Entrepreneur eyes opportunities in cultural and avian tourism

Christian Ishimwe, a 28-year-old born and bred in Burera decided to pursue his studies in ICT. Upon completing his Bachelor’s degree, he did not know that his future lay in a sector that he had never thought about in his entire life: tourism. “Computer sciences and related electronics were my only interests, I had never learnt that I might venture in the tourism business, but when I came back things changed”, Ishimwe told The New Times. The Youth Connekt Provincial winner said that after majoring in computer science at Periya University in India, he realized that in his district there were a lot of tourism opportunities like lakes, cultural sites and others, hence deciding to make a business out of them. “I and other friends who we shared interests then decided to come up with a business idea in September 2017. We came up with Burera Youth community, a team based on promoting cultural tourism and conserving the environment in Burera district. Our region had lakes, forest and other adventurous places that are not being exploited,” adds the brain behind the initiative. Ishimwe and his counterparts then presented the project to the district. The project was hailed and he was invited to present it to the Rwanda Development Board in Kigali. From here, he thought that funds are going to be available and will help him in his business. That was not, however, the case. This led them to seek ways to start with their little income with the hope that it would yield something better in the future. They selected historic sites whereby they tailor packages for local and international tourists. “The roots of Nyabingi heritage center is a historical site that acted as a home of the warrior Rukara rwa Bishingwe, and Itatiro region where we find the footstep of king Ruganzu Ndoli. Additionally, we allow them to travel through Rugezi swamp where there are plenty of types of birds. This is part of a pilgrimage tourism, where you are welcomed into a museum and a special tree of luck called “Igiti cy’ishaba”, that girls used to hug at midnight and get husbands in the next few days,” he said. Jobs created The initiative looks to have solved a problem of unemployment in the region, which is greatly rampant in the youth. “We help young people who provide freelance services. For instance, whenever a person brings a tourist, he gets the share on each activity paid for.”, Ishimwe comments. “After that we take tourists in a program of home stay, the citizens benefit from this because the tourists who have stayed in their homes leave them gifts which can even be in form of money.” Burera Youth Community has now employed twenty-five workers made up of eight girls and seventeen boys. These are permanent staff, however, the firm works with about 92 people on part time basis. From capital of only a personal laptop, the firm today earns a gross income $1000 per month depending on a season. What are the opportunities? According to RDB map, Rugezi forest (where Ishimwe invested) is an important bird map that will be Rwanda’s national bird park by 2024. There are still opportunities in avian tourism (tourism that focuses on and highlights local birding opportunities), according to the young entrepreneur. “We have a lot of adventurous places like the rock of Bigogwe, whereby if one pursues it and establishes a business with activities such as rock climbing, one would earn a lot,” he said. “Additionally, if we do pilgrimage tourism based on culture and history in Northern Province, it can be replicated in different parts of the country because all those regions have different historical contents,” he added. The goal Burera Youth Community’s future goal is to build the first African Heritage centre, and particularly to be certified by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The young entrepreneur also added that in the future, the roots of Nyabingi Heritage Centre can be visited for religious purposes the same way people visit Israel and Mecca. He narrated a story involving Rwandan female author, Scholastique Mukasonga who once traveled to Jamaica. While there, she was often asked if as a Rwandan, she knew Nyabingi (King Ndahiro Cyamatare’s sister). Nyabingi is perceived by some Caribbean natives as a mediator to God. “So, as Rwandans, I want us to promote her and make people from that part of the world to come visit because of her,” Ishimwe told The New Times. Tourism is one of the sectors, where the government is putting a lot of effort, leading a section of the emerging entrepreneurs to seek involvement in it.

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Entrepreneur eyes opportunities in cultural and avian tourism