“This life-changing experience deepened our scholarship students’ understanding of conservation, inspired their continued involvement in ecosystem restoration, and gave them the chance to explore new landscapes within their country”, noted tour host and CITW & Community Manager, Aline Umutoni.
The CITW programme was introduced at Bisate Primary School in 2018, a year after the opening of Wilderness Bisate near Volcanoes National Park. Since then, it has focused on environmental education, equipping learners with practical skills in afforestation, biodiversity protection, and waste management – all vital to safeguarding Rwanda’s natural heritage.
These 29 children have received full scholarships since 2019, when they started secondary school, and they have been supported through six years of school fees, uniforms, materials, meals, as well as the costs of this celebratory tour. Currently, 200 deserving students from local communities in Wilderness’ areas of operation are recipients of bursaries. CITW works with Conservation Heritage–Turambe, Muhisimbi Voice of Youth in Conservation, and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in the Bisate area.
Some of the students shared how Wilderness and CITW have changed their lives, and the personal commitments they have made moving forward. “CITW Rwanda helped me tremendously because I was able to attend school and graduate. Things I once viewed as distant dreams due to my family’s limited financial capacity, became reality. I received all the necessary materials, fees, uniforms, and school meals, which encouraged me and boosted my academic performance”, said Jeanette Muhawenimana.
“This was my first visit to any national park, and it has inspired me to become a peer educator in my community, especially for those who didn’t have the same opportunities I did. It opened my eyes to the importance of conserving forests, and I learned about their history, and saw how they were restored after being damaged by agricultural activities”, she added.
Thierry Aimable Inzirayineza, Co-ordinator at the Forest of Hope Association, welcomed the group and highlighted the important role of CITW Rwanda in raising awareness about the park. Field visits like these help children experience the park first-hand, making conservation lessons far more impactful.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park, Rwanda’s newest and fourth national park, is playing a critical role in biodiversity conservation despite its small size. Once reduced to just 2% of its original 28-hectare forest cover in the 1990s, the park is now showing steady regeneration thanks to focused conservation efforts. Restoration efforts – including indigenous tree planting, resettlement programmes, and sustainable development initiatives – were supported by organisations such as the World Bank, UNESCO, and ARCOS Network.
“We sincerely thank CITW Rwanda for educating the youth about environmental protection, and promoting tourism. This is a strong foundation for the sustainable development of our tourism sector”, added Theobard Kayiranga, the Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs in the Musanze District.
“We also appreciate the role of Wilderness Bisate in this partnership, as it helps the youth access employment, and participate in forest and wildlife conservation, reducing illegal activities like poaching that occurred in the past”.
This all aligns with Wilderness’ Impact strategy in Rwanda, which centres on environmental education, community upliftment, and building long-term custodianship of the country’s protected areas.
