A conservationist who played a key role in reintroducing the eastern black rhino to Rwanda has been killed by one of the animals, a wildlife group says.
Krisztian Gyongyi was tracking animals in the Akagera National Park when he was killed, African Parks added.
It did not give more details, but rhinos usually charge and kill people with their horn.
Eastern black rhinos became extinct in Rwanda about a decade ago, and were reintroduced in May.
African Parks brought 20 rhinos from South Africa to the Akagera National Park.
The death of Mr Gyongyi, who was from Hungary, was "very tragic" and a "huge loss", African Parks CEO Peter Fearnhead said in a statement.
He was a rhino specialist with more than five years' experience, and was instrumental in supporting efforts to reintroduce the black rhino to Rwanda, Mr Fearnhead said.
In the 1970s, more than 50 black rhinos lived in the Akagera National Park, but their numbers fell as a result of wide-scale poaching.
The last confirmed sighting of the species was in 2007 until African Parks reintroduced them in May after taking steps to improve security at the reserve.
Last year a record 1,215 rhinos were slaughtered for their horns in South Africa - and at the same time, 42 poachers were killed by rangers and police. This bloody conflict is fuelled by the mistaken belief in Asia that rhino horn cures cancer, and it's growing more intense every year.
The gunman advances close to the animal, against the wind. He shoots. After if falls the other two join the killer, this time to extract the horn. Then we go to our hideout and wait for the cover of night before we walk to the border.
I met up with my friends to discuss how we could escape our lives of poverty. We decided to go and poach a rhino. First we went to see the witchdoctor to find out the safest route to take. Then we left home and headed for the mountains.
There are no more rhinos in Mozambique,the last were killed two years ago so his destination was South Africa's Kruger National Park, a pristine wilderness where animals can roam freely. It's home to the majority of the world's rhinos, which makes it the number one target for poachers.
We wait and watch the movement of the rangers and when it gets dark we walk long distances to a place where the rangers rarely go. There we sleep. At dawn we start the hunt. When there's no police around then you can kill it, but it should die on your first shot or it's dangerous. Cutting the horn is hard, but we in the countryside are used to cutting wood with a machete, so it's not difficult for us.
Poachers usually work in groups of three. One shoots the rhino, one cuts off the horn and the other acts as a look out. Eusebio was the shooter on his four successful trips into Kruger Park, making him about $10,000 (£6,740) in total.
This is a fraction of the value of a rhino horn in Asia, where, where - falsely thought to be a cure for cancer among other things, and an aphrodisiac - it can fetch $250,000 (£170,000). But to Eusebio it meant he could move his three wives and children out of their stick hut into a small house of brick and concrete, buy some cattle and set up a small bar.
Though he's not proud of killing rhinos, he says his family might otherwise be going hungry.
As the number of slaughtered South African rhinos has shot up - from 13 in 2007 to more than 1,000 in 2013 and 2014 - a whole industry to protect the animal has arisen.
One example is Protrack, the first of a number of private anti-poaching security companies that have been set up in South Africa.
"You've got heavily armed gangs coming in to kill," says its founder, Vincent Barkas, who hires out his rangers to private reserves in the Greater Kruger area.
We're teaching our guards to protect themselves, which unfortunately means teaching them to use a semi-automatic weapon, which can potentially kill a person.
The rangers live out in the bush and sleep under the stars when on patrol. To protect themselves from wild animals they make little enclosures with the branches of thorny bushes and spend the nights inside them with the comfort of a small fire.
Protrack's star ranger, Tumi Morema, who has caught more poachers than anyone else, says his wife is convinced he will be killed one day - either by poachers or wild animals. And the risks also follow him home.
I do get threats, he says. On the street I meet people who say, we're going to get you.
Despite this, he says he understands what drives the poachers, beyond poverty and greed.
Many years ago there weren't fences and then white people came and put up fences. Now they own the animals and black people feel like their access to the wild has been taken away, he says.
So they don't respect it. They feel like they've been robbed. That's the biggest problem. That's what causes poaching.
Wildlife crime is the fourth largest global illegal trade, according to WWF, after drugs, counterfeiting, and human trafficking
Rhino horn is one of the world's most expensive commodities, fetching about $60,000 (£40,500) per kilogram - it's worth more, gram for gram, than diamonds and gold.
There are about 20,400 southern white rhinos in Africa - but campaigners warn that the number of rhinos poached may soon to exceed the number being born
In southern Africa, European hunters brought the rhinoceros to the brink of extinction in the early 1900s and there are no longer any in Mozambique
Some rhinos are pregnant when killed, others may leave orphans which later die; There's a lot of collateral damage of the 1200 that were killed last year, you can probably add another 400, says vet Peter Rogers,half of Mozambique's population lives on less than $1 a day.
One of the 42 poachers killed in South Africa last year was Eusebio's younger brother, Sebastiao. He left behind two widows, two children and heartbroken parents.
Until last year poaching was not even a crime in Mozambique, and there still seems to be a reluctance in some quarters to stop the lucrative trade.
The police and soldiers bring the weapons here for us to go and poach, says Eusebio's father, Jeremiah. So the first step is for the government to stop the police and soldiers bringing guns from the capital Maputo, but if the guns continue to come here, our children will continue to go poaching because they have nothing else to do.
Police even compete to be deployed to poaching areas such as Massingir and Magude, over the border from the Kruger National Park, says Mozambican journalist Lazaro Mabunda, because this is where they can make a fortune out of poaching.
Those running illegal hunting have practically neutralised state institutions, he says. That's why you hardly find cases of people convicted for rhino poaching. On the contrary they are the most protected people by the state.
Mozambique's head of conservation, Bartolomeu de Soto, acknowledges that the number of rhinos being killed is rising, but he says poachers have been arrested, and it's because the law was only passed last year that there have been no convictions so far.
He says this issue is a priority for the government, and that if there is a case of corruption, the government acts.
But he accepts that poverty - one of the root causes of poaching - won't be eradicated soon.
On the other side of the border, the man charged with stopping rhino poaching in Kruger National Park, Maj Gen Johan Jooste, says he knows that killing poachers is not the solution.
Poacher will always replace poacher unless you take out organised crime, the big bosses, he says. You must also give the community hope. You must demonstrate that you have control over the crime network and then come with a benefit that they'll get in the long term. The future of our parks lies in the hand of our communities and them benefiting from the wildlife economy.
Most rhinos are killed for their horn, though some are tranquillised while the horn is hacked off. But how do you treat an animal mutilated in this way? No-one has had to do it, until now.
The biggest challenge is the size of the animal, and the fact that very little post-operative care can be done," says wildlife surgeon Johan Marais.
We have to immobilise the rhino with the facial wounds every four weeks for up to 12 months, which is a risk every time for the animal as well as a financial burden for the owner. However, it is something that needs to be done to save these animals' lives.
This rhino, called Lion Den, had her horn and part of her face hacked off with a chainsaw, and was left wandering the bush with blood pouring from her fully exposed sinuses.
To keep flies out, vets covered the wound with a cast made of fibre glass, but the rhino began to damage it while scratching on tree trunks.
What they came up with was rather surprising. They decided to fill the wound with the material used for dental plates and sew it on with dental wire, filling in any gaps with superglue.
Skin was also taken from behind Lion Den's ears and sewn on to her face,the first ever skin graft performed on a rhino. It has so far proved successful and Lion Den is slowly recovering at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre.
There was, however, one casualty. Lion Den was pregnant when attacked and the trauma meant she lost her calf.
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Tourism in Rwanda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tourism in Rwanda. Show all posts
Thursday, 8 June 2017
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
RWANDA: Kigali City Tours
Kigali is the dynamic capital at the heart of Rwanda.
Peacefully nestled along picturesque hilltops, Kigali is a thriving African city immediately notable for its cleanliness, orderliness, and hospitality.
Kigali is a great place to begin or end any Rwanda journey as it's conveniently located in the geographic center of the country. The city is clean and safe, with extremely welcoming people.
Travelers will enjoy exploring the great cultural activities - including several award-winning museums, burgeoning music scene, and some of East Africa's most memorable dining experiences.
Kigali Genocide Memorial
The people of Rwanda embrace peace and reconciliation. They are committed to fight the ideology of genocide. The memorials found throughout the country are moving testimonies in memory of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the people who lost their lives.
Inaugurated on the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi is where 259,000 victims have been buried. This memorial also serves to educate about how the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi took shape and examines genocide in the 20th century.
Camp Kigali Belgian Monument
A small museum in Kigali City lies at the site of the massacre of 10 Belgian UN Blue Beret. At the onset of Genocide under the command of General Dallaire, they were deployed to guard the house of Prime Minister Agatha Uwilingimana.
When the genocide began, Presidential Guard soldiers invaded the home, disarmed the Belgians and transported them to Camp Kigali where they killed them. The ten stone pillars memorialize the ten soldiers killed.
Natural History Museum - Kandt House
Dr. Richard Kandt was the German explorer who embarked on an exploration of Rwanda in 1897 searching for the source of the Nile.
He founded Kigali in 1908 as the centre for administration for German East Africa. In 2008 his historic residence was converted into the Natural History Museum which houses some really interesting information on Rwanda’s flora, fauna, geology and biological history, along with a stuffed skeleton of a massive crocodile that terrorized a village in Lake Muhaze; a pair of shoes was found in its stomach.
Also known as ‘Kandt House’, it is approximately 10 km from Kigali International Airport, this Museum is dedicated to Dr. Richard Kandt a German doctor and explorer who embarked on an exploration of Rwanda in 1897, searching for the source of the Nile River.
The Natural History Museum aims at explaining the richness of Rwanda's Nature. The idea being that it is only through the knowledge of the nature we live in that our behavior and understanding will change.
This museum showcases many specimens and replica of the natural wonders of the country.
Presidential Palace
The Presidential Palace, residence of the former president of Rwanda, President J. Habyarimana - is near the airport on the eastern outskirts of Kigali. Habyarimana was the president whose plane was shot down on the 6th April 1994, the event that some say triggered the Rwandan Genocide.
The former state house is now a museum that gives an overview of Rwanda’s history and a visit to the remains of the Falcon 60 presidential jet that are housed in a walled garden on the property.
Community Visits
Nyamirambo Walking Tour
Nyamirambo is a bustling multi-cultural commercial district in Kigali. This unique experience brings you right into the heart of the colours, noises and smells of urban Rwanda.
Guided by the charming women of the Nyamirambo Women's Center (NWC), the tour allows visitors to experience the local market, West African tailors, hair salons, a recording studio with its local rap music, butcher and the Muslim quarter with its Arab influences.
A delightful traditional Rwandan lunch in a home of one of your hosts is an optional extra.
The lovely ladies of Umutima {which means “heart” in Kinyarwanda} have played a big role in our brand new collection for little ones by beautifully hand-sewing many of the pattern-happy items on our nursery line, everything from rompers from play mats to turbans & more!
These talented women,most of whom are also mamas inspire other women everyday with their beautiful artistry, determination, and dreams for the future.
You can chat with Umutima’s advisor, Monica Tabet-Gugolz, and a few of the ladies themselves to find out more about this wonderful cooperative and to hear what they had to say about our nursery collection.
Originally from Switzerland, Monica moved to Rwanda in 2013 looking to become involved with a grassroots women’s organization.
She began volunteering with the Nyamirambo Women’s Center – an institution which helps women continue their education and gain better employment opportunities but soon realized that the Center was too dependent on outside funding and lacked a means to sustain itself.
To address this issue, Monica began teaching some of the women how to apply hand-stitches to African wax print fabric. Slowly but surely this dedicated bunch learned how to sew everything from home décor to children’s clothing, with an emphasis on quality and detail.
Today there are nearly 30 women involved in the project and they have organized themselves into a well-run cooperative known for its beautiful craftsmanship.
Here’s what Monica has to say about working with Umutima on our nursery collection:
We have loved working with Umutima to create beautiful products for our nursery line – what are your thoughts on the collection?
The collection is so beautiful and we feel that Indego Africa reflects Umutima’s spirit perfectly. To see our products in the nursery collection validates all the hard work we have put into creating Umutima and gives us hope for our future. I still cannot believe this is happening!
As a mother yourself, what product from our nursery collection would you most like to give to your little one(s)?
For me the baby blanket/playmat is the item I love the most. It is Umutima’s very first product and I remember how much effort it took to get the final product right and to teach the women to stitch them.
What is the process like working with artisans to create a product by hand from start to finish?
At the moment I am in charge of design and new ideas. I then introduce the new idea to the women and we work on making the sample. Sometimes this involves looking for external artisans,for example for basketry and this can take time.
Once we are happy with the sample, the women working with me on it will teach the other ladies.
It takes a lot of patience and understanding, because the products that we make are “luxury” items in Rwanda. They are not products that are necessary to daily life here, so it is sometimes difficult for the artisans to understand why we cannot accept products that are not finished correctly.
I put a lot of time and effort into quality control and making sure the details are finished correctly, but they now know that if our clients come back it is because of our attention to detail and so they accept the fact that I can be demanding.
There is one story that I will always remember. One of our tailors, Francine, when she started working for us found it really difficult to sew straight. The very first products we gave her were our aprons, which have a pocket in the front.
No matter how much she tried, the pockets were never straight and each apron had to be done twice or even thrice. But Francine persevered and when she was finally able to make an apron that was perfect the first time, we both ended up with tears of happiness.
Today Francine is one of the tailors that made the baby rompers for Indego Africa!
What inspires you about the women you work with?
The thing that inspires me the most about the women I work with is the fact that no matter what they have gone through in their lives they still have the strength and the passion to learn new things and work hard to earn a living.
I respect the pride they put into their work and the fact that from the start they took ownership over Umutima.
Talk to three of Umutima’s talented mama makers to hear their thoughts on the nursery collection and what it means to be a working mom.
FRANCINE – MOTHER OF 8 CHILDREN
Which product from the nursery collection do you like the most?
My favorite product is Umutima’s romper, because when I was asked to be one of the tailors to make the rompers for Indego Africa it meant a lot to me. When I first joined Umutima I struggled a lot with the finishing details of the products I was asked to sew. I always had to redo them because there was always something not straight or uneven.
But I really worked hard to improve myself and slowly I saw the improvement. To be making the rompers means that I am now considered one of the top tailors of Umutima and this makes me proud.
What do you enjoy about coming into work everyday?
Joining Umutima has changed my life forever. I learn so much and I do it with other women, so I do not feel alone. I can now contribute to the finances of my family and this is a huge step for me.
What are your dreams for your children’s futures?
I want my children to be able to have an education and to be able to one day earn a living.
What does it mean to be a “working mom”?
It is important because I can contribute to my family’s needs. I can help pay school fees and medical bills.
HOUSSINA – MOTHER OF 3 CHILDREN
Which product from your nursery collection do you like the most?
My favorite product is Umutima’s romper, because I worked with Monica to develop the first sample for this product and in our catalogue we call it the “Houssina jumpsuit”. To see the picture in Indego Africa’s catalogue made me happy.
What do you enjoy about coming into work everyday?
I am passionate about being a tailor and each day I learn something new with Umutima. I like being part of a team and not working by myself. I know that I can count on my Umutima friends if I need help.
What are your dreams for your children’s futures?
I want to be able to provide my children with a good education so that they can have a better future.
What does it mean to be a “working mom”?
I feel proud being an Umutima member. I used to work part time, but now it is a big difference bringing home my monthly salary. With money gained at Umutima I can do a lot of things. I look after my children, I pay school fees, I can pay for rent. I feel independent and proud contributing without asking for help.
MAYIMUNA – MOTHER OF 7 CHILDREN
Which product from your nursery collection do you like the most?
My favorite product is Umutima’s playmat/baby blanket. I was one of the first Umutima’s ladies and the baby blanket was our very first product. I remember how hard it was to make the stitched straight and regular. I am now considered one of the best hand-stitchers in our group and I can even make bedspreads. I never imagined that something I make with my hands would reach the other side of the world.
What do you enjoy about coming into work everyday?
I have found great joy being a member of the Umutima. It is a place where I am happy and have found a social community which gives me great support. I earn an income and find peace in knowing that my children will not go hungry.
What are your dreams for your children’s futures?
My children are already grown, but I hope that they can always have enough to live and to always be healthy.
What does it mean to be a “working mom”?
I have a job that I like and I don’t have to wait for my husband to do everything for me. Working gives me independence and pride.
What an amazing group of ladies! We are proud to be their partners and are thankful to Monica and the rest of the artisans of Umutima for welcoming us into their world! Shop the nursery products – hand-stitched and made with love – by the mama makers of Umutima!
Arts & Crafts
There is an array of wonderful offerings of contemporary art studios; fashion; handcraft production and cooperative centres where you can watch Rwandans weaving and beading – and where you will be lost for choice in the many fabulous products on offer to purchase. Click below for more information on some of Kigali's best galleries and arts centres:
- Gahaya Links
- Inema Contemporary Art Centre
- Caplaki Craft Village
- Uburanga Contemporary Art Centre
- Tongo Art Gallery
- Rwanda Nziza
- Ikaze Showroom
- Yego Arts
- Umutako Iwacu
- Ineza Womens Cooperative
- Angaza Accessories
Sport & Athletics
Kigali is a hotspot for sports, athletics and recreation. From the large Amahoro Stadium that hosts regular football events, to a number of other local establishments:
Nyarutarama Golf Course: 9 or 18-hole round of golferience Rwanda’s great bird life whilst enjoying a round of golf on the emerald green fairways of the Kigali Golf Club. Equipment, clubs and caddies are available for hire; lessons available at very reasonable rates.
Nyarutarama Tennis Club
Cercle Sportif de Kigali
Bwiza Village
Bwiza is a small village in the neighborhood of Ndara. During this visit you can see how the government has helped to bring new housing to this community along with their local arts and crafts. This is a community of potters, basket makers and wonderful dancers.
Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village
An independently funded boarding school, in the Eastern Province where they house and educate 500 children aged 15 to 21 who come from all over Rwanda. You will visit the school and farm then enjoy time interacting with students over lunch.
Peacefully nestled along picturesque hilltops, Kigali is a thriving African city immediately notable for its cleanliness, orderliness, and hospitality.
Kigali is a great place to begin or end any Rwanda journey as it's conveniently located in the geographic center of the country. The city is clean and safe, with extremely welcoming people.
Travelers will enjoy exploring the great cultural activities - including several award-winning museums, burgeoning music scene, and some of East Africa's most memorable dining experiences.
Kigali Genocide Memorial
The people of Rwanda embrace peace and reconciliation. They are committed to fight the ideology of genocide. The memorials found throughout the country are moving testimonies in memory of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the people who lost their lives.
Inaugurated on the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi is where 259,000 victims have been buried. This memorial also serves to educate about how the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi took shape and examines genocide in the 20th century.
Camp Kigali Belgian Monument
A small museum in Kigali City lies at the site of the massacre of 10 Belgian UN Blue Beret. At the onset of Genocide under the command of General Dallaire, they were deployed to guard the house of Prime Minister Agatha Uwilingimana.
When the genocide began, Presidential Guard soldiers invaded the home, disarmed the Belgians and transported them to Camp Kigali where they killed them. The ten stone pillars memorialize the ten soldiers killed.
Natural History Museum - Kandt House
Dr. Richard Kandt was the German explorer who embarked on an exploration of Rwanda in 1897 searching for the source of the Nile.
He founded Kigali in 1908 as the centre for administration for German East Africa. In 2008 his historic residence was converted into the Natural History Museum which houses some really interesting information on Rwanda’s flora, fauna, geology and biological history, along with a stuffed skeleton of a massive crocodile that terrorized a village in Lake Muhaze; a pair of shoes was found in its stomach.
Also known as ‘Kandt House’, it is approximately 10 km from Kigali International Airport, this Museum is dedicated to Dr. Richard Kandt a German doctor and explorer who embarked on an exploration of Rwanda in 1897, searching for the source of the Nile River.
The Natural History Museum aims at explaining the richness of Rwanda's Nature. The idea being that it is only through the knowledge of the nature we live in that our behavior and understanding will change.
This museum showcases many specimens and replica of the natural wonders of the country.
Presidential Palace
The Presidential Palace, residence of the former president of Rwanda, President J. Habyarimana - is near the airport on the eastern outskirts of Kigali. Habyarimana was the president whose plane was shot down on the 6th April 1994, the event that some say triggered the Rwandan Genocide.
The former state house is now a museum that gives an overview of Rwanda’s history and a visit to the remains of the Falcon 60 presidential jet that are housed in a walled garden on the property.
Community Visits
Nyamirambo Walking Tour
Nyamirambo is a bustling multi-cultural commercial district in Kigali. This unique experience brings you right into the heart of the colours, noises and smells of urban Rwanda.
Guided by the charming women of the Nyamirambo Women's Center (NWC), the tour allows visitors to experience the local market, West African tailors, hair salons, a recording studio with its local rap music, butcher and the Muslim quarter with its Arab influences.
A delightful traditional Rwandan lunch in a home of one of your hosts is an optional extra.
The lovely ladies of Umutima {which means “heart” in Kinyarwanda} have played a big role in our brand new collection for little ones by beautifully hand-sewing many of the pattern-happy items on our nursery line, everything from rompers from play mats to turbans & more!
These talented women,most of whom are also mamas inspire other women everyday with their beautiful artistry, determination, and dreams for the future.
You can chat with Umutima’s advisor, Monica Tabet-Gugolz, and a few of the ladies themselves to find out more about this wonderful cooperative and to hear what they had to say about our nursery collection.
Originally from Switzerland, Monica moved to Rwanda in 2013 looking to become involved with a grassroots women’s organization.
She began volunteering with the Nyamirambo Women’s Center – an institution which helps women continue their education and gain better employment opportunities but soon realized that the Center was too dependent on outside funding and lacked a means to sustain itself.
To address this issue, Monica began teaching some of the women how to apply hand-stitches to African wax print fabric. Slowly but surely this dedicated bunch learned how to sew everything from home décor to children’s clothing, with an emphasis on quality and detail.
Today there are nearly 30 women involved in the project and they have organized themselves into a well-run cooperative known for its beautiful craftsmanship.
Here’s what Monica has to say about working with Umutima on our nursery collection:
We have loved working with Umutima to create beautiful products for our nursery line – what are your thoughts on the collection?
The collection is so beautiful and we feel that Indego Africa reflects Umutima’s spirit perfectly. To see our products in the nursery collection validates all the hard work we have put into creating Umutima and gives us hope for our future. I still cannot believe this is happening!
As a mother yourself, what product from our nursery collection would you most like to give to your little one(s)?
For me the baby blanket/playmat is the item I love the most. It is Umutima’s very first product and I remember how much effort it took to get the final product right and to teach the women to stitch them.
What is the process like working with artisans to create a product by hand from start to finish?
At the moment I am in charge of design and new ideas. I then introduce the new idea to the women and we work on making the sample. Sometimes this involves looking for external artisans,for example for basketry and this can take time.
Once we are happy with the sample, the women working with me on it will teach the other ladies.
It takes a lot of patience and understanding, because the products that we make are “luxury” items in Rwanda. They are not products that are necessary to daily life here, so it is sometimes difficult for the artisans to understand why we cannot accept products that are not finished correctly.
I put a lot of time and effort into quality control and making sure the details are finished correctly, but they now know that if our clients come back it is because of our attention to detail and so they accept the fact that I can be demanding.
There is one story that I will always remember. One of our tailors, Francine, when she started working for us found it really difficult to sew straight. The very first products we gave her were our aprons, which have a pocket in the front.
No matter how much she tried, the pockets were never straight and each apron had to be done twice or even thrice. But Francine persevered and when she was finally able to make an apron that was perfect the first time, we both ended up with tears of happiness.
Today Francine is one of the tailors that made the baby rompers for Indego Africa!
What inspires you about the women you work with?
The thing that inspires me the most about the women I work with is the fact that no matter what they have gone through in their lives they still have the strength and the passion to learn new things and work hard to earn a living.
I respect the pride they put into their work and the fact that from the start they took ownership over Umutima.
Talk to three of Umutima’s talented mama makers to hear their thoughts on the nursery collection and what it means to be a working mom.
FRANCINE – MOTHER OF 8 CHILDREN
Which product from the nursery collection do you like the most?
My favorite product is Umutima’s romper, because when I was asked to be one of the tailors to make the rompers for Indego Africa it meant a lot to me. When I first joined Umutima I struggled a lot with the finishing details of the products I was asked to sew. I always had to redo them because there was always something not straight or uneven.
But I really worked hard to improve myself and slowly I saw the improvement. To be making the rompers means that I am now considered one of the top tailors of Umutima and this makes me proud.
What do you enjoy about coming into work everyday?
Joining Umutima has changed my life forever. I learn so much and I do it with other women, so I do not feel alone. I can now contribute to the finances of my family and this is a huge step for me.
What are your dreams for your children’s futures?
I want my children to be able to have an education and to be able to one day earn a living.
What does it mean to be a “working mom”?
It is important because I can contribute to my family’s needs. I can help pay school fees and medical bills.
HOUSSINA – MOTHER OF 3 CHILDREN
Which product from your nursery collection do you like the most?
My favorite product is Umutima’s romper, because I worked with Monica to develop the first sample for this product and in our catalogue we call it the “Houssina jumpsuit”. To see the picture in Indego Africa’s catalogue made me happy.
What do you enjoy about coming into work everyday?
I am passionate about being a tailor and each day I learn something new with Umutima. I like being part of a team and not working by myself. I know that I can count on my Umutima friends if I need help.
What are your dreams for your children’s futures?
I want to be able to provide my children with a good education so that they can have a better future.
What does it mean to be a “working mom”?
I feel proud being an Umutima member. I used to work part time, but now it is a big difference bringing home my monthly salary. With money gained at Umutima I can do a lot of things. I look after my children, I pay school fees, I can pay for rent. I feel independent and proud contributing without asking for help.
MAYIMUNA – MOTHER OF 7 CHILDREN
Which product from your nursery collection do you like the most?
My favorite product is Umutima’s playmat/baby blanket. I was one of the first Umutima’s ladies and the baby blanket was our very first product. I remember how hard it was to make the stitched straight and regular. I am now considered one of the best hand-stitchers in our group and I can even make bedspreads. I never imagined that something I make with my hands would reach the other side of the world.
What do you enjoy about coming into work everyday?
I have found great joy being a member of the Umutima. It is a place where I am happy and have found a social community which gives me great support. I earn an income and find peace in knowing that my children will not go hungry.
What are your dreams for your children’s futures?
My children are already grown, but I hope that they can always have enough to live and to always be healthy.
What does it mean to be a “working mom”?
I have a job that I like and I don’t have to wait for my husband to do everything for me. Working gives me independence and pride.
What an amazing group of ladies! We are proud to be their partners and are thankful to Monica and the rest of the artisans of Umutima for welcoming us into their world! Shop the nursery products – hand-stitched and made with love – by the mama makers of Umutima!
Arts & Crafts
There is an array of wonderful offerings of contemporary art studios; fashion; handcraft production and cooperative centres where you can watch Rwandans weaving and beading – and where you will be lost for choice in the many fabulous products on offer to purchase. Click below for more information on some of Kigali's best galleries and arts centres:
- Gahaya Links
- Inema Contemporary Art Centre
- Caplaki Craft Village
- Uburanga Contemporary Art Centre
- Tongo Art Gallery
- Rwanda Nziza
- Ikaze Showroom
- Yego Arts
- Umutako Iwacu
- Ineza Womens Cooperative
- Angaza Accessories
Sport & Athletics
Kigali is a hotspot for sports, athletics and recreation. From the large Amahoro Stadium that hosts regular football events, to a number of other local establishments:
Nyarutarama Golf Course: 9 or 18-hole round of golferience Rwanda’s great bird life whilst enjoying a round of golf on the emerald green fairways of the Kigali Golf Club. Equipment, clubs and caddies are available for hire; lessons available at very reasonable rates.
Nyarutarama Tennis Club
Cercle Sportif de Kigali
Bwiza Village
Bwiza is a small village in the neighborhood of Ndara. During this visit you can see how the government has helped to bring new housing to this community along with their local arts and crafts. This is a community of potters, basket makers and wonderful dancers.
Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village
An independently funded boarding school, in the Eastern Province where they house and educate 500 children aged 15 to 21 who come from all over Rwanda. You will visit the school and farm then enjoy time interacting with students over lunch.
Sunday, 14 May 2017
RWANDA: Rwanda A Hot Cake Destination In Africa
Rwanda has been recognized as a striding and fast-growing tourist destination in East Africa, attracting high-class holidaymakers from China, Europe, and the United States.
Known as the “land of a thousand hills,” Rwanda is standing as a leading and attractive tourist destination, competing with Kenya, which is the tourist power point in East Africa.
Gorilla trekking safaris, rich cultures of the Rwandese people, scenery, and a friendly tourist investment environment available in Rwanda have all made this African nation one of the best and most attractive destinations for global holidaymakers.
Rwanda is coming up and the leading nation in East Africa, attracting regional and global conferences in its capital city of Kigali. More than 30 regional and international conferences are scheduled to take place in Kigali within the remaining months of the year.
The Africa Travel Association (ATA) World Congress is one among many of the key, global tourism gatherings to take place in Kigali this year. Expected to attract over 300 global tourism policy makers and travel trade industry leaders, the ATA Congress will be held in August of this year for the first time in Rwanda since its inception in 1975.
The Africa Hotel Investments Forum (AHIF) is another tourism gathering scheduled in Kigali for October of this year.
China, an emerging global tourist market is as well targeting Rwanda as its outbound safari destination. Chinese firms from Jiangsu Province have expressed interest in Rwanda’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Gao Yan, the director for foreign affairs in Jiangsu Province, said companies from the province are looking at investing in hotels, road construction, and the aviation sector, which are instrumental for growth of the local hospitality and tourism sectors.
“We want to focus on tourism and related sectors, because Rwanda is a top destination in the region. This offers us huge investment opportunities, especially setting up hotels in national parks like Akagera and Nyungwe that have unique experiences,” Gao said.
Gao was previously the second secretary and councilor at the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda, where he spent three years. He added that tourism is one of the projects Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to support in Rwanda.
The tourism industry is Rwanda’s top foreign exchange earner, and government has been positioning the country as a must-visit and conferences destination in the region.
Rwanda is targeted to earn $400 million from tourism last year (2016), up from $318 million in 2015. The country expected tourist and visitor numbers to increase by 4 percent last year, up from 1.3 million recorded in 2015.
Located in eastern China, Jiangsu Province is an industrialized area contributing 10 percent to China’s GDP. The province’s GDP per capita stands at $40,000.
Firms from Jiangsu Province are currently developing 5-star hotels and beach properties in Mauritius and Madagascar, according to Gao.
“Our people are traveling more and more to visit Africa, and Rwanda should be their perfect destination,” he said. He added that companies from the province are being encouraged to diversify into the services sector, a shift from manufacturing and mining.
Known as the “land of a thousand hills,” Rwanda is standing as a leading and attractive tourist destination, competing with Kenya, which is the tourist power point in East Africa.
Gorilla trekking safaris, rich cultures of the Rwandese people, scenery, and a friendly tourist investment environment available in Rwanda have all made this African nation one of the best and most attractive destinations for global holidaymakers.
Rwanda is coming up and the leading nation in East Africa, attracting regional and global conferences in its capital city of Kigali. More than 30 regional and international conferences are scheduled to take place in Kigali within the remaining months of the year.
The Africa Travel Association (ATA) World Congress is one among many of the key, global tourism gatherings to take place in Kigali this year. Expected to attract over 300 global tourism policy makers and travel trade industry leaders, the ATA Congress will be held in August of this year for the first time in Rwanda since its inception in 1975.
The Africa Hotel Investments Forum (AHIF) is another tourism gathering scheduled in Kigali for October of this year.
China, an emerging global tourist market is as well targeting Rwanda as its outbound safari destination. Chinese firms from Jiangsu Province have expressed interest in Rwanda’s tourism and hospitality sector.
Gao Yan, the director for foreign affairs in Jiangsu Province, said companies from the province are looking at investing in hotels, road construction, and the aviation sector, which are instrumental for growth of the local hospitality and tourism sectors.
“We want to focus on tourism and related sectors, because Rwanda is a top destination in the region. This offers us huge investment opportunities, especially setting up hotels in national parks like Akagera and Nyungwe that have unique experiences,” Gao said.
Gao was previously the second secretary and councilor at the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda, where he spent three years. He added that tourism is one of the projects Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to support in Rwanda.
The tourism industry is Rwanda’s top foreign exchange earner, and government has been positioning the country as a must-visit and conferences destination in the region.
Rwanda is targeted to earn $400 million from tourism last year (2016), up from $318 million in 2015. The country expected tourist and visitor numbers to increase by 4 percent last year, up from 1.3 million recorded in 2015.
Located in eastern China, Jiangsu Province is an industrialized area contributing 10 percent to China’s GDP. The province’s GDP per capita stands at $40,000.
Firms from Jiangsu Province are currently developing 5-star hotels and beach properties in Mauritius and Madagascar, according to Gao.
“Our people are traveling more and more to visit Africa, and Rwanda should be their perfect destination,” he said. He added that companies from the province are being encouraged to diversify into the services sector, a shift from manufacturing and mining.
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