18,000 trees

from the new times sport section today:

saturday results: burundi 0-0 tanzania; ethiopia 0-0 sudan

tanzania's kilmanjaro stars are up for a busy task as they face sudan in the quarter finals of the cecafa senior challenge cup at the national stadium dar es salaam, tanzania. a slim 10-1 win over somalia on wednesday as well as a goalless draw against burundi on saturday provoked local fans here to lose hope.

sudan didn't perform as expected as it earned its points from draws against ethiopia and zanzibar. ethiopia had lost it fixtures against zanzibar 2-3 on thursday, following djibouti and somalia in the exit chamber. eritrea is the only surviving team from the horn of africa.

hmmm ... wonder why sudan is so distracted these days?

once again, i am unable to sleep at a normal hour - ugghhh! despite feeling zonked, i work out in the wee hours of the morning, and enjoy an early sumptuous breakfast on the terrace in the hot african sun. my roasted tomatoes with cheese are back - oh, the simple joys of life. piping hot rwandan coffee sends me on my way!

we go to the site today - finally - after rendezvous-ing with the team at the contractor's office to review and approve samples. once again, we seem to be only talking about toilets and the price of cement (how many times can i hear that it's going up - i have my own problems!) ... but it is all very convivial and helpful, and our convoy speeds away. we wind through the hills - the countryside is spectacular, as the 'light' rainy season has just ended, and everything is green(er) than july. we weave through magnificent vistas, looking down into deep valleys - like driving in vermont, but with bananas (everywhere!) and statuesque african women in their multi colored print dresses.

we arrive to the huge construction zone, the future home of the agahozo shalom youth village - incredible. what was once just two large hills separated by a valley with views to burundi is now taking shape as a real, habitable place! there are 350 workers on site - making foundations, laying masonry, making blocks on site - it's amazing. there are workers quarters, a canteen, an office, and people everywhere. suddenly, homes for 524 orphans are rising!

we tour the site, making decisions whilst deciding what it is that is still undecided - basically, planning out our work for the next few days. there are lots of things to address, and we move in a pack, driving the entire site first, then walking to the key locations - the central plaza, the school, the library ... amazing!

it is 80º and sunny, a spectacular day, and we look beyond to the terraced fields that lie beyond. suddenly, the mayor and governor arrive, and we all mobilize to greet them! they hold the key to making the village's realization 'smooth', and have popped by just to say hello. the governor, a genial man with all the accoutrements - pierre carden shirt, prada glasses, latest mobile phone, etc. has us all sit at a makeshift conference table in the construction office. he has come to let us know that the prefect is donating 18,000 trees to the effort, including the actual planting of the species (mango, eucalyptus, etc.) - amazing!

this is an incredible thing, particularly since the site feels denuded by the work going on. and not only is this a politically positive development, it is also layered with meaning ... the number 18 - chai in hebrew, which means life - perfectly suited to a village housing children who survived the genocide here. the gift of trees - green both in color and earthly attitude - giving life and oxygen. upward growth - the children - and sustainability for this fractured country. we are delighted!

but there's still lots to be done, so we head back to kigali in the mid-afternoon, for a meeting and a bite. i'm totally exhausted - from lack of sleep! additionally, i discover that i am incredibly sunburned, not having thought of the need for sunscreen before i left this morning - duhh. hot equatorial sun on in open area - feeling better though.

after the pow-wow, i hop into town, and snake my way through the market - it's dusk and gorgeous! no one smokes here, and they're constantly sweeping the streets, so it is not overwhelming in that sense. everyone is out and it's hopping - and is everything that you would think of, if you were to think of a sub-saharan bazaar. incredible, and i score a pair of funky rwandan boots - the standard issue item here - for a great price!

back at the serena, i grab a quick bite, a mutzig draft beer, and it's time for zzzzzzz's - good night all!

h

Hello from Kigali, Rwanda

Hello all!

Greetings from Rwanda's capital Kigali. I arrived a few hours back from Bruxelles, after having a wonderful 18 hour visit with our dear friends Debbie and Dino. We had a terrific time catching up - we haven't seen each other since we were in Amsterdam together in November - so it was great arriving to their home in Belgium, hanging out, i-chatting with Jane, and enjoying a glass of real Belgian beer and frites with them. So nice to have such good friends, even if they are a plane ride away! Thanks Debbie and Dino for your hospitality, warmth, and good times!

I left Bruxelles this morning for my flight to Africa ... after arriving with my characteristically lone piece of luggage, I was able to pass immediately through security so I could quickly grab my second café - the first was with my bleary eyed hosts this morning in their kitchen, poor souls! I enjoyed my latté and was able to quickly write to the kids in camp, espousing the virtues of Belgian chocolate, beer, and frites!

At the gate for my Brussels Airlines flight, I felt like a real schlepper! Although the majority of those flying seemed to be non-African (a good number of American missionaries, young people, and Europeans), the Rwandans boarding stole the show. Talk about grace! Youthful, incredible smiles, humble, yet confident, it was clear to see what I was going to experience this week in Kigali. Each person was dressed more fashionably than the next, and not in a self-conscious or pretentious way ... simply gorgeous. Slender, fit, and with the most glorious chocolate colored skin I've ever seen, they boarded the flight with charm and ease, wearing Roberto Cavelli belts, Prada shoes, ties and slim fitting jackets - very 'cool' looking, ipods in hand. I had been warned in all honesty - recently I attended a meeting for the project I am working on here, and as it was an advisory board conference, I uncharacteristically wore a suit. At the end of the afternoon, I remarked that I knew I wouldn't be doing that in Rwanda, to which my colleague Sifa responded that the people I would be meeting with take their positions seriously, and dress accordingly! (So off to H&M I went, looking for business attire!).

We left Belgium a bit late this morning, but flew through fantastic weather with clear skies, affording me the opportunity to peruse the landscape below ... I was surprised to see that we were flying over the Greek islands, directly above Mykonos, Crete, Santorini - then across the azure Mediterranean to what I thought was Libya, but was in fact Alexandria, Egypt. Down the Nile we followed our flight path, into Sudan just to the east of the infamous Darfur region. After reading a book yesterday by a survivor of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, it was disheartening to think of what is going on in that area, and eastern Chad, while the world seemingly stands by. For those who have not had the chance, Vanity Fair is running a series of articles addressing this, and other issues in Africa this month, which makes worthy reading.

Upon leaving Sudan's airspace, it was a quick hop over Uganda, just to the west of Entebbe, and at that time the sun set (it goes away early here, 2 degrees south of the Equator - around 6:30pm, as opposed to Northern Europe - last night in Bruxelles the sun set at 10:30pm!). From there, it was a final jaunt into Kigali ... a smooth approach, quick disembarkation to the terminal, and very quickly through immigration (and yes, that French is really coming in handy!). I was met immediately by my colleague Sifa, and her brother Alain - they are native Rwandans who's family were touched by the horrors of 13 years ago, yet retain the characteristic grace and good nature of the Rwandan people. It was a comfortable 70 degrees when I landed, and having traveled to India and Morocco recently, I can guarantee that Rwanda is tame relatively speaking! The people are gentle and solicitous, warm and friendly (that ever present smile!) - Kigali is a city free of plastic bags (to eliminate trash and to be 'green' this was ordered by Paul Kagame's government last year). Today was a monthly 'cleanup' day for the city - similar to what I used to do at summer camp as a kid (the 'sweep') - anyone out before noon is required to work on beautifying the city by picking up trash, gardening, etc.. Even foreigners, if out and about, are required to participate!

I arrived to the hotel, which is gorgeous in an urban/resort way, and was offered fresh orange juice while checking in (which took no more than 30 seconds!). I was quickly shown to my room, on the top floor overlooking the grounds, with all of the amenities one could imagine from a 5 star hotel ... wifi, fluffy robes, oversized safe, etc.. After unpacking, I went down to the pool for a large 'pression' of Rwandan beer and had a light dinner (10pm) of more frites, and a baguette sandwich stuffed with Rwandan grilled vegetables - aubergines, tomatoes, and particularly good sweet green peppers.

Off to bed now, as I'm going to visit the site for our inspiring project at 9 am tomorrow morning ... wishing you all the best from Africa, and looking forward to sharing the rest of my story with you during the week!

Love Harley