And now, for something completely different....

Hi there

Welcome to our old blog detailing our experiences in Rwanda and fundraising for Centre Marembo. We are embarking on a new project to raise much needed funds by walking the reknown Robert Louis Stevenson Trail in the Cevennes, France.

For further details please follow the link

http://www.ryico.org/ or contact Andy (andyrboyd@yahoo.com)

For donations: www.justgiving/walking-the-stevenson-trail

Best wishes

Andy & Viv

Ricky Gervais eat your heart out!

The advert asked for young, fit and athletic white males. But I applied anyway and a few days later I was on board a plane bound for Cyangugu in south west Rwanda. The short flight was amazing as we flew low over Lake Kivu with its’ multitude of small inhabited islands with spectacular views over the mountains of western Congo.


My friends and I were to be extras and play soldiers in a film about Operation Turquoise – the so called humanitarian and highly controversial French mission to Rwanda in July 1994. Controversial in that Operation Turquoise was also intended (but failed) to prevent the anglophile RPF conquering Rwanda and it emerged later that many of those who orchestrated the 1994 genocide escaped into Congo (then Zaire) with the direct assistance of the military officers serving in Operation Turquoise.

On the whole it was a fun experience as we played at being soldiers, saw at first hand how movies are made and incurred the frustration of our temperamental and arrogant director. I’m glad I wasn’t the brunt of his “and who the hell have you worked with” taunt at one of the film crew. I think however he liked my joke: What is the difference between the French and a piece of toast? You can make soldiers out of toast!


It was however often a sobering experience and it was all too easy to imagine how the props, including guns, machetes and clubs studded with huge nails, were used for the most horrendous, bloody and cruel acts.

After 3 days filming – I’m not sure if I’ve actually made the silver screen – I spent a morning exploring Cyangugu including an unofficial visit to the prison. I pretty much just walked in unchallenged and mingled amongst the convicts clad in the pink prison uniforms common in Rwandan jails. It was strange and surreal to stroll amongst so many that may have participated directly in the genocide. After about 10 minutes however, I had my collar felt and was escorted to the governor’s office for a dressing down and a menacing “we will punish you next time you entertain an unsanctioned visit”. It’s not the first time my curiosity’s got the better of me.

Cheers

Andy
Donate at: www.justgiving.com/traininginrwanda

Kigali, Kayonza and … David Healy!

Muraho. It’s fantastic to be back in Rwanda. I’m back for a month to finish the work Viv and I started earlier in the year at Centre Marembo. I received such a warm welcome by the boys and staff - little Emmanuel’s face was a picture when I entered through Marembo’s big green and yellow gate. I don’t think he could quite believe it and his big smile brought a lump to my throat.

My first weekend was spent with the boys watching a cricket match – the British Ambassador’s XI verses a Rwandese select XI – but not before being run ragged by the boys in an impromptu football match. The standard of the football, at least from the youngsters was thankfully much better than the standard of cricket and a fun time was had by all.

My second visit to Rwanda has been marked by two short trips so far. Irish Coffee Man, Paul Stewart, led the first trip deep into the hills of north east Rwanda to a brand new coffee washing station located 2,000m above sea level – ideal coffee growing conditions. Paul works for Technoserve - an NGO which aims to reduce rural poverty through economic development programmes. In the case of the coffee industry, they are helping to reposition Rwanda as a leading producer of speciality coffee providing security and a much needed boost to farmers’ incomes.

The second trip was to Kayonza, a small town 65km east of Kigali to see the magnificent work being done by the Streets Ahead Children’s Centre Association – www.sacca.org. SACCA not only run a residential centre where street boys live and study in return for three daily meals, but also a centre for street girls who are often the victims of rape and prostitution. It was amazing to meet some of the children and both humbling and saddening to hear their awful stories. However there is real optimism here as SACCA help to offer them hope for the future as part of a family and members of the wider community.

I had been invited by the wonderful Tessa who failed to tell me was that I had to work for my keep decorating their volunteer centre. The street children assisted us although at one stage it was hard to tell whether more paint had gone on them and the floor rather than the walls. However many hands made light work and we finished in time to watch the FA Cup final on satellite TV – this in a town with no running water. About one hundred of us packed into a tiny room and the noise was deafening when Chelsea scored their lucky winner. But the best bit about the footie, was meeting a Rwandan wearing a Norn Iron and David Healy t-shirt. We waxed lyrical for hours!

Cheers

Andy

Donate at : www.justgiving.com/traininginrwanda

Kigali to Belfast … and back again

We’re now back in the UK… but not for long! Andy is returning to Rwanda (via Uganda) this Sunday for a month to finish off our work at Centre Marembo. Viv is being sent, not exactly to Coventry but to Bristol, to get a proper job!

We’ve had three weeks in the UK but not before Andy spent 3 nights in the salubrious King Faisal Hospital in Kigali. A kidney stone was the problem. That little b*gger caused a great deal of agony but he’s back to normal now – or as normal as he ever can be!

The weather has been glorious and if we may say so, somewhat African. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed catching up with family and friends, enjoyed the lush green Irish and Cheshire countryside and have spent the last few days basking on the banks of the Thames.


The highlight was undoubtedly the long awaited wedding of our dear friends Stephen and Pamela. (Stephen not before time!). It was a perfect day on the shores of Lough Erne in Enniskillen and the occasion was a right ol’ Irish hooley. Andy was best man and it has to be said, let Stephen off very lightly in his speech.

We’ll be keeping the blog going for about another two months, so tune in for the latest developments from Bristol and Kigali and …..feel free at any time to donate to Centre Marembo - www.justgiving.com/traininginrwanda



Love

Viv and Andy

Cool in the Congo….

Confession time again. We went to the Congo last weekend despite FCO advice and a friendly chat from the Vice Ambassador friend who said if we got stuck there, he wasn’t coming to rescue us! We know we promised we wouldn’t – given the rebel activities n’all that, but we figured, if the UN were there, it would be fine….what we didn’t bank on were that the guys in the UN mission in DRC were demon dancers and loved their whiskey. And so we found ourselves, once again, on the dance floor, shaking our stuff with the Congolese until the small hours when good sense eventually told us that we’d be up at the crack of dawn to make our way up the magnificent Nyiragongo volcano.


Seeing the bullet holes through the entrance sign of the National Park didn’t put us off. So, up we went – our merry band of 7, including 2 Irish (it was St Paddy’s day after all) and 3 Belgians, accompanied by an armed guard / guide and several porters. Shortly after we started the 6 hour climb, the heavens opened and it was a matter of sheer will power and determination that got us to the top without any dry clothing. Unfortunately, Laura, who had had a close encounter with an NHS butcher for a ripped Achilles, was forced to turn around as the climb was tough going and the merry band was reduced to 6….but she had her own adventure with a waragi (Ugandan gin) swilling gun toting rebel before negotiating a lift back to Goma.


The stunning views back over the border to Rwanda were a good excuse to stop on the way up the steep slopes of volcanic scree. Arriving at the summit, 3,300 or so meters up high in the clouds, we discovered that it was well worth the effort. It was like a scene from Lord of the Rings. We camped next to snow and red hot bubbling lava. It was hard to believe we were looking straight down at middle earth and seeing mini volcanic eruptions. The last major eruption in 2002, destroyed half of Goma town and the effects of that is still very much in evidence with the buried houses and vehicles.

The porters were legendary. We barely made it to the top carrying nothing but a small day pack of essentials – whiskey and chocolate. They carried our heavy packs of tents and food. We had sturdy walking boots and warm albeit wet socks. They had Welly boots with holes in the toes and no socks. No sleeping bags or water for them and they ate the food we offered. All this and their only reward was $6 a day. Makes me think a cosy office job isn’t all that bad….ah but then again…..

Our initial work at Centre Marembo is now coming to end. However much needed funds are still needed. Thank you to everyone who generously given to our cause. To those who haven’t, there’s still plenty of opportunity!

Love

Andy & Viv x

Centre Marembo News

Our work at the Centre is going well and we are working on their strategic planning, accounting systems and communication plans. Whilst this work is interesting and important to the smooth running of the Centre, the most rewarding and fun work is with the boys and the volunteers.


Rugby training has started, and although somewhat influenced by Andy, everyone here was delighted when Ireland thrashed England last Saturday!

And now a special note about the Rwandan volunteers who work at the Centre. They are such a dedicated group of people who work long hours for very little financial reward. We hope some of the funds we have raised can be paid to this hardworking group who, whilst caring diligently for the street boys, face their own personal hardships in the post genocide era of Rwanda.


The big news from the Centre is that an additional 10 street boys have been accommodated and all the boys have moved into a new accommodation block.

The downside is the extra cost and so we have increased our funding raising target – everybody loves a stretch target – don’t they?? So we now have some way to go. The extra money raised will contribute to the following much needed items:

• Food - £300 per month
• Accommodation – £130 per month
• Electricity bills - £30 per month
• Charcoal for cooking - £30 per month
• Additional beds and mattresses - £20 per item
• Clothing - £20 per child
• First Aid supplies - £20 per month
• Basic medical insurance - £11 per child
• Boys’ haircuts (so they don’t get sent home from school!) - £8 per month


A huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far and a plea from us for anyone else to make a contribution – even a very small amount can make big a difference here.


Love and thanks

Andy & Viv

Meeting the family

Our first visit out of Kigali took us westwards to Lake Kivu and the lakeside towns of Kibuye and Gisenyi – both suffered terribly during the 1994 genocide. Lake Kivu, situated between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), sits comfortably amongst mountain peaks at an altitude of 1370m. The lake is sixty miles long and is amongst the most picturesque scenery in all of Africa.

The road between our two ports of call tested both ourselves and the suspension of our borrowed Landcruiser as we bounced and rolled though 5 hours of heavily potholed roads. The high misty mountains were covered in endless patchwork of farmed small holdings and we travelled though tea plantations built into the steep slopes – much like the terracing of rice paddies in Asia.



The highlight of the trip was definitely visiting the gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park in the far north-west near Ruhengeri. There are about 300 of these socialable creatures in the Virungas having been made infamous by the late Dian Fossey and the film ‘Gorillas in the Mist’.



We trekked for three hours through mud, 45 degree slopes and head high nettles and briars - fortunately the rain held off which made it considerably easier. The hardship of the trek was more than worth it and there is no doubt that words are inadequate to explain the experience of the hour we spent with them. We were lucky to see the ‘Suza’ group – the largest and most remote group of gorillas. They often cross back and forth between Rwanda and Congo – without a passport may we add! The main acts were the two year old twins, a small baby still suckling on Mum, and the main man – the Silverback weighing in at an impressive 200kg. In total around 25 or so who came to see us.

The gorillas definitely knew what was going on. They played with each other, posed for the cameras, showed off and ate an intoxicating concoction of bamboo and leaves – no wonder they looked so chilled. Their mannerisms were uncannily like any you’d see a human make and looking into their eyes revealed they had us sussed. Unfortunately, the down side of this wonderful experience is the ever present threat of poachers….and the armed guards outnumbered our merry band of six tourists.

A few well earned beers were consumed on our return and we waxed lyrical about our wonderful cousins well into the night.