...] about Nyabiheke Youth
Cookin’ Up Hope
When we last saw Juanita Gomez, her mobile home was waiting to be rebuilt after the destruction of Hurricane Harvey. So naturally, we wanted to check in with her and see how the rebuilding was coming along. We were relieved to see that her home had been mucked and gutted - but she was still looking to make her house really feel like a home. Juanita explained to one of our team members over the phone that she doesn’t feel like herself when she isn’t able to cook. For her, cooking meals for her family brings joy, meaning, and satisfaction. Not to mention she finds it very therapeutic, which is so important these days! During the flood, she lost all her cookware, leaving her unable to take part in her favorite activity - cooking. She was using a stick from her yard in the place of a wooden spoon. Now that Juanita’s house was livable, it was time to make it a home! So on Day 289, that’s just what we did. We presented Juanita with bowls, cups, cutting boards, pots, pans, … [Read more...] about Cookin’ Up Hope
Projecting Health
Yesterday we helped the team at La Casa El Buen Samaratino in Southwest Houston update their gynecology equipment to be able to better serve more of their patients. Casa is the only free clinic in Houston that provides 100% free services for patients who are uninsured and low-income. One of the things they do at Casa is host diabetes awareness and education classes. Patients and members from the community pile into their conference to learn all about diabetes - what to watch for and how to manage it. But the projector they had was really old and sometimes refused to work when there was a roomful of people waiting. Casa's diabetes work is so important, we decided to get them a new projector and screen on Day 288 so that their educational programs could be even more effective. “We can watch a movie tonight!” joked Rosie, the clinic coordinator, while she opened the packages. The projector is primarily used for the diabetes class, but as the staff unpacked the new equipment … [Read more...] about Projecting Health
Good Samaritans
La Casa El Buen Samaratino is located in Southwest Houston. Casa is the only clinic in Houston that provides 100% free services to patients who are uninsured and low-income. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the clinic has been stretched thin with staff working many extra hours with outdated or few resources. The Casa team doesn't have all the equipment they need. For some equipment they have just a single item that must be sterilized between patients, a process that takes 24 hours. That means they can only do certain procedures once each day - even if they have multiple patients who need it. The team at Casa is working so hard, we wanted to do something that would help them in their work. So we decided to update their equipment and get them more of the supplies they need. And we decided to focus on women's health. Casa has gynecologists on staff, and they do a lot of screenings for cervical cancer. With their current equipment they can only do one biopsy per day for … [Read more...] about Good Samaritans
A Token of Thanks
In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the East Houston Civic Club (EHCC) is serving as a critical distribution center providing much needed relief to residents of Northeast Houston. The EHCC is the response of individuals coming together to support the community. Over 120 volunteers have helped out at EHCC since it opened just after the storm. Of those 120, there are about 40 volunteers that have gone way above and beyond, dedicated over 4 full days per week at the Civic Club (easily over 50-60 hours per week). Many of these volunteers have so felt compelled to volunteer that they’ve quit their jobs or taken a leave of absence. “It’s something that has to be done. You just pitch in whenever you can. You can’t just sit back and wait for someone to do it for you.”, said Maryland Whitaker, President of the EHCC. These volunteers give so much time, energy and passion in serving the NE community. It’s a pretty demanding job – day after day you’re on your feet, in the sweltering heat, … [Read more...] about A Token of Thanks
Fighting the bugs
Houstonians are dealing with some issues post-Harvey that might not first come to your mind... Mosquitoes are annoying, all-year long in Houston. Going indoors is usually how to get away from the bothersome bugs. But with their homes opened up to dry out, there's no longer any escape. And in northeast Houston, many communities are also struggling without clean running water. Less frequent handwashing could lead to an increased spread of germs and bacteria. Getting laid up with a cold, the flu or worse is the last thing people want while they're still dealing with the aftermath of Harvey. So, on Day 285 we decided to do something simple to help community members in northeast Houston protect themselves. Yesterday, we noticed that there wasn't hand sanitizer or mosquito repellent available at the EHCC distribution center. So, we purchased both and they were quickly added to the distribution kits. Then those kits were taken to a vaccination clinic - anyone who came in for a … [Read more...] about Fighting the bugs
Distributing the Essentials
So many people lost everything in Hurricane Harvey – homes, cars, jobs, personal belongings, memories, collectibles, and even family members and pets. The Northeast area of the city – a historically underserved and marginalized area – was hit particularly hard. In the aftermath, individuals and families are trying to piece their lives back together little by little. With limited to no resources and a lengthy recovery process ahead, the need for temporary relief is greater than ever. That is the gap the East Houston Civic Center (EHCC) has stepped into. James Phelan and Jeanne Dupre Weido, two passionate and dedicated community leaders, run the operations of the EHCC with support from a network of over 120 volunteers. They are a resource for people who need a little bit of help post-Harvey - their store room is filled with food, water, hygiene items, clothing and home cleaning kits. "The items they receive at the distribution center impacts their lives because it allows them to … [Read more...] about Distributing the Essentials