For decades, Dative Mukeshimana and her family lived off the lush rainforest in Volcanoes National Park, Northern Rwanda, where they thrived as foragers, hunting wild animals and gathering crops like wild honey, vegetables, and meat.
What seems like the ‘perfect life’ today—hiking through nature, tracking wildlife, and enjoying fresh, hunted food—was once a dangerous life – style that constantly put their lives at risk. Mukeshimana recalls numerous life threatening encounters with wild life while scavenging for food.
This same way of life also led her and her community to be labelled as ‘society’s marginalised group,’ facing discrimination at social gatherings and in public spaces like markets. Concepts like hygiene—washing, bathing, and shaving—were foreign to them, as was formal education. As a young girl, she was tormented, feeling trapped with no way out.
“This is how I was born; it’s how everyone around me lives,” she thought, feeling utterly defeated and resigned to her fate— amor fati.
At 25, Frecien Kabatsi, though not from the same family, found him – self on a similar path.
Abject poverty drove him to hunting as a means to feed his family, turning it into a source of both meat and income. It also became a cherished hobby, bringing him and his loved ones together around the fireplace to celebrate every kill, whether a duiker or buffalo.
For two decades, Kabatsi thrived in this profession, supporting his large family of 11 (his wife and 10 children). However, over time, his and Mukeshimana’s survival skills contributed to the near-extinction of many animals—buffaloes, duikers, elephants, and especially mountain gorillas—due to poaching and habitat destruction.
Fast forward to 2005, the government of Rwanda, through Rwanda Development Board (RDB) introduced stringent conservation measures to protect the environment and the majestic mountain gorillas.
Desensitised to his impact on the eco – system, Kabatsi was reluctant to adhere to the restrictions. To him, a life without poaching seemed impractical to him– how and where could he find sustenance if not from the forest? It was like telling him to fetch water in a basket from Lake Ruhondo. He continued his hunting activities, until one fateful day, he landed himself a duiker and a 40-day sentence at a local prison cell.
The authorities had no intention of harming Kabatsi and others like him. Rather, their goal was to teach them the importance of conservation and how to coexist with nature. They handed him over to ‘Beyond the Gorillas Experience (BGE)’, a tourism company aligned with the country’s conservation goals.
Based in Kinigi, Musanze district, BGE was established to engage local residents around Volcanoes National Park, home to the mountain gorillas, in conservation efforts through ecotourism.
Theodore Nzambonimpa, Founder and Managing Director of BGE, explains that their primary mission is to “raise awareness about the privilege of living near the mountain gorillas and to help locals improve their living conditions by leveraging indigenous skills and resources.”
At BGE, Kabatsi is now a full-time employee, delighting tourists with his talent on the Inanga, a traditional Kinyarwanda musical instrument. Although he always had this talent, he had previously been unsure how to monetize it.
“I’ve been playing this instrument since I was 18 years old,” he said proudly during our interview. “Even as a hunter, I would play for my family and friends at beer parties and New Year’s celebrations around the fire as we enjoyed our meat.”
Dressed in a bright red and black Ankara suit, complemented by a blue flowery bucket hat and white sneakers, the 66-year-old recounts these memories with a laugh, though he has no desire to return to his past life.
Mukeshimana was also hired by BGE for her exceptional Intore–Kinyarwanda traditional dance skills, from which she now earns a decent income.
“I’m so grateful to the government for including us in the country’s development,” she reflected, gratitude radiating off her tone. “Today, my family and I are no longer seen as ‘outcasts’ but as Rwandans—clean and enjoying the same rights as everyone else.”
Besides their natural talents, the organization enhanced their creativity, teaching them and hundreds of other community members income generating skills like pottery, basket weaving, local beer brewing, farming, among others.
Being a cultural and conservation tourism company, their services are inclined on the itineraries, providing them with a market for their products.
Education opportunities were also extended to their children through GASURA Kindergarten School.
According to Gerard Niyonzima, BGE’s Assistant General Manager, parents are asked to contribute a small gratuity amount, with the remainder of the costs covered by the organization.
Such efforts, coupled with the government’s commitment to sustainable conservation, has seen the lives of former poachers and that of gorillas dramatically transform in the past 20 years.
Born and raised in Musanze district, Jeanne d’Arc Muhawenimana praises the government for launching Kwita Izina. She observes that there has been remarkable development in their region since the halt of gorilla poaching to promote tourism.
Muhawenimana notes that the government has, and continues to construct infrastructures in their region, in addition to subsidizing their cooperatives to further boost their economic well-being.
Maurice Mugabowagahunde, Northern Province Governor, supports these views, noting, “Since the start of the revenue-sharing program, over 5,000 agribusinesses and numerous other ventures have been supported, significantly improving residents’ livelihoods.” He adds,
“There has been substantial infrastructure development, which is crucial for boosting business operations and creating jobs.” Recent reports from the Kwita Izina ceremony revealed that the population of these majestic primates has risen to 1,063 worldwide, elevating them from critically endangered status.
At the same time, plans are underway to expand Volcanoes National Park to support the growing gorilla population.
In addition to gorilla conservation, Rwanda has broadened its nature tourism strategies to include other species, reinforcing the country’s conservation efforts.
For instance, in 2018, the government designated a wetland in Kabuga, near Kigali, for the conservation of the Grey crowned cranes. These colourful and elegant avians had been threatened by extinction due to illegal trade.
Spanning 21 hectares, Umusambi Village has successfully rehabilitated and released numerous Grey crowned cranes back into the wild, thanks to its carefully managed environment.
With its lush greenery and scenic landscapes, the sanctuary offers an ideal setting for peaceful picnics and thrilling biking adventures. Attracting over 7,000 visitors a month, the revenue generated is directly reinvested into the country’s development.
Similarly, Nyandungu Eco Park, Rwanda’s first and largest restored wetland, exemplifies the success of inclusive conservation strategies. Although still in its first phase, this once-degraded marshland has transformed into a peaceful retreat for city dwellers and has become a top destination in Kigali.
The park’s innovative approach, combining ecological preservation with community engagement, attracts cycling and scooting enthusiasts, fitness fanatics, nature lovers, and couples seeking a picturesque setting.
Two years after its inauguration, Nyandungu Eco Park has effectively reduced flooding in Rusororo, Kimironko, Remera, and surrounding areas, achieving its primary goal.
By investing in both wildlife and communities, Rwanda has demonstrated that it is possible to create a sustainable future where both humans and nature can thrive, setting a model for countries around the world.
