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| Serving Callaway County communities since 1875. | www.fultonsun.com | Wednesday, November 19, 2008 |
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Local leaders kick off Rwanda Community Partnership By KATHERINE CUMMINS The Fulton Sun
Wednesday night, along with fellow Rwanda Community Partnership volunteers and area leaders, Hansen officially kicked off the fundraising campaign for that alliance's first official project: building a women's and children's health clinic in Kibungo. “A lot of (people in Kibungo) are dealing with illness and aren't getting treated either because where they are is too remote to get access, or they can't pay for it,” said Clayton Jordan, a Westminster College senior who was part of a trip to Kibungo in May to help assess the needs there. “The biggest problems were malaria, tuberculosis, dehydration from diarrhea - basically all things that here in the U.S. you can run up to Walgreens and get a pill and it's gone. Those are things they're dying from.” He described the Kibungo partnership as “a project that everybody can get involved in.” “We've already got a lot of community connections to Rwanda, so it's very real and tangible,” Jordan said. “It's a chance for individuals to get involved, put money toward a huge need and then see the results.” At Wednesday night's gathering Hansen, who serves on the board of directors for Humanity for the Children - a humanitarian group assisting with the Fulton/Kibungo project - presented Fulton Mayor Charlie Latham and Callaway Commissioners Lee Fritz, Doc Kritzer and Gabe Craighead with gifts from Kibungo Town/Ngoma District Mayor Francois Niyotwagira. All four local leaders pledged their support for the partnership and the clinic project. Also present at the kickoff ceremony was Edward Munyeshuli, a Rwandan exchange student at Westminster. “After the civil war (which ended in 1994), most of the emphasis was on defense of the country and all the funding went to the military; there wasn't anything for the health and well-being of the country,” said Munyeshuli, whose family moved to Swaziland after the war. “I think this relationship will help (both communities) learn about people from another part of the world - I see it as a two-way process for everyone.” Although the official fundraising kickoff was Wednesday night, Hansen said local volunteers already have raised more than $25,000 toward the estimated $80,000-$100,000 needed to build the clinic, including a recent donation for the Missouri School for the Deaf's National Honor Society. “These students put together a penny war and have in very short time raised $800,” Hansen said Wednesday, thanking representatives Ashley Mecke, Elizabeth Pankey and Zachary Garner for their efforts. “That will buy a truck full of medicine that will save lives.” “We wanted to support Rwanda, we thought it was a good cause,” Garner said through an interpreter. Pankey said all the students were eager to help after seeing a presentation on the partnership. “They came to our school and gave us (brochures) and a video,” she said through the interpreter. “We watched it and cried.” Hansen said it is small efforts like that of the MSD students that will help the partnership reach its goal to build the clinic by spring of 2009. “Especially in these tough economic times this is going to be daunting, but I think the heart of Fulton and Callaway County is there, and I think I can do it,” he said. “If this goes well in Fulton and Callaway County, we're going to export it to other small communities. “We're not talking one clinic, we're talking 10, 50, 100s, who knows.” “These relationships can cross the world and be inspiring for other cities and communities to do the same,” agreed Fulton native Nancy McCue, who recently returned from almost three years of working with the Anglican church in Kibungo. “When the people of Rwanda share their story with all of you, it will be enriching ... and 80,000 to 100,000 will seem a small price to pay for giving these people a future.” For more information on the Kibungo project, or to volunteer, contact Hansen at bobhansenwc@westminster-mo.edu. Anyone interested in joining the Rwanda Community Partnership fund raising team, or in making a donation, should contact Wayne Lowen at wayne.lowen@westminster-mo.edu. |
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