Mumeya Leaders Complete the Frame and Roof for the Next Six Health Center Rooms, CRCR Expands to Nyange in Western Rwanda

In April a group of Mumeya leaders once again took action on behalf of their community, putting up the walls and completing the roof for six more rooms at the health center! Although they have won the commitment of Kirehe’s mayor to get health clinic construction in the 2011/2012 budget, so far public officials have not come forward with any new resources.  So Mumeya leaders are doing it themselves.

“Since the government has not addressed clearly how and when it will donate the money, we better continue carrying on construction of the next six rooms. If we wait for the government to provide the total cash to construct the health center, we won’t get there. However, we will continue to press the minister’s office with phone calls and 5000 signatures from the people who will benefit from this health center after completion”, said Mumeya leader Damascent Nzabanita.  They continue to hold research meetings with Kirehe public officials and the Ministry of Health.

In March a group of Mumeya leaders came together at the training tree, now called “Jesus’ tree” because it provides protection for all ethnic and religious groups, to plan how they would get the next rooms completed.  However, the tree was being used by clinic staff to vaccinate 82 children – because the clinic didn’t have enough space. Pastor John observed,“I felt very touched to see the number of people who have no shelter for vaccination, and I needed to rethink with the community on building new strategies that would give us the moral ground in building this health center. Imagine 82 children sheltered by the tree of Jesus, not the permanent building — what if it rains before they are vaccinated?”

Once built, these rooms will become a laboratory, a pharmacy and increase facilities for pregnant women. Currently six nurses are working at the center.

The Mumeya Local Organizing Committee also completed their constitution last month and submitted it to Kirehe’s Vice Mayor so that they can become an officially registered NGO in Rwanda.

Expansion to Nyange

Since January approximately 30 new leaders from Nyange have received ongoing training in the CRCR/PICO model and are conducting one-to-one conversations across their community. In January 60 people attended the introductory sessions under the trees, including 55 women, 4 men and one 14 year old young man.  Through these trainings Nyange residents are creating a new discipline of thinking as they move to a new culture where they hold public and religious leaders accountable to their constituents. They are building on the work of Mumeyans, who have provided the first concrete example of a model that unlocks people’s capacity for positive changes and inner power within themselves to transform their social, economic and spiritual life.

Through the one-to-one process Nyange community members are identifying the need for improved housing with roofs that protect them from rain, more manure for farms, and education for their children. Last month Pastor John provided a training for the mayor of Gitarama as part of this work, along with three Rwandan staff of the central government.