80 Children Complete Camp to Strengthen Environmental Conservation Efforts

On August 15, 2024, 80 children from various sectors in Musanze District completed a two-week camp focused on deepening their understanding of environmental conservation and its importance to Rwanda, particularly through tourism.

During this camp, held at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Conservation Center, the children learned about the intricate web of life, where every element in the ecosystem depends on another for survival. They explored how humans benefit from the environment and the critical role they play in preserving it.

In an interview with Teradignews.rw, the children expressed that the experience left a lasting impact on them, and they are eager to bring positive change to the communities living near Volcanoes National Park.

Elisa Rukundo shared her insights, saying, “One of the key lessons I learned here is that we should never harm an animal just because we think it’s dangerous or because we dislike it. Every creature, big or small, plays a vital role in our ecosystem—whether it’s a herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, or even insects that decompose organic matter. The knowledge we’ve gained here is vast; from how agriculture thrives to the air we breathe, it all exists because of this interconnected chain.”

“For instance,” she continued, “plants not only provide us with food and oxygen but also require the carbon dioxide we exhale. They sustain herbivores, which, in turn, sustain carnivores. When these carnivores die, they nourish insects that play a crucial role in soil fertility, helping our crops grow and ensuring our survival.”

Pascaline Uwitonze highlighted another aspect of the camp, noting how many animals contribute to Rwanda’s economy through tourism, benefiting local communities near the park, who receive 10% of the generated revenue.

“Wildlife is incredibly valuable, not only for our ecosystem but also for our economy,” she said. “Many tourists come to Rwanda to see gorillas, and this brings significant income to our country. Beyond gorillas, we have many other species that we must protect, as they contribute to a better life for all of us.”

Joyeuse Niyigena echoed her peers’ sentiments, emphasizing that they wouldn’t keep this knowledge to themselves but would share it with their friends and families back home.

“What we’ve learned here is incredibly important,” she said. “Some of our friends used to fetch water from Volcanoes National Park, but now we can educate them about why that’s harmful. This experience isn’t something to keep to ourselves; it’s the beginning of a broader effort to educate others who didn’t have the opportunity to attend.”

Elias Nizeyimana, who oversees activities at the conservation camp, explained the primary purpose of the camp.

“Our goal is to prepare the youth to become future stewards of the environment and leaders in conservation. Based on the evaluations we’ve conducted, it’s clear that they are absorbing the lessons well, which shows that this initiative is yielding the desired results,” he said.

Prosper Uwingeri, the Director of Volcanoes National Park, added that camps like this have a significant positive impact on the park’s preservation by reducing activities that could harm it.

“The great thing about this camp is that the children gain a deeper understanding of biodiversity and the importance of forests, and they set personal goals to protect these resources. We’d like to see this initiative expanded and offered more frequently because when young people grow up with these values, it reduces threats to our park. They help prevent poachers and others who encroach on the park and harm animals like gorillas,” Uwingeri explained.

This conservation camp was organized in collaboration with four local NGOs: Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Muhisimbi Voice of Youth Conservation, Children in the Wilderness, and Conservation Heritage-Turambe.

Over the past four years, 280 children from the sectors of Shingiro, Nyange, and Kinigi have participated in this program. Each year, 80 children from eight schools near Volcanoes National Park are selected for the training based on their membership in conservation clubs and strong academic performance.