Travelers to Africa are encouraged to volunteer at local projects so that their visit can benefit the local communities as well. Visitors to Rwanda, an amazing country in Central Africa can engage in various projects that help in improving the standards of the local people.The essence of visiting these projects is to help raise awareness about their work and hence have ambassadors to talk about these projects abroad, to initiate and establish global partnership which can yield support and development but above to create and build understanding.
Here are some of the local projects that visitors can enjoy during a safari in Rwanda. You can engage in this project after your trip or before;
Visit some government civic education centers, Gacaca courts, TIG etc
Never again projects: This is a very good project in particular for the vliunteer groups who can spend at least five days engaged in activities linked to never again projects such as human rights advocacy and community development, human rights and empowerment debates, social development and other reconciling topics to create understanding for both the Rwandan youth and our partners, friends and visitors. Never again also teaches Rwandan youth between the age of 18 – 24 years lessons hinged on skills development such that they become self reliant. The skills provided include hotel and tourism management, Information Communication Technliogy (ICT), Modern farming (agriculture), Biogas production, Sewing and Tailoring. Many students will benefit from such training and hence acquire knowledge, skills and attitude to make them self-reliant in future.
Agaseke Project: Agaseke has been termed as the “peace basket” due to both the historical and commercial merits associated to it. When one gives you a peace basket in the Rwandan tradition, it’s a sign of love and strengthening your relationship whether as individuals or a family. Peace baskets are used to keep treasures like jewelry, food stuffs like grains and cereals etc. Girls normally take at least six peace baskets to the husbands home when they are married filled with treasures and food stuffs. The other significance of a peace basket is that, after genocide in Rwanda, majority of women who were not well educated didn’t find jobs nor have capital to start up their own business and hence depended largely on their husbands (Men) which fueled conflicts in their home until women started to make peace baskets which were sold through different associations and cooperatives, this made them earn a living plus contributing to the welfare of their homes and statistics indicated that, lots of men were at peace with their wives after they realized how much they were contributing to the family needs thus creating peace in homes and families.
One dollar campaign projects: The “One Dollar Campaign for Genocide Survivors” is a project developed by the Rwandan in the country and the Diaspora (community members living in all corners of the globe) and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (www.minaffet.gov.rw). Or (www.rdgn.org). Partners include the associations advocating for interests of vulnerable genocide survivors such as IBUKA, AVEGA, and AERG, in collaboration with the commission to fight against genocide (CNLG) etc; continuously and specifically advocating for good shelter of the genocide survivors. The tours are aimed at enhancing understanding on how people with self empowerment, commitment and good collaboration can achieve the unexpected. Project will help all genocide orphaned children to get accommodation or a place to call home after the 1994 Tutsi genocide in the country. Clients can voluntarily contribute to this cause after visiting the project.
The essence of visiting these projects is to help raise awareness about their work and hence have ambassadors to talk about these projects abroad, to initiate and establish global partnership which can yield support and development but above to create and build understanding.)
