Friday
June 23, 2023
Sister Laetitia wanted Joni and me to visit the new Residence for Retired Benebikira Sisters that has been built in the Kabuga section of Kigali. Sister Laetitia is truly concerned with the ideal of life long learning. She is concerned that the Sisters who have given so much to the youth and villages of this country be able to have a retirement that includes opportunities to enjoy activities that include hand work, exercise and interaction with younger generations. She truly believes that there must be activities they can accomplish regardless of their physical frailty.
Sister Marta, who used to work with many of the current retirees in a previous facility, accompanied us on the drive to Kabuga. The Kabuga section of Kigall is busy. The road leading to the center is lined with industrial buildings that are part of the economic development zone of manufacturing . There is a bustling market section that leads to the Residence. the Residence is a collection of apartments, a heath center, a church and small chapel as well as outdoor common spaces and a series of gardens and neat walkways. It feels like a place of serenity compared to the activity beyond its gates.
Our first stop was to visit Sister Ann, who along with Senator Aloisea Inyumba began the initiative that brought the Boston women together to build the school for girls that the Senator envisioned. Sister Ann, who had been a visitor in Save with the Benebikiras in recent years is now living in the Retirement Residence. Joni and I spent 2 hours in conversation with Sister. For Joni it was a wonderful opportunity to hear Sister Ann’s recounting of the Women Waging Peace Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School where the women from Rwanda met the women from Boston. (Of course, I never tire of hearing the story of the first years of the quest to build a school in Rwanda and the beginnings of the Maranyundo Initiative!) Sister Ann is generous in her sharing of the history and very thoughtful about the current state of the school and the promising future it has to continue to promote girls STEM education in the region.
After visiting with Sister Ann, the Benebikira Sisters invited us to their dining hall to share lunch. They welcomed us warmly as we entered the room. We went around the table greeting each Sister, including two of the residents who are over 100 years old! They appeared spirited and comfortable greeting us and sharing conversation and a meal.
The headmistress asked the residents to indicate what they enjoy dong during the day.
We learned about the activities in which many of the elderly Sisters are involved:
helping prepare meals by preparing vegetables, exercise sessions, crocheting, sharing stories
singing and music. The Sisters expressed interest in these and other craft and social activities. It was clear to me that these Sisters have much to offer each other as well as to others.
As a result of our visit, Joni and I suggested to Sister Laetitia a project that could provide joy and accomplishment to the Sisters. We are suggesting that a Maker Space be developed at the Sisters’ retirement home. This could be an area in a common space and/or materials on a cart that can be accessed in inside and outside spaces in which the Sisters spend their time. We are suggesting that this Maker Space can be designated as a space that the Sisters can spend time “making” using yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles, thread, beads, etc. These activities build upon the Sisters’ interests and talents and serve as opportunities for engagement and social connections.
“Making” is an activity involving design and construction of products that are meaningful to the individual. For the Sisters, activities that are meaningful, enjoyable and benefit their mind and body would be helpful. Sometimes these activities may be a comfort because they reflect personal experiences in their past. At other times, these activities may provide a novel experience to stimulate their interests in something new. Research in learning by making underscores the power that providing opportunities for intertest-driven activities to maintain mental and physical strength.
A Maker Space at this Residence could also provide opportunities for intergenerational collaboration which can provide many beneficial outcomes for people of all ages. Inter-generational activities allow older and younger people to feel cared for and valued. Research shows that inter-generational programs increase feelings of well-being for older and younger people. Friendships between older and younger people make communities stronger. Playful learning and “making” creates these multi-generational opportunities. Joni and I suggested to Sister Laetitia that a Pilot Program could be started in inter-generational “making.” This could begin with developing a partnership between the Retirement Home and MGS. Several clubs (i.e. Art & Design, Entrepreneurial, Sports, Choir, Writing, and Maker Space, et al) at MGS could be identified to help develop this project with the Sisters at RH.
Joni and I summed up our Kabuga outing to Sister Laetitia with this conclusion in our report:
“As the Rwandan education community is beginning to learn about the advantages of Making in educational settings, one important group of makers and learners that should join this movement is the elderly people in our communities. We have seen that young people learn and enjoy new pursuits while working together in Maker Spaces. Intergenerational projects have been shown to help make communities stronger. We believe that finding ways for the Retired Benebikira Sisters to enjoy making and sharing this process with younger people will continue the strong community building that is the essence of the Benebikira Order.”
I certainly don’t pretend to know if Aloisea Inyumba and Sister Ann envisioned the girls school in Nyamata having an influence on the retirement of Benebikira Sisters. But surely the vision that became the Maranyundo Girls School was dedicated to creating community and lifelong learners. A Maker Space at Kabuga can extend that vision to these noble, gracious women.
Linda V Beardsley
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