You often hear “bad things happen to good people.” It’s sometimes true and unfortunate, but sometimes great things happen to good people. Ange Imanishimwe was selected to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowships (MWF) this summer. We first met Ange when training Certified Interpretive Guides in Rwanda. Ange organized Biocoop Rwanda to defeat povertyContinue reading “Great Things Happen to Good People”
Tag Archives: rwanda
Capacity Building with Computers
We have made several trips to Rwanda to provide training and interpretive planning in two national parks. The dedication of the guides we have met in Rwanda is inspirational. They are deeply committed to the conservation and care of the spectacular park resources of their nation. Last January we asked the guides weContinue reading “Capacity Building with Computers”
The Glamping Experience
One of the best nights of my life was spent in a comfortable bed in Ruzizi Tented Lodge in Rwanda. It was intriguing and frightening at the same time. Before your mind runs wild with possibilities, let me set the scene. We (my wife, Lisa, and I) had just settled in under a lightContinue reading “The Glamping Experience”
Crowdfunding – No Silver Bullet
If you manage a program, I’m guessing one of the things constantly on your to-do list is raising funds for a variety of projects. It’s a great fantasy to imagine there’s some new simple system, a silver bullet that will eliminate the hard work traditionally associated with fundraising. The ease of Internet access in theContinue reading “Crowdfunding – No Silver Bullet”
Bridging the Digital Divide in Rwanda
Can you imagine losing family and friends in a brutal genocide, attending school without the financial and moral support of your family, continuing to support your younger brothers and sisters in school while you work as a park guide two or three hours distant from your home? Over the last two years, we’ve been workingContinue reading “Bridging the Digital Divide in Rwanda”
Is Habituating Wildlife the Right Thing to Do?
Our little friend Jes, the vervet monkey, visits our classroom in Rwanda each day. She doesn’t say much, but she definitely has a story. Akagera park officials learned that a young monkey had been taken as a pet, a violation of the law, so it was taken from the people and brought to the park.Continue reading “Is Habituating Wildlife the Right Thing to Do?”
Ecotour to National Parks of Rwanda – Gorillas and Duikers and Chimps, oh my!
When we first read Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fosse and then saw the movie, we were intrigued by the possibility of one day visiting the Virunga Volcanoes to spend time with mountain gorillas. It seemed a distant dream until October of 2012 when we were training guides in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. OnContinue reading “Ecotour to National Parks of Rwanda – Gorillas and Duikers and Chimps, oh my!”
Greening Rwanda – One Bird at a Time
Picture a group of young people led by a highly trained and Certified Interpretive Guide. They’re looking for birds, monitoring endemic species in one of the most significant rainforests in East Africa. Imagine this is your group – twenty-five enthusiastic young people who want to learn more about their environment and hundreds more waiting behindContinue reading “Greening Rwanda – One Bird at a Time”
Akagera National Park and Ruzizi Lodge, a Wildlife Experience
We recently visited Akagera National Park in northeastern Rwanda to fill in our understanding of the amazing progress being made in this small nation to protect important habitat and wildlife populations. Akagera, named after the river of the same name, includes montane forests, savannah and wetlands in its 1120 square kilometers. The park was badlyContinue reading “Akagera National Park and Ruzizi Lodge, a Wildlife Experience”
Rwandan Guides Share Nyungwe’s Beauty with Guests
Nyungwe National Park is nestled in the southwest corner of Rwanda, a nation roughly the size of the state of Maryland. Nyungwe is several hours south of Volcanoes National Park (VNP) of “Gorillas in the Mist” fame. VNP brings people from all over the world to northern Rwanda, but some manage to also find thisContinue reading “Rwandan Guides Share Nyungwe’s Beauty with Guests”
heartfeltassociates.com 