When this project was initiated we were clear that we wanted to find permanent homes for children who were begging on the street rather than the more common orphan's home.

I am thinking about taking up bookmaking and opening a ledger on what time of year the Rwandans think it is.

We heard a rather sad story the other day which unfortunately reflects something of the respect that people in this part of the world hold for each other.

Outside our study window is an avocado tree. Sitting in the tree are two sparrows. One wears a blue leather flight helmet with matching goggles while the other prefers a dark red set.

After the midnight break-in a while back, our landlady very kindly offered to install protective shutters for the windows of our house.

Saturday was umuganda - 'hard work' as Narcisse in our project calls it. On the last Saturday each month everybody has to turn out for a morning of community meetings and ditch digging.

This week we arranged to see mama Elijah at the restaurant to talk about bringing some more customers in the door.

Someone asked us last week how the project was going. We said it felt a bit like watching your child take his first steps. All you can do is take your hands away and see what happens.

There was a story in the Guardian newspaper this week reporting that polar bears, seemingly, originate from Ireland. Strange but true.

Today we set off on the early taxi-bus for the market.