29 High school graduates supported by Children in the Wilderness commit to environmental action
Twenty-nine young students who graduated from high school after being supported by Wilderness guests since in 2018 through Children in the Wilderness and Wilderness Rwanda.
The students went on an educational tour to Gishwati-Mukura National Park and the hot springs in Rubavu District.
This trip took place on Monday, July 28, 2025,aimed to further expand their understanding of environmental conservation and to inspire their participation in restoring ecosystems degraded by human activity.
These youth,both girls and boys aged between 16-18, have been joined Children in the Wilderness ( CITW ) program in 2018 when they were at Bisate primary school which is located in Kinigi Sector , Musanze Distict in Northern Province of Rwanda.
Children in the Wilderness has been launched in Rwanda at Bisate primary school in 2018 and it does focus on environmental education and improve the knowledge for the children on afforestation, biodiversity protection, and waste management in general everything that is related to the protection and conservation of environment
These children are the first students who joined CITW scholarships program in 2019 where they started the first secondary school and they have been received everything that needed at school like the school fees, school uniforms , school feeding, school materials, paid the trip tour and the internship for 6 years.
To strengthen their environmental stewardship, Children in the Wilderness and Wilderness Rwanda are partnered with eight schools in Rwanda closest to the Wilderness camps like Wilderness Bisate , Sabyinyo ,Magashi and Bisate Reseve to focus on the environmental education through the environmental clubs called ECO CLUBS that have been settled for each school.
The 29 CITW first graduate students shared with Greenafrica.rw how this program transformed their lives and the commitments they have made moving forward.
Jeanette Muhawenimana shared:”Children in the Wilderness helped me tremendously and gave me a life-changing opportunity because I was able to attend school and graduate. Things I once viewed as distant dreams due to my family’s limited financial capacity became reality.
I received all the necessary school materials, which encouraged me and boosted my academic performance.”
She continued:”It was my first time visiting any national park. I witnessed the importance of conserving forests, learned about their history, and saw how they were restored after being damaged by agricultural activities.
That inspired me to become a peer educator in my community, especially for those who didn’t have the same opportunities I did.”
Gervais Niyonsenga said the knowledge he gained from Children in the Wilderness influenced his decision to pursue studies in forestry.
He said:”Being sponsored throughout my studies gave me peace of mind and stability. But the environmental education I received helped me decide to study Conservation of Forests, so I can go deeper and contribute to protecting the environment,especially indigenous trees like Umugeshi (Ertherna Absinica), Umukore,(Dombea Gotzen) and Umusebeya(Abzia Gomfella), which are at risk of extinction.”
Aline Umutoni CITW and Community Manager-Wilderness Rwanda, who oversees coordination between the organization and local communities especially who live around Wilderness camps, she emphasized that their core mission is to promote environmental protection, children’s well-being through education, to prepare them for a better future.
She explained:” Children in the Wilderness is a non-profit organization supported by ecotourism company Wilderness, which aims to facilitate sustainable conservation through leadership development and education of children in Africa.
We are so proud to say that among of 200 students who are getting the full scholarships since 2019 for 6 years in secondary school, 29 of them are graduated.
When a child learns something early in life, they grow up valuing it deeply,they love it and understand it that’s why we start working with children as early as the fourth year of primary school. We also provide the full scholarships when the students start the high school or secondary school for 6 years to ensure the quality education.”
“Today we’re thrilled to be accompanying these 29 students on a field trip to Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Rubavu’s hot springs. All of these students do live closest to Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Musanze District. This exposure helps them to realize that conservation and tourism opportunities exist across the country, which inspires them to actively engage in these efforts.”she added
Theobard Kayiranga , Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs in Musanze District, praised Children in the Wilderness for educating youth about environmental protection and promoting tourism.
“We sincerely thank them for their cooperation in mobilizing our people especially the youth to protect the environment and biodiversity. This is a strong foundation for the sustainable development of our tourism sector. We also appreciate the role of Bisate Lodge in this partnership, as it helps youth access employment and participate in forest and wildlife conservation, reducing illegal activities like poaching that occurred in the past.”
Thierry Aimable Inzirayineza, Coordinator at Forest of Hope and a park guide, noted that Children in the Wilderness plays a significant role in raising awareness about Gishwati-Mukura National Park, helping to reverse damage that had reduced the park’s forest cover from 28,000 hectares to only 2%. Thanks to conservation efforts, forest regeneration is now progressing steadily.
“Gishwati-Mukura National Park is Rwanda’s newest and fourth national park. Activities like these field visits promote awareness and understanding of the park, its wildlife such as monkeys, Chimpanze, KAZENEZA waterfall and various bird species and its diverse tree species.
When children experience this first-hand, conservation lessons become more impactful.”
Children in the Wilderness does work with 3 partners such as Conservation Heritage – Turambe, Muhisimbi Voice of Youth in Conservation, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund , the representatives from the 3 partners and the head teacher Dancille from Bisate primary school have joined the celebration and and also helped to host 29 CITW first graduated students who finished the secondary school after receiving the full scholarships for 6 years.
What you should know about Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Gishwati-Mukura National Park is located in the hills of Western Rwanda, between Rutsiro and Ngororero districts. Although it is smaller than other national parks in the country, it plays a vital role in biodiversity conservation.
It was officially established in 2015 after decades of deforestation due to land misuse, farming, and mineral extraction.
The park covers 3,558 hectares (35.58 km²) and was formed by merging two severely degraded forest reserves,Gishwati and Mukura through projects funded by international organizations such as the World Bank, UNESCO, and ARCOS Network.
Restoration efforts included indigenous tree planting, relocating forest dwellers, and creating development programs that align with conservation goals.
Gishwati-Mukura is home to over 60 native tree species, including Myrianthus holstii, Symphonia globulifera, and Ficus trees. It also shelters chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and more than 230 bird species, including rare ones like the Rwenzori Turaco and Red-throated Alethe.
Since 2020, the park has opened its doors to tourists offering:Forest walks (trail hikes),Bird and primate watching, Learning about chimpanzees and their history,Community engagement around the park.
All these activities are coordinated by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in partnership with Wilderness Rwanda and Forest of Hope Association together with the local communities.
