Conservation through livelihoods
Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village was started by Edwin Sabuhoro in an effort to improve the livelihood of communities around Volcanoes National Park, while at the same time reducing human pressure on the park resources. Through the village, former poachers directly benefit from tourism as an incentive for conservation.
What a visit involves
Iby'Iwacu displays lifestyles, activities, artifacts and ways of living of local people, an experience that eco-tourists often miss while in Rwanda. Iby'Iwacu village is not only a platform to showcase traditional lifestyles and dances to tourists and community members in a way that encourages participation, but also an income generating activity designed to promote conservation, increase local capacity, decrease unemployment and empower local people politically, economically and socially.
Other community visits near Ruhengeri
Kinigi sits close to Ruhengeri (recently renamed Musanze), the major jump-off point for gorilla trekking, so the village pairs easily with other community-based activities in the area:
- A market visit and cooking session with Amahoro, Ruhengeri
- Banana beer brewing, Ruhengeri
- Banana bark art — a women's association weaving baskets and mats from dried banana bark, where you can try the weaving yourself
- Beekeeping — visit a beekeeping farm to learn about the bees and the honey harvesting process
- The island community on Lake Bulera, reached by boat or dugout canoe, with its school and the islanders' daily challenges