Jacana Safari Lodge
Jacana Safari Lodge has ten (10) independent, private luxury chalets that are surrounded by the dense Maramagambo Forest plus a family cottage that has two rooms that are joined together. Each chalet has a King size bed equipped with a mosquito net (mosquitoes are scarce), the rooms are spacious and comfortable. Each chalet has an en-suite bathroom with hot water for showers. An enclosed veranda with large windows gives you an impressive view of Crater Lake, which you can enjoy, with morning tea or coffee or a relaxing sundowner. They are also equipped with a bell on the outside so that you can ring it for room service like having an early morning coffee (if not pre-arranged), light snacks, or drinks (this service did not seem to be working that well when I rang it the one morning though).
Up at the main lodge, there is a super comfortable and really homely meeting area called The Virunga Lounge. It is equipped with a large stone fireplace and large comfortable sofas where we sat and had our drinks and talked about our day’s adventures. The bar at the lodge is fully stocked with spirits, beers, cold drinks, water, and aperitifs – though there was a limited amount of ice when we were visiting. The dining area is large and spacious with panoramic views of Crater Lake. The meals at the lodge are tasty and superb. Having breakfast at Jacana is like being at home, you help yourself to a variety of cereals, fruit, bread, and jam plus the usual eggs and bacon or omelets and toast. Lunches and dinners are pre-ordered and they usually serve you a four-course meal that starts with a soup and ends with a delicious dessert/coffee & tea. Jacana caters for both meat-eaters and vegetarians and one of the meals I thoroughly enjoyed was their veggie lasagna that
came with the tastiest roast veggies – the meal was delicious. In fact, all the meals we ate while where there were super tasty, filling, and healthy.
The lodge has a fantastic swimming pool which is located next to the lake along with plenty of sun loungers – the view of the Crater Lake from the Swimming pool is breathtaking and it is an ideal place to lounge around and read a book or take in the sights and sounds of the abundant birdlife and primates in the area. Next door to the swimming pool area is a sauna and massage room – the masseuse was not around when we were visiting so we didn’t get an opportunity to have a massage – call the lodge to find out if the masseuse is on duty to avoid disappointment. There is little wildlife (big game) mainly primates at Jacana so, the activities that can be enjoyed at the lodge itself are birding and these can be seen by walking around the lodge, from the water’s edge, or from the pontoon. Fishing can be fun, for smaller tilapia or walking. It is safe, secure, and enjoyable. The Primate life is active and you should see various types of monkeys (Red-Tailed and Colobus). If you are looking to view big games you would need to travel to another side of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It takes around 11km’s to get from the lodge to the main road and from there a further 25kms to get into the park where you will see elephant, rhino, warthog, buffalo, lion (yes Lion – we actually saw these elusive animals at QENP for the first time since moving to Uganda), copious amounts of buck, guinea fowl, franklins and loads and
loads of birdlife. If you are looking to do something a little more adventurous during your stay at Jacana then try one of the many activities they have to offer, like kayaking, boat cruises on the Kazinga Channel, game drives, and forest walks.
Our activity, if you want to call it that was to take a ride on the Captain’s Table – a floating pontoon where you can enjoy sundowners or a meal. Our ride on the pontoon was very special as we set out just before sundown for an hour’s ride. We heard the constant call of the Fish Eagle during our ride and we got to see three different types of Kingfisher including the Giant Kingfisher, which I am told is a rare sight, plus many Cormorants all making their way back to their respective homes. It was such a divine ride that I didn’t want it to end. This feeling reinforced my reasons for never wanting to leave Africa – it was beautiful. The best is when they cut the engine, drop anchor and you get to enjoy the sounds of nature. We really enjoyed our stay at Jacana and if I had my way I would have stayed an extra night. I felt so relaxed and it was so peaceful that I didn’t want to travel back to Kampala. The lodge is well worth a visit.
How to get there:
There are two routes to take to get to Jacana Safari Lodge from Kampala – the first route will take you to Fort Portal where there is a lot of road works going on and you will also encounter many speed humps. The second option is to travel to Mbarara, once again there are a lot of road-works going on plus you have the dusty option. Both routes will take around 6 hours to get to Kampala. However, both roads are being extensively repaired and should be in much better states in the near future.
For more information, please contact:-
GeoLodges Africa
Tel: (041) 4258273, Fax: (041) 4233992.
Email: info@geolodgesafrica.com.
Website: www.geolodgesafrica.com
Discovering the Bats of Uganda
“I want to suck your blood!” was Count Dracula’s version of sweet-talking us in old movies. Dracula was a vampire, living off the blood of humans. He could shape-shift, changing his appearance from man to bat at his convenience. Part of the mythology of vampires holds that they must avoid sunlight, which is interesting since anything more than brief exposure to the sun does kill most bats by dehydrating them. Like the story of Dracula, scary beliefs have influenced mankind’s attitudes towards bats for ages. But are bats really so bad? Are they really here on earth to terrorize us, or do they have a useful purpose? Maybe they are just misunderstood, and as they say, we fear that which we do not understand.
Why don’t we start with the truth about one of the most misunderstood bats of all? Vampire bats are sanguivorous, meaning they feed on blood. They do this by cutting a small incision in a mammal’s skin. They usually target other animals and not humans, and their “victims” usually never know it happened. Vampire bat saliva has anesthetic properties which numb the tiny cut as the bat licks (not sucks) droplets of blood from the sleeping animal. Weighing from 15 to 50 mg., vampire bats are the size of an average mouse, and can only drink 1 or 2 ml. of blood at a time, which amounts to several drops. Worldwide there are only three species of the vampire bat. They are found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. There are no vampire bats in Africa. Even though many other creatures live on the blood of others, somehow we have managed to reserve our worst fears for bats, letting the blood-sucking ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, bed bugs, and flies, be known as itchy little nuisances. But bats! Run for your life! So vampire bats are really not that scary, but with a name like that, what can you do?
Bats have not always been villains. They are revered in Tonga as the sacred souls of departed humans. In China, Poland, Spain, and some Arab societies, bats are symbols of good luck. Then of course there’s Batman, a fictional hero with his lair in a cave who fights crime. Meanwhile, back in the real world, in Uganda, U.K., Indonesia, U.S.A., and Canada, bats are strictly protected as important wildlife species. Bats are widespread throughout Uganda. They live in cities, forests, islands, villages, parks, towns, even mountains. During the day they may hide in roofs, trees, caves, mines, or abandoned buildings, to name a few. If you think this plethora of bats is not uniquely Ugandan, you are right on.
There are around 1,100 species of bats on earth and they are found on every continent except Antarctica. 20% of earth’s mammals are bats, making them the most numerous mammal order in the world. Uganda has over 100 bat species, a healthy 9% of our planet’s total. Despite the fact that bats are often misunderstood, Ugandan primary school students scored remarkably well on a survey conducted in ten schools in Bundibugyo District. Only 6% of them thought bats are birds. Meanwhile, Burundian university students showed a much higher percentage of students who were convinced that bats are birds. It would appear that cultural and local beliefs and stories play a strong role in shaping peoples’ opinions about these animals.
The truth is, bats are important creatures with essential roles to play in nature. First of all, bats are mammals. At first glance, their teeth are similar to the teeth of a dog. Most bats have soft, dense fur, another feature of mammals. They produce milk, and unlike birds, they excrete urine and faeces from two separate ducts. Mothers give birth to one baby, which they carry on their chests where they suckle milk until they are nearly full-grown. Some bats can live for more than 20 years.
In Uganda, there are several species that are very interesting indeed:
The Yellow-winged Bat is one of the most amazing yet strange-looking creatures I have ever seen. Usually observed in the daytime as it flies or hangs in acacia trees, this bat is believed to be one of the only semi-diurnal bats anywhere. It has the largest eyes of all insectivorous bats, assisting it with navigation in darkness as well. What makes this colorful mammal so interesting to look at are its huge yellow ears and its great long leafy nose, as well as bright yellow-orange wings which are among the broadest of all bats, relative to its size. This wing shape allows for slow flight through dense, thorny acacia thickets. It eats a startling variety of insects, from beetles and butterflies to flies and mosquitoes. The yellow-winged bat is the only bat that has been observed intentionally sunning itself to warm up, as other bats avoid direct sunlight or quickly become dehydrated. Breaking free of the norm, yellow-winged bats are common in warm savannah woodlands.
Another interesting bat in Uganda is the Egyptian fruit bat. This species is well-known as a suspected vector of Marbug Virus, but if left to themselves these bats play an important part in the spread of beneficial fruit trees. They spend their days in dark places like caves, emerging in the evening to fly to trees where they eat figs and other fruits. Amazingly, when Egyptian fruit bats need a drink, they have the ability to fly over water while skimming the surface with their chest fur which soaks up water. Then they lick the water from their fur while still flying. This is a wonderful adaptation for an animal that cannot afford the energy required to take off from the ground. That may be why most bats hang from perches, so they can fall into flight with minimal effort.
Another bat in Uganda that has remarkable attributes is the long-tongued fruit bat. These relatively small bats feed on nectar from the flowers of sausage trees and African tulip trees, and in the process of their feeding, they inadvertently pollinate the trees. While they are poking their faces into flowers to lap up sweet nectar, powdery pollen from the flowers sticks to the fur on the bats’ faces and is carried to the next flower where it enters the pistil and fertilizes it. Long-tongued bats have a ridiculously long tongue that allows them to reach nectar that many other animals can’t access, earning them the title of nectar specialists. From the sausage tree and the tulip tree alone, Ugandans have derived at least 25 medicinal uses, and even some recipes for a local brew! Its role in the reproduction of these important trees makes the long-tongued bat a very beneficial neighbor to humans.
While fruit bats are large and maybe more commonly seen, less than a third of all bats are frugivorous. There are myriad smaller, less conspicuous bats out there. 70% of the world’s bats are insectivorous, and some species can eat 1,000 mosquitoes in a single hour! In certain parts of the world, bat colonies are so big they can eat unbelievable amounts of insects. A colony of 1.5 million bats was studied in North America, and it was discovered that in one night this massive swarm of flying mammals was able to catch and eat 15 tonnes of mosquitoes! Imagine what an itchy existence we humans would have if bats weren’t gobbling up so many mozzies every night.
If bats are so wonderful, you ask, then why do we vilify them? For one thing, they sometimes seem to be diving at our heads when we are outside after dark. This frightens people for obvious reasons, as it is quite startling. Why do they do that?! Well, the bat isn’t interested in you at all; it is hunting your arch-enemy, the mosquito, which is hunting you! While this explanation might suffice for some, others might be asking, “What if a hunting bat accidentally flies into me?” That is very, very unlikely, and here is why:
Bats have the amazing ability to fly around in the dark without smacking into anything. They accomplish this feat in different ways. Larger fruit bats use their big eyes to absorb even the tiniest amounts of light so they can see amazingly well on a night when you can see nothing at all. Most insectivorous bats, however, while certainly not blind, use an even more remarkable method of navigating the darkness. Sending sound waves out ahead of them using squeaks and clicks, bats can interpret these sounds as they echo or bounce off of objects. Whether a tree, a wall, a human, or even something as tiny as a mosquito, a bat can pinpoint its location without ever seeing it. This ability is called echolocation…sonar! Sending out the clicks and squeaks is easy, but collecting the echoes takes some special adaptations. This is why many bats have interesting leafy noses and big ears to help them collect returning sound waves. So no matter how dark it is or how close a bat flies to your head, relax.
Just as bats help to control insect populations around the world, bat populations are also controlled by certain predators. Many species of snakes feed on bats, as do some birds and mammals. Pythons and cobras, for example, enter caves to hunt bats. Sometimes a snake will even live in the cave among the bats. Pythons are specially equipped for hunting in pure darkness, using heat-sensing pits on their lips to find warm-blooded prey, while cobras hunt by sight and smell and tend to hunt bats that roost in slightly lighted places. The Bat Hawk is a special bird of prey that eats only bats – it is an evening hunter that snatches bats in midair as they leave their roosts.
Genets, the beautiful, furry little predators so common in Uganda, will climb trees and enter caves in search of bats to eat. Most interesting of all, there are two species of bats that hunt other bats! If you are slowly becoming a fan of bats, don’t hate these predators. The pressure they put on bat populations ensures that the fittest bats survive as the weak or less vigilant ones do not. Just when bats are starting to seem like angels, there are a few things to take note of. After all, they are wild animals, and wildlife should be given its space. Some mammals carry diseases that can sometimes be passed on to humans. Dogs, cats, mongooses, bats, and many other mammals can carry rabies. It is not recommended to handle bats as they might be frightened and try to bite you. Living with bats in your home, while maybe a good insect control method, can also have some negative results. Bats that roost in homes during the day eventually leave a build-up of feces which can dry and turn to dust containing harmful pathogens.
Bats have been misunderstood for millennia, and why not? It isn’t easy to get to know a creature that hides so well during the day and that possesses abilities that seem almost magical. I mean, no other mammal can truly fly except for us, right? And only owls, also mystically regarded worldwide, can fly around avoiding obstacles and catching tiny prey in pitch darkness. In recent years, science has been able to enlighten us about bats enough to give us the choice to appreciate bats for the amazing flying mammals they are. We need bats, just like we need bees, but we don’t keep beehives in our homes or we will be stung. Similarly, bats are important to the health and diversity of our environment, providing insect control services, pollination, and fruit tree propagation, so let’s give bats a break and let them fulfill their roles in Uganda’s rich and diverse natural places. To be continued in the April -June 2010 issue.
Read MoreRwandese Hope and Future from Single Action of Japanese Volunteerism
Initiated by Ms. Chie Shimizu, a Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) under a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) scheme, and the village’s only foreign resident, the project brings together a group of eight Rwandese – men, women, youth, and adults – once every two weeks to locally produce handmade soap and bring hope for brighter future for local villagers.
In a small open space behind a modest mud house surrounded by small vegetable gardens, eight members sit next to each other, cooling off heated oil to 45˚C. Pouring caustic soda into oil the members then take turns stirring the liquid and flavoring it with avocado until it becomes silky smooth. From buying the ingredients to cutting the soap, each phase in the process is handmade locally while Chie advises each step. Soap making is physical work requiring detailed attention to temperature and sensitive touch. Yet, during the process, cheerful laughs and smiles resonate throughout the village. How can one individual outsider become part of a small local village while building trust among local Rwandese and mobilizing the community
towards a common goal?
Chie explains, “I made the flyer in Kinyarwanda to announce my concept of soap making and called for first members to work with. I made it clear in the first place that I would share my idea of an alternative income activity, not give away money.” Each member who signed onto the project first donated 500 RWFs to start up their own activities, with Chie providing them with an additional 2000 RWFs as a loan. The loans were paid off in two months, and the group is now making profits and improving their everyday lives.
Chie is advising the group’s activities and is gradually leaving her leadership role to them. Not everything, however, went smoothly. Chie confesses, “First, we tried soap making with a recipe from Japan. But of course, it did not work well. The types and quality of ingredients such as oil we can find here are different from those in Japan. A foreign recipe and local ingredients simply did not match well. So we started all over again, with a local recipe and local ingredients.” The improved handmade soap is receiving good feedback. Asked why she joined a soap-making project initiated by someone she never met, Ms. Uwera SaÜda a school teacher and mother of five children, replied, “The flyer was well made and Chie’s idea of providing a way forward for a better life, and not simply making money, gave us dignity as equal humans and partners. We do not need sympathy. We need work to improve our lives.” The group of eight locals empowered by this simple act now has hope and a future plan. By officially forming a cooperative, they hope to expand their production, reaching the wider market at a sector and district level to eventually include Kigali city. Their soap making now has roots
in their local ground, is growing leaves and vines, and is uniting people from different backgrounds to bring
the hope and a brighter future.
Approximately 22 JOCVs are now actively engaged in volunteer activities with local communities in Rwanda, sharing their experiences and skills with local Rwandese towards improving and enriching their lives. More Japanese volunteers will join them in the coming years to follow their path. They will leave a legacy of Japan’s skills, experiences, and friendship to the people of Rwanda, leading to their sustainable socio-economic development.
For more information contact: Kayo Yamada, Mobile: +2502525510 3487
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Rwanda Office
What can a Psychologist do for you?
Our minds and bodies are built to tolerate a lot, but, from time to time, we all experience
some form of imbalance or disequilibrium. This is completely normal and even necessary for personal growth. However, things can get a bit too intense, sometimes.
Say your company is reorganizing – meaning more work and fewer hands! At home, your teenage son is a slob who sleeps all day when he is not in front of a screen. You suspect your spouse is cheating on you. There is no one you can talk to about your life fears, so you find yourself spending a large part of your diminishing energy keeping the facade in
place.
Do you get the picture? Now see where this can take you. You start worrying about your performance, in general, but particularly at work. Afraid of losing your job, you stay late to compensate. Going home, or meeting friends (they are probably laughing at you behind your back) doesn’t seem like an option. Your new routine becomes: leave work late, stop for a quick one, or a few – to help your insomnia, you tell yourself. Crash when you get home. No dinner, it is too late, besides you don’t feel like dealing with your family’s disapproval (who do they think they are anyway? Why are you working so hard for such losers?!). You fall into a fitful sleep. Suddenly, you are wide awake. It is four a.m. Your mind is racing. You can’t switch it off in order to go back to sleep. You panic about things that are not really within your control, you struggle to find a way that will help you remember some of these thoughts in the morning, then, just as you begin to dose off again, the alarm clock rings in the new day! You feel drained and slightly hung-over. What was it you wanted to remember in the morning? Your memory draws a blank and your head starts thudding rhythmically, in unison with your pulse.
Breakfast is a silent affair. You gulp it down, slightly nauseated. Your son –at the table at your insistence (we need some discipline around here!) – slouches over his plate, irritating you. You leave in a hurry to get to the office, your refuge. Your concentration is shot, due to hang-over and lack of sleep. You are impatient with everyone, they avoid eye contact with you. You try to steal 40 winks sitting on the toilet – your chin in your hands.
Towards afternoon, feeling slightly better, you start organizing your day. The others leave, ignoring you. You stay late. Ten o’clock you renounce, go for a
quick one, get drunk………….
Before you know where you are, you have dug yourself into a deep, dark place. This out-of-balance feeling is often referred to as “stressed out”. Balance is dynamic and one often swings right back to health with no further problem. However, most of us endure
more of these out-of-balance periods with declining vigour. Some push on as though the imbalance didn’t exist. Others surrender and succumb to fear, inertia, depression, burnout, or worse – depending on personality, learning and genetics. In either case, a vicious cycle is established, and before long, there is an escalation of stressed-reckless-risk-taking behaviour, or obsessive-compulsive-workaholic behaviour, or even tuned-out-disinterested passivity – among many other possible variations. Your colleagues, friends and family may indeed abandon you, you may lose your job and your mind – exactly as you had predicted!
Your eating, drinking, worrying and sleeping habits become chronically disrupted, affecting your health. Isn’t it only reasonable to try and prevent overloading to dangerous levels of imbalance? Our lives today demand high levels of efficiency, structure and energy. To cope effectively, we need
• Good habits
• Regular, restorative rest and exercise
• Relaxation routines
• Awareness of one’s own strengths and weaknesses
• Time in reflection
• life and career structure
Psychologists help people
Balance is what psychologists offer so that one functions optimally professionally, socially and relationally, and adjusts emotionally, intellectually and physically.
Most of us would, quite naturally, seek the services of a dentist to maintain good oral health, regularly
go for a medical check-up at the doctor’s office, call in an electrician to inspect power installations at home, or take the car for servicing. We know that maintenance is the first step in prevention. It seems unwise to think that your psychological well-being is not as important. One of our most basic beliefs is that our MINDS define our humanity. YET we put off seeking help when it comes to the most complex of organs, our brain, and
the most intricate of systems, our minds, which together make up our mental health. We minimize the danger signals or ignore them – often until it is too late. Early recognition and understanding of your individual signals of stress can go a long way in preventing poor mental health and enhancing the quality of life.
Pure commonsense and self-preservation should tell us that suffering when there is help available, seems defeatist. Psychologists use specific methods and promote skill learning
Mental fatigue, stress, problems and disorders can be avoided, controlled, treated and even cured, through healthy thinking, restructuring, and awareness. Research shows that: 50% of us, at any given time, suffer from stress, depression, worries, and other signs of mental imbalance. These are the kinds of figures we should not ignore.
Most illnesses, including somatic illness, are either started, maintained or aggravated by our psychological attitudes. We have witnessed how thinking positively can make a great difference to the outcomes of people with HIV+ status. Positive thinking is based on a sense of control, which is a psychological concept. Counselling techniques are based on cognitive behavioural therapy, a psychological method. Changing the way you think can have a positive effect on you, whether you are suffering from sleeplessness or cancer. In other words, our thoughts influence our conditions! And we can control our thoughts! In a way, Abraham Lincoln was right: most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be! Prevention is better than cure. Learning how to prevent is learning a vital set of survival skills for the world we live in today. Once learnt, you can apply these skills to other areas of your life. In light of this, it would seem absolutely unnecessary to struggle in the dark, in secret.
It seems unwise to think that your psychological well being is less important than everything else. After all, one of our most basic beliefs is that our MINDS define our humanity. Suffering from:
• Sleeping problems, from thoughts keeping you awake (like a TV you can’t turn off)?
• Drinking to switch off, but now a bit worried it is too much (doing drugs, over-indulging in prescription medicines)?
• Worrying all, or most of, the time?
• Conflict with colleagues, friends, family?
• Fear of losing control, lack of structure, loss of direction?
• Feeling underappreciated, angry, depressed, oversensitive?
• Low self-esteem, boredom, low self-assertiveness?
Communication, concentration and attention problems?
Need:
a sounding board for career planning or self-development?
to learn to structure, focus and plan to overcome feeling disorganised?
Contact a psychologist and make an appointment for a completely confidential chat that could just be
Handee (Zaaffran) Indian Restaurant
Accompanying this is background music, which unfortunately doesn’t quite drown out the road noise but the impeccable service and central location outweighs this by far!
We were first brought various dips, both spicy and cool complemented by fresh vegetables. This entree was light but just right to increase the appetite for the subsequent courses. To start we decided on the fish tikka Amritsari which consisted of small pieces of white fish coated in a tikka spiced batter. The coating gave the crunch surrounding beautifully moist, perfectly cooked white fish. The coating was spiced and this infused delicately with the light fish. As an accompanying starter, we chose subzi takatin which is a vegetable dumpling with infused spices.
The irresistible and mouth-watering flavour of onion, ginger and garlic just to name a couple, was soft and moist and the perfect second starter to combine with the crunchier fish starter. What is overwhelming here is the fresh taste of every ingredient which gives the flavours such power and increases the appetite for the subsequent course.
For the main course, we decided upon a chicken dish (NUMBER 61) in a mediumly spiced ghee sauce accompanied by vegetable pilau and a butter naan. The chicken was tasty and moist as it was cooked well and the ghee sauce was mouth-wateringly flavoursome but not overly spicy which gave the rice its place as this pilau had some kick and was mixed with some fresh vegetables giving it the perfect consistency which contributed to the depth of flavour in this course. The naan, unlike at some restaurants, was not overcooked, but was perfectly moist and the butter made it particularly tasty.
Overall this was a wonderfully flavoursome meal, end to end. The fantastic service, the surrounding decor and ambience as well as the fantastic value for money here makes this a great restaurant and overall great dining location for formal, informal, intimate or large gatherings. The restaurant is very spacious for big parties . Also, they are very flexible to work with the budgets of large gatherings.
Lastly, Handees will be re-launching soon under a new name; Zaaffran, which means taste, which is a perfect description of what to expect from a dining experience here. Tasty food and tasteful decor sums up Handees,
soon to be Zaaffran!
For reservations please contact:
Zaaffran Restaurant
Tel: + 250 750344900. Mobile: + 250 788 3042504
Email: handee_2009@yahoo.com,
PREFER Women’s Soap Association
that does not have electricity or water availability for the residents. The majority of the population grows potatoes and cabbage that are sold in the Musanze market; for most this is their only source of income. The majority of households live on less than $200.00usd per year and are raising families that consist of more than 5 children.
27 women, who are dreaming of a brighter future for their children, decided to take fate into their own hands.
The women thought long and hard about what they could do. There were no jobs available to them, they had only so much land to cultivate, they did not have the necessary start-up cost to open a business of any kind, and they all have young children that they could not leave at home alone.
The women approached Poverty reduction, Education, and Family empowerment in Rwanda (PREFER), a Rwandese NGO based in Musanze District. Together the women and a representative from PREFER came up with the idea of making soap, and then proceeded to find the name of a qualified teacher, a list of necessary equipment, a location, and a budget. PREFER donated $1000.00usd for start-up costs and the women began their journey out of poverty.
These women, a mixture of widowed and married, formed their association, hired a teacher and during the next four months faithfully attended classes to learn how to make quality soap. Not surprisingly, all the women completed and passed their course. They were determined to make a success of their new endeavor and all contributed 100% of their effort. The graduation ceremony was a joyous celebration. The majority of these women, born and raised in the village, have had minimal schooling, if any. This was the first certificate they had ever received and the first time they had ever been recognized for their achievements.
The women have rented a small shop from a local businesswoman, purchased the necessary equipment, and begun to make soap.
They regularly sell to friends, family, and neighbors in the community, but just recently they obtained decorator molds and have made soap available to visitors in Rwanda. You can find PREFER Women’s Soap Association soap, to purchase, at their shop in Gushangiro, Karibu Gift Shop in Ruhengeri, and hotel gift shops in Musanze district.
PREFER is a Rwandan registered NGO operating a number of programs including distributing a goat into a vulnerable family, enabling the family to sell the offspring for income for schooling expenses; home repairs for widows and teen head of households; and PREFER pre-school, located in Gushangiro, offering free education to 152 children ranging in ages from 18 months to 5 years old. If you would like to contact PREFER you may do so by contacting Cathy Emmerson BP 37 Ruhengeri, Rwanda, or thru email povertyreductionrwanda@yahoo.com
Read More
Iby’Iwachu Cultural Village in Kinigi
It was a Friday afternoon when I boarded the bus to Musanze district, formerly known as Ruhengeri. This is one of the most famous places in the world, renown for its mountain Gorillas. When most people visit Ruhengeri their main purpose is to go Gorilla trekking but I have fallen in love with the beautiful scenery that is filled with ever-green, cool weather, abundant fresh air, and friendly lovely people. In the previous issue of The Eye Rwanda, our cultural article talked about former poachers who had embraced cultural and ecological tourism. So I went up the mountain, a height of about 2200 meters above sea level, to experience and learn more about the Iby’Iwachu Cultural village, a new Tourism destination in Kinigi.
The people in this community all have different cultural backgrounds. Some are pygmies who were naturally forest dwellers who depended heavily on poaching and gathering fruit from the forest in the national park, while other local residents were peasant farmers who supplemented their daily survival by encroaching on the resources in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Therefore relocating and resettling these people outside the park and trying to change their behavior caused an incredible amount of conflict between the National Park authorities and the local people. What is amazing is how the local people, who were against the policies of wildlife and environmental conservation, have turned around to appreciate, embrace and add value to the tourism packages of Rwanda. It has been a long process of sensitization, dedication, and commitment by a group of people headed by Edwin Sabuhoro from Rwanda Ecotours. The whole process began by setting up a council of elders from the community, which is estimated to have a population of 1500 people. Once the elders had come up with the concept they invited other families to join in then it was a matter of educating the younger generation in all of the households.
What does the cultural village have to offer?
The major attraction at the Ibywachu Cultural Village is a replica of the king’s palace, the second of its kind in the country. It offers a lot of history where you can learn all about the cultural norms and taboos of ancestral behavior. Once inside, the main house is grass-thatched with many poles supporting the roof. Each pole has its own norms associated, and in the middle, you have four fireplaces. This is where the parliament was where the king used to meet with the chiefs to resolve the issues of the kingdom. There are also two doorways; one which was used by the king and the other by the rest of the people. The palace also has a mini-museum where old collectibles like coins, cups, plates, knives, spears, and shields are displayed.
At the palace, there is an opportunity to meet Lulengwa who is a traditional healer who has been practicing local medicine since childhood. He told me that all his great-grandparents had been traditional healers. Lulengwa plays a vital role in this village by treating fellow community members with local herbs that he collects from the surrounding bushes. You can imagine this community without a Clinic or hospital and he boasts of curing diseases such as skin ailments, impotence, easing labor pains, malaria, food poisoning, stomach worms, and mental disorders. The hospital is about 20kms away and there is no ambulance, so if Dr.Lule’s prescription fails then referrals are made to Ruhengeri hospital for further treatment. It’s a memorable experience to watch the traditional healer performing his tasks.
The traditional folk dancers at the cultural village are stunning. The smiles of sheer joy are evident on their faces as they move to the rhythm of the lyrics – I found it very interesting to watch. As traditional Intore and Ekinimba dancers (all of whom have been active poachers for centuries) share their amazing traditional dance and drum sounds clapped with gorilla sounds integrating what humans and wildlife miss in their search for inter-dependence. The drums are kept in a special hut and are placed on the ground in a circular shape in the middle. The drummers light a fire to keep the leather on top well stretched, enabling the drums to produce a good sound. At night it’s always cold so you get seated in the King’s house around the fireplace where you are entertained with solo auditions while the harps can be heard. In the King’s house, you are served local beer which is brewed from bananas and sorghum.
The former poachers also perform shooting skills using bows and arrows, displaying their skills used in hunting. It’s amazing to see how they can aim to hit a bamboo shoot at a range of 80 meters away, and hit it. They also display other items that were used for poaching as well as narrating their encounters with elephants and various other wild animals.
Some of the community members acquired skills from their great-grandparents in iron black smelting. They show the traditional ways of iron smelting, and how they used to make arrows, spears, and knives which were essential tools of their homesteads.
The transformation of the community from poaching to cultural tourism has involved organizing themselves into a group of ten, each group handling a particular task and being trained in modern agricultural techniques. The groups have been provided with tools like hoes and machetes plus hybrid seeds that yield better crops. Preparations are underway that will enable the community access to better markets rather than selling to middlemen who offer them lower prices.
The animal husbandry group has been received via donations, hybrid goats and chickens too rare for commercial purposes. They’ve faced challenges in keeping these animals because they’ve been accustomed to eating game meat all of their life. Due to the various intervention and sensitization programs, they have realized the importance of progress and modernity.
The school has only one classroom under a grass-thatched shelter and one teacher has been hired to help teach English to the children as well as the elders. Teaching English to poachers who wish to tell their until now, untold story is empowering to the local people and is the foundation for their sustainability and preservation of their history. It’s not all about giving people a fish in order to feed themselves but rather a way of teaching people how to fish to sustain themselves.
The most important aspect is conservation and embracing tourism. This cultural village has been developed to help the community understand the need and benefits of environmental conservation. Your visit to this cultural village contributes a lot to change the lives of different people.
Each visitor to the village pays US$20 for all the activities in the cultural village. Camping for a night at the village costs US$20, which all goes towards the village fund. Forty percent goes directly to the activities, while the other sixty goes into the village fund (or bank), after which the village committee decides where to invest the money amongst projects such as paying health insurance for families, buying high-breed seeds, sponsoring children, and buying scholastic materials, and developing small scale businesses, not only to boost their food capacity and to deal with their scale economies but also to start enterprising to benefit from tourism and be part of the conservation efforts to save the endangered species in their surroundings.
Read MoreMedicinal Plants
From its grassy savannas to its high mountains, the African continent is home to an amazing diversity of habitats and species, including more than 50,000 known plant species. To date, 1,034 plants have been identified in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, with more being discovered all the time.
“We are interested in all aspects of gorilla life, including the plants that they eat,” said Dr. Katie Fawcett, Director of the Karisoke Research Center. Medicinal plants are of particular importance to Karisoke for two reasons — how they might be used by gorillas and to understand the potential degradation of the park caused by people searching for the plants.
Prosper Uwingeli, chief park warden for ORTPN at the Volcanoes National Park
added, “It is extremely important to study plants, and especially the individual species and their relationship to the biodiversity of the park.”
As this information is gathered, ORTPN uses it to help manage the park.
In 2005, Aimable Nsanzurwimo, a research assistant with DFGFI, started studying bamboo ecology at Karisoke. Since then he has helped increase the number of plant species known in VNP from 245 to 1,034. Plants continue to be discovered that are new to science and new to Rwanda. In addition to the documentation of new plants, antibacterial properties have been found in one of the species.
Since Dian Fossey’s time, DFGFI has been interested in plant species that the gorillas were using within the park. It was during that time that an herbarium was set up to begin cataloging and speciating these plants. Plant samples are pressed and recorded and copies are sent to the Rwandan National Herbarium at IRST. Currently, there are 1,000 preserved samples in the collection.
“We want to document the plants before they disappear because of climate change or other pressures on the park. The herbarium at Karisoke will be a major resource for future scientists who want to study the plants in the country of Rwanda,” said Aimable.
Two studies funded by DFGFI have begun to further explore the exciting question of the medicinal use of plants within human and gorilla populations.
Aimable Nsanzurwimo and a National University of Rwanda (NUR) student working on his thesis have started the process of looking at the use of plants by humans and gorillas.
Surveys have shown that up to 183 different plants are used by traditional healers. From that total, 110 are actually found growing wild in the VNP and the remaining 73 are cultivated by people in their gardens.
Of the 110 medicinal plants found in the national park, 55 are known to be consumed by gorillas.
Medicinal plants chosen by humans and gorillas are probably related to the most prevalent diseases. The mountain gorillas, they include respiratory, diarrheal, and intestinal parasitism. The main disease challenges for the local human population are similar. The cold, wet, environment of the area and close living situation is perfect for respiratory problems in people. Intestinal parasites numbers increase when clean water and adequate sanitation are limited. Gorilla fecal samples have demonstrated many of the same internal parasites also found in humans.
Over a six-month period, Nahayo collected plants eaten by gorillas for analysis and screening. He narrowed his selection to three species preferred by the gorilla population, Carduus leptacanthus (Common name: Ikigwarara), Pycnostachys goetzenii (Common name: Umutsinduka), Urtica massaica (Common name: Igisure Qrtie). These three plants were analyzed for their chemical properties and then tested for their medical effects on bacteria and parasites. Preliminary results show that Urtica massaica has antibiotic properties.
It has been discovered, by using chromatography, that similar plant species contained a number of organic properties known to have positive effects against bacteria and parasites which cause respiratory and parasitic diseases. This knowledge leads to more questions for researchers, “Do the gorillas treat themselves deliberately, or does the constant intake of plant material end up being a preventive measure?”
This is just the beginning of the questions the researchers are asking. There are another 52 known plants to be analyzed which are used by traditional healers and are also consumed by gorillas. What about the other plants eaten by gorillas not used by traditional healers? In the future, how does climate change affect the plant population? Protection of areas such as Volcanoes National Park, and the biodiversity within, can lead to amazing benefits for mankind.
Wouldn’t it be ironic that an endangered species like the mountain gorilla could save millions of human lives through discoveries found in their medicinal plants?
To learn more about the current research at the Karisoke research center please visit their website: www.gorillafund.org
Photo cutlines:
National Rwanda University Students interview a farmer living next to the Volcanoes National Park about the plants they use for medicinal purposes.
The silverback Inshutee munches some greens in the Volcanoes National Park.
4. The mountain gorilla Ginseng eats some nettles in the Volcanoes National Park.
Read More
Restaurant Review
I was greeted by the waiter with a warm friendly smile – he led me to the table I had reserved and he immediately took my drinks orders. He was quick enough with the drinks but he didn’t have a bottle opener with him so we had to wait until he returned with the opener before I could enjoy my drink.
My friends arrived and they ordered their drinks. The waiter came over and presented us with the Menu and then he took our orders. We each ordered different starters which consisted of Fish soup with ginger, Fish fingers with tartar sauce, and chicken and mushroom cream soup. Prices for the starters ranged between 2500Frw to 3500Frw. The starters were spicy, flavourful and the portions big.
Ferdy, the General Manager helped us go through the menu as most of the dishes on offer were written in French. We ordered a variety of different dishes again so that we could all share and taste the different dishes on offer. The main courses consisted of Southern-fried Chicken with creamy gravy, Grilled pork with onions and mustard, and Fish fillet with fresh yogurt sauce. The main courses were served with a variety of side dishes like Matooke chips (Plantain), steamed rice, and potato chips with mixed steamed vegetables – we ordered a bottle of red wine with our meals.
The food is extremely tasty and the portions are large. The main meal prices are reasonably priced and range between 7000Frw to 8000Frw and each glass of wine is 2500frw. They also serve a Buffet for 10,000Frw which is available at Lunchtimes.
For dessert, l ordered a cappuccino while my friend went for the Mixed Country fruits with Ice cream. The coffee was great and all my colleagues enjoyed their fruits and ice cream. Dessert prices range between 2000Frw to 2500Frw.
Royale Villas is a high-end restaurant in terms of eating out but their food is good, tasty, and well worth visiting. The place is clean and well maintained.
It’s worth mentioning that when you place your orders, it would be useful to know a bit of French or a little Kinyarwanda to ensure that you get what you ordered. It is also advisable to carry a jacket or shawl with you as it can get quite cold if you decide to book a table at the poolside. If you are in a hurry then Royale Villas may not be the ideal place for you to eat at as the food takes a long time to come out of the kitchen – on the other hand though, if you have the time, then it is definitely worth the wait. The bar is well stocked with a wide selection of soft drinks and spirits.
Royale Villas also have a carnival night every last Friday of the month with live entertainment.
For more information, please contact:-
Royale Villas
Read More
Accomodation in Rwanda
KACYIRU
APARTMENTS
Kacyiru Executive Appartment (k.e.a.),
Tel: +250 252 587803/ 252512253
Mobile: +250 788302700, Email: keacsr@yahoo.com
HOTELS
Ninzi Hill Hotel, Kacyiru, Kigali
. Tel: +250 252 587711-4. Fax: +250 252 587716.
Email: ninzihill@yahoo.fr
La Petit Prince “Orange Courts” Hotel,
Boulevard de L’Umuganda, Kacyiru, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 580181. Mobile: +250 788 861479 / + 250 788 358291
. Email: oracourts@yahoo.com.
Select Boutique Hotel, Tel: +250 252 580809. Mobile: +250 755 300331.
Email: info@selectboutiquehotel.com.
Website: www.selectboutiquehotel.com
Top Tower Hotel,
Boulevard de L’Umuganda, Kacyiru, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 580527 / +250 252 592600. Mobile: +250 788 304946.
Email: info@toptowerhotel.com.
Website: www.toptowerhotel.com
Umubano Hotel Kigali, Umuganda Boulevard, Kacyiru, Kigali.
Telephone: +250 252 593500. Fax: +250 252 582957.
Email: reservations@umubanohotel.rw.
Website: www.umubanohotel.rw
KIMIHURURA
BED & BREAKFAST
Elegancya B&B, Kimihurura, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 580811. Mobile: +250 772 2503070. Email: guest@elegancya.com.
Website: www.elegancya.com.
GUEST HOUSES
Romalo Guest House, Mobile: +250 788 61900 / +250 788 301453.
HOTELS
Kigali Diplomat Hotel, Kimihurura, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 581330. Mobile: +250 788 2083001.
Email: reservations@kigalidiplomathotel.com.
Website: www.kigalidiplomathotel.com.
Lemigo Hotel, Kimihurura, Tel:+250 280 300003/5, Email: info@lemigohotel.com,
Webiste: www.lemigohotel.com
KIMIRONKO
HOTELS
Bloom Hotel, Kimironko, Kigali. Tel: +250 252 55100981-2. Mobile: +250 750 778710 /
+250 788 355014. Email: bloomhotels@yahoo.com. Website: www.bloomkigali.com
KISEMENTI
HOTELS
Civitas Hotel, Kisementi, Kigali.
Mobile: +250 788 887823 / +250 788 545975. Email: info@civitashotelrwanda.com.
Website: www.civitashotelrwanda.com
KIYOVU
APARTMENTS
Altis Apartments,
Boulevard de la Revolution, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 590900.
Mobile: +250 783 397190.
Email: altis@soras.co.rw.
Nobilis Apartment Hotel, Kiyovu, Kigali.
BED & BREAKFAST
Wenge B&B,
Kajugwe Road, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Mobile: +250 788 43677.
GUEST HOUSES
Banana Guest House,
Plot 4 Rue de Parc,
Kiyovu, Kigali. Tel: +250 252 500154.
Mobile: + 250 788 3391165 / +250 785 0224936.
Email: fbananaguesthouse@yahoo.com.
Cozy Guest House
Boulevard de l›Umuganda
Mobile: +250 788 502834, +250 784 242022, +250 786 635042, +250 786 064411
Iris Guest House
Plot 8 Avenue Kamuzinzi, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 501172 / +250 252 501181.
Fax: +250 252 576929.
Kiyovu Guest House
Kiyovu, Kigali.
Tel: +250 788 431960 / +250 788 168021.
La Palisse Hotel
Rwamagana Road, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 583479.
Mobile: +250 788 305505.
Email: lapalisseho@yahoo.fr
HOTELS
Banana Boutique Hotel,
Plot 4 Rue de Parc, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 500154.
Mobile: + 250 788 3391165 / +250 785 0224936.
Email: info@bananaboutiquehotel.com.
Website: www.bananaboutiquehotel.com
Golden Hills Hotel
Plot 2 Avenue Ntaruka,
Kiyovu, Kigali. Tel: +250 252 500230. Fax:
+250 252 571003
. Email: goldenhillshotel@gmail.com
Hotel Gorillas,
Rue des Parcs, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 501717/718.
Fax: +250 252 501716.
Website: www.gorillashotels.com
Hotel Des Mille Collines,
Avenue de L’Armee / Avenue de la Republique, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 576530. Fax: +250 252 576541. Email: info@millecollines.net.
Website: www.millecollines.net.
Kigali Serena Hotel, Revolution Boulevard, Kigali. Tel: +250 252 597100.
Fax: +250 252 597101. Website: www.serenahotels.com.
Stipp Hotel, Kiyovu, Kigali. Tel: +250 252 500275 / +250 252 500277.
Mobile: +250 788 305682. Fax: +250 252 500276.
Email: management@stipphotelrwanda.com.
Website: www.stipphotelrwanda.com
MOTEL
Kiyovu Motel, 15 Rue de L’Akagera, Kiyovu, Kigali.
Mobile: +250 788 503695.
Fax: +250 252 578413. Email: kiymotel@yahoo.fr.
Step Town Motel, (Below St Famille church),Kiyovu-
Muhima, Mobile: +250 785 005662 /
+250 788460075.
Tel: +250 252 500042/56
Email: stepst22@yahoo.com
MUHIMA
HOTELS
City Garden Hotels, Muhima, Kigali.
Mobile: +250 782 064330.
Email: evalinegitukui@live.com
MOTEL
Auberge La Caverne,
Boulevard de Nyabugogo,
Muhima, Kigali. Website: www.aubergelacaverne.com
Dream Inn Motel,
Muhima, Kigali. Tel: +250 252503988 / +250 252 502477.
Mobile: +250 788 850762 / +250 788 307923.
Email: dreaminn7@yahoo.fr.
NYABUGOGO
HOTELS
City Valley, Tel: +250 252 515741.
Resident Hotel, Plot 68c Nyabugogo, Kigali
. Mobile: +250 783 398373
NYARUTARAMA
APARTMENTS
Park View Courts,
Nyarutarama,
Kigali. Tel: +250 252 585474. Mobile: +250 788301244 / +250 782 022072.
Email: relax@parkviewcourtsrwanda.com
Website: www.parkviewcourtsrwanda.net
BED & BREAKFAST
Hill Side Blizzard Home
Amohoro Street,
Nyarutarama, Kigali. Mobile: +250 722 696669 /
+250 785 759055. Email: hillside@yahoo.com
GUEST HOUSES
Golf Hills Residence
Nyarutarama, Kigali.
Mobile: +250 782 265965 / +250 783 243051.
Email: info@golfhillsresidence.com
Website: www.golfhillsresidence.com
HOTELS
Aberdeen House
Mobile: +250 788 307779.
Email: info@arberdeenhouse-rw.com
Website: www.aberdeenhouse.com
GARR Hotel,
Nyarutarama Road, Nyarutarama, Kigali. Mobile: +250 788 3831292 /
+250 788 305165. Email: reservations@garrhotel.com
Website: www.garrhotel.com
Golf Hills Residence,
Tel: +250 788 307556 /
+250 788 674379. Email: golfh@yahoo.com
Lemigo Hotel
Tel: +250 280 300003/5.
Park View Courts
Nyarutarama,
Kigali. Tel: +250 252 585474. Mobile: +250 788301244 / +250 782 022072.
Email: relax@parkviewcourtsrwanda.com
Website: www.parkviewcourtsrwanda.net
Scenario Grand Hotel
Nyarutarama, Kigali.
Mobile: +250 783 115554 / +250 725 159800.
Email: scenario.grand@yahoo.com
The Country Inn,
Nyarutarama Road, Nyarutarama, Kigali. Tel: +250 280 301966.
Email: reservations@thecountryinn-rw.com
Website: www.thecountryinn-rw.com
The Manor,
Nyarutarama, Kigali. Tel: +250 727 690030. Email: ‘; document.write(‘<a ‘=”” +=”” path=”” ‘\”=”” prefix=”” ‘:’=”” addy52121=”” ‘\’=””>’); document.write(addy_text52121); document.write(‘<\/a>’); //–>\n .
<a ‘=”” +=”” path=”” ‘\”=”” prefix=”” ‘:’=”” addy52121=”” ‘\’=””>
<a ‘=”” +=”” path=”” ‘\”=”” prefix=”” ‘:’=”” addy52121=”” ‘\’=””> Website: www.themanorrwanda.com
MOTEL
Vacina Motel
, Kibagabaga, Tel: +250 55110673. Mobile: +250 788 586515.
Email: vacinamotel2006@yahoo.fr
NYAMIRAMBO
HOTELS
Grace Hotel, Avenue Paul VI,
Nyamirambo, Kigali. Mobile: +250 788501107.
Email: gracehotel@hotmail.com
Hotel Baobab, Nyamirambo, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 575633 / +250 252 516616.
Mobile: +250 788 622418.
Email: sibomana@hotmail.com.
Ibiscus Center, Nyamirambo, Kigali.
Tel: +250 252 5143743. Mobile: +250 788 420870. Sun City Hotel, Nyamirambo, Kigali.
Tel: + 250 252 788323 / + 250 252 503910. Mobile: +250 788 3000123.
Email: suncityhotel1@yahoo.fr.
Website: www.suncity.gf.com.
Sky Hotel, Nyamirambo, Kigali. Tel: +250 252 516693. Fax: +250 252 516690.
Mobile: +250 788 306030. Email: skyhotel1@yahoo.fr
Read More