Travel Blog

Kigali, 27th January, 2012 – The Rwanda Development Board confirmed plans to implement changes to current gorilla permit pricing FROM US$ 500 to US$ 750. The prices have been increased by 50% and this will take effect from June 1st, 2012 save for prior bookings made before this date. RDB CEO John Gara said; “This increase comes at a time when there is significant growth of the gorilla population as well as an increasing demand for gorilla tourism. We are very committed to sustain our efforts in conservation in order to protect their environment as well as the rich biodiversity that exist in our national parks.” Rwanda’s gorilla conservation efforts have shown significant success. Today, there are ten gorilla families which accommodate a maximum of eight tourists per day each, a number that has almost doubled over the last five years. The head of Tourism and Conservation at RDB Rica Rwigamba explained; “We have seen a sustained increase in interest for gorilla trek as well as recognition that good conservation can truly contribute to growth of these species. Mountain Gorillas are the only increasing gorilla species population, which is evidence that responsible tourism and conservation go hand in hand.” A contribution of 5% towards the communities surrounding the national parks under the revenue sharing programme is an activity that RDB is also committed to and this increase will also proportionally impact on this initiave.

Mr. Edwin Sabuhoro, the founder and owner of Rwanda Eco-Tours was honored by the country's Rwanda Development Board/Tourism and Conservation due to his contribution to conservation and sustainable development of the tourism industry to name a baby gorilla on a spectacular gorilla naming event that takes place every year, and which took place on 18th of June 2011. The baby from Amahoro family by mother Kubaha was named Ibyiza Sabuhoro, with the second name after him. This was all news and an excitement to all who have seen what Mr. Sabuhoro has done over the years for the development of Rwanda's tourism industry and for the survival of the mountain gorillas and having been successful to turn poachers into gorilla friends through incentive based projects where he invested his time, energy and money to see that local communities benefit from tourism and conservation and to have them on board as part and stakeholders of and in conservation to ensure sustainable conservation of the gorillas and their habitat Some of the successful projects so far have been the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village that brings into the community 20,000 USD annually to the village neighboring gorillas and who were poachers, and the GOATS FOR GORILLAS projects, where every tourist who visits through Rwanda Eco-Tours gives a goat to a community family through a giving back to community celebration at the village. We hope to have every household to get a get a goat from tourism as an incentive for conservation, and that way the communities will know the importance of protecting and conserving the gorillas and their habitat. This is in addition to the 10% of annual profits contribution from Rwanda Eco-Tours back to the community. Excitingly has been small scale individual businesses developed by former poachers in crafts and agriculture that bring much needed income at the household level.

Friends of critically endangered Mountain Gorillas are mourning the brutal death of Mizaano (meaning playful) on Friday June 17 2011, of Habinyanja Family, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park(BINP) who has been the only blackback in the group.The carcass of the stocky gorilla who had been in line to succeed Makara the reigning silverback was discovered by the trackers on Friday morning with a spear wound in the right side of the shoulder. Preliminary findings from a post mortem carried out by doctors from the Conservation Through Public Health indicates that the gorilla died a brutal death because it was killed by a spear through the right side of the shoulder into the lungs that got suffocated to death. It is probable that the dogs tried to fight off the gorilla and in the process the black back must have fought the dogs, and realizing that their dogs are their life line, the poachers decided to save them by killing the gorilla. Uganda Wildlife Authority which is charged with the protection of the mountain gorillas is working with security and other partners in conservation to bring the suspected culprits to book and end the vice of poaching. It is believed the poachers had laid traps targeting other animals in the forest including the antelopes which ended up netting the gorilla. Last year, a poacher’s wire snare which caught an infant gorilla round its neck in Nyakagezi Group of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, almost ended its life before the intervention of Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Staff to remove the snare

KWITA IZINA (BABY GORILLA NAMING CEREMONY) 2011 22 Baby gorillas to be named on 18th june 2011, in Kinigi, Musanze Every name has a story. Find out more; Find their pictures and profile on our Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwitizina

Goats for Gorillas, goats can protect gorillas, a project launched by Edwin Sabuhoro to help local people around the gorillas national park and in particular poachers to increase their livelihoods, family income, and linking them to directly benefit from tourism as an incentive for them to stop poaching and protect the gorillas amidst them.

Launched in January 2011, this project has been welcomed by local people around the park. The rationale is that every tourist who comes with Rwanda Eco-Tours, personally gives a goat to a family living near the park, and in particular a former poacher's family. 

This is celebrated at the Iby'iwacu Cultural Village and it is highly seen that by giving goats, tourists who will be trekking gorillas, will add to the contribution of conserving them by equipping the community with tools needed, among those, contributing to their economic welfare, thereby giving back to both local people and conservation of the resource that tourism depends on.

By: Administrator, 6/02/2011.  In 2010, seventeen countries across sub-Saharan Africa celebrate fifty years of independence.  In honor of this important historic moment; in acknowledgement of the extraordinarily young demographic profile of the region; and as part of an effort to forge strong, forward-looking partnerships in the years ahead, President Obama hosted a forum in Washington, D.C., from August 3 - 5 with approximately 120 young leaders from civil society and the private sector representing more than forty countries in sub-Saharan Africa.  Together with American counterparts and U.S. government officials, the participants shareed their insights on key themes of youth empowerment, good governance, and economic opportunity.  President Obama hosted a town hall meeting at the White House with these young leaders to discuss their vision for transforming their societies over the next fifty years.

The President’s Forum with Young African Leaders presents the U.S. government and American friends of Africa with an opportunity to deepen and broaden our understanding of the trajectories of African societies, and to reflect on how the next generation are building their communities’ and their nations’ futures – just as their predecessors did in the era of independence from colonial rule.  In addition to the town hall meeting with the President, the forum included small-group discussions on topics such as transparency and accountability, job creation and entrepreneurship, rights advocacy, and the use of technology to empower individuals and communities.  African participants had an opportunity to meet with grassroots service organizations to share experiences and strategies.

As the President Obama said in Accra, the future of Africa is up to Africans. The U.S. government’s role in this gathering is as a convener, encouraging networks between young American and African leaders, and pursuing lasting partnerships on behalf of our common security and prosperity.  This dialogue and follow-up events in Africa will help the U.S. government better assess how to support Africa’s own aspirations going forward.

The number of mountain gorillas in Rwanda is now in a far healthier state, thanks to companies such as Rwanda Eco-Tours which has convinced local communities that these magnificent animals are worth more alive than dead. Co-run by local Rwandan Edwin Sabuhoro, the company organises guided treks to see the gorillas in the heart of the Parc National des Volcans. Gorilla treks range from a one-day hike from the base of the Virunga mountains to tours lasting several days that include a visit to the Dian Fossey Research Station. • +250 500 331, rwandaecotours.com. One-day trek US$716, four days $1,880. http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-community-projects

By Charlotte Broom Subjects studied English – Handwriting and reading for Nursery, French, Kinyarwanda, Maths, Science, Social Studies, Traditional Dance and Music, Sport, Drama School Ethos To produce a well-rounded child with not only a great academic education but also an education about good inter-personal skills along with wide ranging inter-curricular activities that are not solely academic based. This gives the students an all round education which allows everyone to find success in different areas of school life. This also contributes to the future and can make each individual an upstanding community member thus contributing to community spirit. Voluntary opportunities When visiting Rwanda I not only wished to see all the fantastic resources available for tourists to get involved with, but I wished to get involved with the community in a more direct way. By asking Rwanda Eco tours (www.rwandaecotours.com) what opportunities were available and along with other voluntary opportunities I decided that Volunteering at Excella school would be the most ideal option for me to not only get a great experience but also to give back to the community and hopefully leave a lasting impression other than just my financial investment. While volunteering at Excella School , you will be welcomed not only by the children but also by the staff of Excella. The atmosphere is warm, caring and happy. I have never met so many children that cannot wait to begin school on a Monday morning and this was so refreshing. The teachers matched the enthusiasm of the children through their teaching as well as pastorally caring for the students. This positive attitude to education and striving to be a success will be mirrored in later life and therefore provide more positive, well rounded and successful pillars of the community. As a volunteer I shadowed several teachers over a couple of school days before sitting down with the headmaster to discuss how many days a week I felt comfortable teaching, and how many hours of those days I would teach. As well as this, I was given full rein as to what I wished to teach! I chose Drama as a start, so I could first assess the students’ English abilities and then from there we could pick topics of interest that would be most appropriate to the students’ lives. Not only will you furthering their education by assisting the students but also the teachers in turn will learn from your methods. Having a foreign influence at Excella will not only allow the school to gain a great experience from having voluntary input but also will also help subsequently produce positive, educated and successful communities. My experience shows just how much control of your teaching experience you are able to have at Excella. If you wish to only be there one or two days a week for morning lessons this is fine or if you wish to be there five days a week teaching as many hours as there are free, then Excella can offer this too. If you choose to just support or shadow a teacher, this can be arranged or if you choose to take classes individually on a subject of your choice then this is also a choice you can make. The staff and children at Excella believe in the importance of an all round education and they believe that a part of this can come from volunteers from other cultures. The invaluable input that international volunteers can have on moulding the students of Excella, by adding to their development as people, will be immeasurable. Voluntary Benefits Accommodation, transport and what you can be involved in can be organized by Rwanda Eco-Tours A genuinely fantastic experience for those maybe looking into whether they wish to go down the educational career path or for those well experienced and qualified teachers that want a change. This experience will contribute directly to the students and staff of Excella school and will also contribute to the development of future generations in Rwanda.

A Rwandan conservationist who helped turn mountain gorilla poachers into tourism guides has been given an award by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and the International Ranger Federation. Edwin Sabuhoro, 32, was selected as winner of the 2008 Young Conservationist Award, which honours outstanding achievements by young people in protected areas. Edwin developed incentives for local people to protect gorillas’ habitat by founding the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, a community-based tourism initiative, in the Musanze district of Northern Rwanda. Revenue from tourism has encouraged communities to protect gorillas and develop small-scale businesses. Today, the outcomes of the project are astonishing. Local people own 100% of the project. The cultural village has increased tourism arrivals by 40% and has generated a sustainable income base for the village. Poaching of gorillas has been reduced by 60%. “I feel extremely proud, honoured and excited to be awarded the second IUCN-IRF Young Conservationist Award,” says Edwin. “I know just how much this means to my continuing efforts but also for inspiring other young conservationist in Rwanda, the African continent and the whole world. I would like to express my utmost appreciation to IUCN and IRF for this award.” Edwin, who has already been internationally recognized for the development of pro-poor ecotourism in his country, will be presented with the award at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona this October. “The IUCN-IRF Young Conservationist Award honours the contribution of young people to conservation,” says David Sheppard, Head of IUCN's Programme on Protected Areas. “Edwin’s outstanding work has benefited gorillas and local people in Rwanda. It has shown that the involvement of local people with wildlife conservation can result in win-win outcomes. We warmly congratulate Edwin on his well deserved award." Edwin will be invited to become a member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and its Young Professionals Working Group. “What impresses me most about Edwin Sabuhoro is that he found a local solution for a serious protected area problem,” says Deanne Adams, Acting President of the IRF. “He established a way to provide a new economy for local communities that also provides new protection for threatened animals in the area – and this is a source of inspiration for other communities.” The Young Conservationist Award is a joint initiative launched by IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas and the International Ranger Federation. In 2004, the two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote collaboration on protected areas and the rangers responsible for their protection. For more information, please contact Djinn Pourkiani on djinn.pourkiani@iucn.org

By: CATHERINE MACK. ETHICAL TRAVELLER: I ONCE HAD an editor who told me that I shouldn’t write about people in travel. “Holidaymakers only want to know about the place, not the people. They’re irrelevant to travel articles,” he told me. But writing about beaches and budget airlines is not really my bag, as regular readers will know by now. People who create incredible places to stay or things to do, and also care deeply for their local environment, community and climate change, sell a holiday to me just as much as any piece of beach lit. And 2009 was definitely a year about people in tourism. Those who have been surviving the recession without compromising their principles of responsible tourism merit huge recognition in my book. Some even dared to set up businesses last year, such as Tripbod (tripbod.com), which puts travellers in touch with local guides before they travel. For a small fee you get e-mail contact with local guides who give you all the inside, finger-on-the-pulse information on the place you plan to visit. Tripbod works with an ethical ethos, and sources “bods” who think the same way as it does – and top bods they are, too. One organisation that nearly lost its battle for survival in 2009 was Tourism Concern (tourismconcern.org.uk), a charity that has been fighting for human rights in tourism for 20 years. It made an international appeal for rescue funding, and has managed to see its way into 2010: the appeal will continue. Taking on tourism multinationals over employment conditions and governments over indigenous land-ownership issues, as well as demanding equal access to basic resources such as water – so often usurped for tourism purposes – Tourism Concern has an invaluable role in protecting people affected by tourism. Thanks to all of you who donated after I wrote about this, last October. Many thanks also for all the lovely feedback last year, such as from the two women who travelled to Africa with People and Places (travel-peopleand places.co.uk), which was named best volunteering organisation at the 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. These readers had great experiences and felt as if they had made positive contributions to the communities they visited. People and Places won the award because it not only offers a sustainable, transparent approach to volunteering holidays but also campaigns for an end to the many cases of bad practice in the sector, such as lack of consultancy with local communities, no police checks and the abandonment of volunteers in situ. Very importantly, it also confronts the problem of where volunteers’ money ends up. People and Places gets what “voluntourism” is about, and, if you are thinking of giving time and money to people who need it, they are the ones to call. But my People of 2009 award goes to the Kieffer family in France. They run Itinerance, a walking-holiday company in the Mercantour region. They sent us off to the Lower Alps last year: we walked from gite to gite, with a donkey to carry our bags. They bring hundreds of visitors to their spot in the Alps every year, teaching children about the joys of nature, bringing money to many rural villages, sharing their love of slow travel and slow food, and running one of the most exemplary ethical tourism businesses I have come across (itinerance.net). So bah, humbug to that editor: he was wrong. It’s people like this who are creating an ethical tourism industry and ensuring that travel is still one of the most exhilarating, eye-opening ways to spend our precious time.