Gorilla Guardians Village, also known as Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, is one of the most meaningful cultural experiences in Rwanda. The phrase “the treasure of our home” clearly explains the value of this village to both the local people and visitors. Gorilla Guardians Village is found in Musanze District, near Kinigi, at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park. This area is closely linked to gorilla trekking and community tourism in Rwanda.
Gorilla Guardians Village gives visitors a chance to learn about the daily life of local people who have lived close to mountain gorillas for many years. These communities once depended heavily on the forest for survival. Due to high levels of poaching and conflict between people and wildlife, animal life in the park was under serious threat. To address this problem, a local conservationist named Edwin Sabuhoro chose a different path.
Edwin Sabuhoro studied tourism and conservation at the University of Kent in Canterbury in the United Kingdom. During his master’s research in ecotourism, he discovered that communities living around Volcanoes National Park were facing high costs from conservation but received very little benefit. Because of this imbalance, many people continued poaching as a way to survive.
To help the community find another source of income, Edwin used his personal savings. He divided 2,000 US dollars among seven groups of former poachers, each group made up of about 40 families. These families invested the money in farming. After nine months, five of the groups had good harvests, enough food for their families, and seeds for the next planting season. As a sign of thanks, the community gave Edwin 200 kilograms of potatoes.
This experience showed that the village had strong potential to fight poverty when given guidance and support. Edwin then studied what tourists wanted after gorilla trekking. He found that many visitors wanted to learn about local culture and daily life. Because of this, he invested 50,000 US dollars to support community development and cultural tourism. This effort led to the creation of Gorilla Guardians Village, locally called Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village.
Today, Gorilla Guardians Village offers visitors a wide range of cultural activities. These include traditional dances, music, storytelling, visits to local homes, learning about traditional medicine, and seeing how kings were crowned in the past. Visitors can also take part in farming activities and learn about local food preparation.
Gorilla Guardians Village supports conservation by providing former poachers with income from tourism. This reduces pressure on wildlife and helps protect mountain gorillas. The village also helps visitors understand the strong connection between people, culture, and conservation.
Look no further than Gorilla Guardians Village for a cultural experience that adds real meaning to your visit to Rwanda.
