Responsible Tourism Rwanda

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is a world-class lodge that was conceived, built and operated by Governors Camp. In partnership with the African Wildlife Foundation (“AWF”) and its partner in Rwanda, the International Gorilla Conservation Program (“IGCP”), it was decided that ownership of the lodge would rest with a Community Trust to be set up specifically to receive rental and other income from the lodge, and to use that income to drive socio-economic development and conservation initiatives in the Kinigi area, which is adjacent to the Parc National des Volcans in North Western Rwanda. A Community Trust, SACOLA, was established, business plans prepared, construction funds sourced and detailed architectural plans drawn up. In May 2006 all legal agreements were signed between Governors Camp’s Rwandese subsidiary, Governors Camp Rwanda Ltd, and SACOLA, and these agreements were indorsed by AWF / IGCP and the Organisation Rwandaise du Tourism et des Parcs Nationaux (“ORTPN”), the Rwandese Tourism and National Parks Authority. In June 2006 construction began, and the first clients were accommodated in mid-August 2007. SACOLA began its socio-economic development programs and conservation initiatives in Kinigi, the area adjacent to the Parc National des Volcans, home of the Mountain Gorilla, in September 2007. It is believed that SACOLA’s programs will both improve the livelihoods of residents in the Kinigi area and contribute in a meaningful way to conservation and preservation of the Mountain Gorilla and its fragile habitat. SACOLA’s programs will also complement the excellent conservation work being done in the region by AWF (www.awf.org) and its local partner, IGCP (www.igcp.org). To date Governors’ Camp Collection has paid over US$500,000 to the SACOLA Community Trust to fund their projects which have included:

• The creation of vegetable gardens for a community farming project
• The reconstruction of a local primary school for 1600 pupils including construction of 10 classrooms.
• A contribution to a rural electrification project
• The construction and maintenance of local roads
• The building of homes for refugees from the genocide
• The rehabilitation of the road leading to the Community Cultural Centre
• The protection of water dispersal systems and erosion control
• The setting up of a tourist “Community Walk” enhancing local crafts and businesses
• The construction of a Community Cultural Centre
• The construction of a small amphitheatre
• The construction of water tanks and water collection points for the community
• The construction / repairs of the buffalo wall along the park’s edge to protect farmers crops from marauding buffaloes
• Initiating a one family one cow program which provides cows to poor people in the local community.
• The construction of two villages which house 126 formerly destitute farmers on the fringes of Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda”. The village provides houses, water tanks and plots of land to people living close to the edge of the national park who are being resettled within the framework of the park extension project.
• The creation of carpentry and other micro- enterprise workshops for the community.

In addition to the aforementioned SACOLA activities, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is also contributing to wildlife conservation project in Gishwati Forest, a patch of natural forest situated at about 50 km from Volcanoes National Park.  We provide technical advice to the Gishwati Forest Conservation Project in the development of eco tourism activities in the forest. We have helped with the creation of two hiking trails through the forest and we have contributed to the promotion of Gishwati Forest as an eco tourism destination. We have also just provided one year of salaries and field costs for one the tracking teams supporting the habituation and field research of a group of Chimpanzees in the forest. Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge has also provided field cameras to monitor the wildlife in Buhanga Forest (a small protected natural forest situated in Musanze area) this has confirmed the presence of Serval Cat in the forest. We are also contributing to the promotion of the forest as an eco tourism destination. Special thanks must go to Gaylord and Kathy Layton of Tayside Associates LLC and the Rwanda Development Board who were also instrumental in getting this landmark project off the ground.