Rwanda

Children in the Wilderness

In line with Wilderness Safaris’ 4Cs sustainability ethos (Commerce, Conservation, Community and Culture), Children in the Wilderness (CITW) has been launched in three communities in Rwanda as Wilderness Safaris’ operations have expanded across the country. Rwanda is our newest addition to the CITW Family, and is growing in leaps and bounds.

Read all about what’s happening on our programme in Rwanda below, or sign up to receive our monthly newsletter.

Rwanda

NEWS

10th November 2020
Wilderness Safaris and Forest of Hope Association – Gishwati Reforestation Programme Update
As part of their conservation programme for the Gishwati sector of the Gishwati-Mukura National Park (GMNP), Wilderness Safaris (WS) and Forest of Hope Association (FHA) worked together to set up a nursery, which now contains almost 10 000 indigenous trees that will be planted before the end of the year. The reforestation programme commenced at...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
6th November 2020
Wilderness Safaris and CITW Provide Ongoing Support to Bisate and Gishwati Communities
On Friday the 30th of October, a Wilderness Safaris Rwanda and Children in the Wilderness (CITW) team distributed 117 parcels containing essential supplies to 535 Gishwati community members, to provide for them through the upcoming month. The day before, volunteers from the Rwandan team packed the parcels and divided 1 765 kg of maize meal, 904...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
3rd November 2020
New Hand-Washing Stations at Bisate Primary School
Thanks to kind donations from Bisate guests, CITW Rwanda has been able to support Bisate Primary School with brand-new hand-washing stations. These will ensure sufficient hygiene procedures for when the school re-opens in November 2020 – after being closed for seven months due to COVID-19. The teachers and headmistress at Bisate are very proud of...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
13th October 2020
Bisate Community Water Infrastructure Repaired
Last week our Rwanda CITW and Community Co-ordinator, Aline Umutoni, and representatives from the construction company, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (Fossey Fund) went into Volcanoes National Park to check on repairs that were made to the water infrastructure that we put in place in September 2019. The...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
5th October 2020
Wilderness Safaris & CITW Rwanda Provide Ongoing Support to Gishwati Community & Primary School
On Friday the 25th of September, the Wilderness Safaris and Children in the Wilderness (CITW) teams in Rwanda distributed 116 parcels of essential supplies, which will support 497 people for the upcoming month. The day before, volunteers from the Rwandan team packed the parcels and divided 1 775 kg of maize meal, 917 kg of beans...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
28th September 2020
Warm Clothing Donated to Bisate Community
Guests of Bisate Lodge often donate their shoes, clothing and other items upon their departure, with the wish that we give them to the surrounding community members. Our dedicated community guide JP Kwizera and his Bisate colleagues went in to the villages last week, to provide the residents with warm clothing, shoes and even some...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
16th September 2020
Aid for Akayange Primary School Renovations
CITW and Wilderness Safaris Rwanda are delighted to have been able to support Akayange Primary School with USD2 000 to improve and repair two of their classrooms. Akayange is located just outside of Akagera National Park, and is the closest village and school to Magashi, whose guests donated the funds after their safaris. Archive pic...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
15th September 2020
WWF’s First-Ever Top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders List
The WWF is calling African youth to share their conservation success stories in order to inspire and tell the world how African youth are shifting from business as usual and are taking action to protect African ecosystems and the people who depend on them. From their website: As part of a commitment to strive toward...
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Josephine BesticBobirwa, Botswana, GMTFCA, Malawi, Namibia, News, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
7th September 2020
International Literacy Day – 8 September 2020
“The more that you read, the more things you’ll know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” – Dr Seuss Reading corner at St Mary’s School, Zimbabwe Each year on September 8th we observe the UNESCO-initiated International Literacy Day, to raise awareness around the issues of adult and child literacy. Literacy workshop...
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Josephine BesticBobirwa, Botswana, GMTFCA, Malawi, Namibia, News, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
31st August 2020
Gishwati Community Support during COVID-19
123 food parcels and other assistance – Gisunzu Primary School, August 2020 With domestic and international tourism having restarted in Rwanda, people in the villages close to Bisate Lodge and Volcanoes National Park are seeing some of their jobs and income returning. Wilderness Safaris in Rwanda supported five villages in this area for the months...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
31st August 2020
Wilderness Safaris Heritage Day 2020
As one of the 4Cs of our business philosophy, we celebrate our Culture every day in our organisation. However, the last Friday of August marks our extra special annual celebration of Wilderness Safaris Heritage Day. While we were apart this year due to COVID-19, our regions went all out to showcase our beautiful cultures and...
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Josephine BesticBotswana, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
11th August 2020
Rwanda CITW & Community Update – August 2020
Repairs to Bisate water project completed Last year in November, Wilderness Safaris, in partnership with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (The Fossey Fund) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB), rehabilitated the existing water infrastructure at Bunyenyeri and Bushokoro, both situated close to Bisate Lodge and Bisate Primary School in Rwanda’s Musanze District. The project, which...
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Ingrid BaasRwanda
5th August 2020
Conservation Heroes: Our Rwanda Community Support
Caring for the local community during the COVID-19 pandemic comes naturally to Wilderness Safaris Bisate Lodge, perched on an eroded volcano near Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park (VNP) and in the midst of five communities collectively known as Bisate village. Recently listed in Travel + Leisure’s ‘Top 100 Hotels in the World’, the lodge is a...
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Josephine BesticRwanda
3rd July 2020
CITW & the Nedbank Tour de Tuli
At a glance, this infographic provides an illuminating overview of the impact the Tour’s fundraising has on the Children in the Wilderness programme! Thank you to the riders, sponsors, donors and volunteers – without you none of it is possible!
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Josephine BesticBobirwa, Botswana, GMTFCA, Malawi, Namibia, News, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
26th June 2020
June COVID-Relief Efforts at Bisate
As part of its ongoing support of the five villages surrounding Bisate Lodge, on 19 June Wilderness Safaris Rwanda conducted a third distribution of essential supplies to 634 people and 158 families. Valued at over USD2 000, 3.5 tons of dry goods were handed over to grateful community members at Bisate Primary School. The company...
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Ingrid BaasNews, Rwanda