Wilderness Sabyinyo Newsletter – July 2023

Sabyinyo guest experiences

 

With the onset of summer vacations, we found ourselves fortunate to welcome numerous families embarking on journeys to witness the gorillas and golden monkeys. The elation wasn't confined to this, though, as there was a notable surge in couples commemorating their honeymoons and anniversaries. The treks have been notably smoother due to the abundance of sunny days that minimised the presence of mud.

 

This month was particularly excellent for bird enthusiasts, thanks to the growing variety of bird species gracing our grounds, lured by the blossoming flowers. Most of our guests also revelled in our authentic village strolls, greatly facilitated by the pleasant evening climate.

 

The festivities didn't conclude there. Many evenings, after our guests had rejuvenated following an eventful day, we hosted traditional sundowners. These gatherings allowed us to relish the accomplishments of the day, including triumphant treks and the realisation of set objectives. The list of toasts was extensive, celebrating a multitude of achievements.

 

Wilderness Management Exchange Programme

 

What better approach to sharing skills and delving into the offerings of our sister camps than by engaging in a team-member swap! Embracing the ethos of the expansive Wilderness Rwanda family, we firmly believe that fostering acquaintance aids in strengthening bonds, irrespective of the differing geographical locations of our various camps. This initiative allows our management to familiarise themselves with alternate properties, and facilitates the exchange of innovative concepts to elevate the overall guest experience across both establishments.

 

The exchange programme took place in early July. Patrick BIZUMUREMYI, Sabyinyo’s Junior Manager, embarked on a three-week educational sojourn to our sister lodge, Bisate. Simultaneously, we warmly welcomed Jean Pierre KWIZERA, Assistant Manager at Bisate, to our fold. This period has proven to be a source of excitement as both individuals traversed other Wilderness lodges, deepened connections with our extended Wilderness family, and mutually imparted and gained insights from their respective camp experiences.

 

Wilderness Rwanda facilitates USD10,500 health insurance donation to neighbouring communities

 

Thanks to donations from guests who have visited Wilderness Bisate and Sabyinyo and the Gishwati area, Wilderness and Children in the Wilderness Rwanda have been able to assist 767 households (comprising 3,341 residents) in 46 villages in the Gishwati and Kinigi areas with their annual Mutuelle premium.

In Rwanda, ‘Mutuelle’ refers to Mutuelle de Santé, community-based health insurance. It is a medical scheme especially developed to cover medical costs for poor families and vulnerable groups. A premium is paid once a year at the end of June to ensure medical health care for people who are not covered via an employer or private scheme. Although the per-person fee for this community-based health care is not high, for the most disadvantaged people in Rwandan society, it is still too expensive to provide cover for their families.

 

The leaders of the Kaguhu, Nyabigoma, Bisoke, Kampanga and Nyonirima cells situated in the Kinigi Sector – the gateway to Volcanoes National Park – provided a list of 622 households most in need, and 2,738 people from 41 villages received the Mutuelle. The value of the donations from our Wilderness Bisate and Sabyinyo guests amounts to more than USD 8,500.

This large-scale assistance to the Kinigi Sector was organised under the supervision of Innocent Twagirimana, Executive Secretary of the Kinigi Sector, Mithali Narcisse, Representative of the Kinigi Sector, Clementine Ingabire, in charge of Health and Hygiene in the Kinigi Sector and our own Aline Umutoni, CITW and Community Co-ordinator for Wilderness Rwanda.

 

Several speeches, thank-you songs, hugs and celebrations marked the highlights of the event, during which Mithali said, “There is only one company in Tourism in Rwanda that does what Wilderness has shown us multiple times. The support of Wilderness for the communities is remarkable, and the far-reaching impact is felt by many”.