How Nyandungu is leading Rwanda’s long-term vision to use green spaces for health and well-being

Nestled between the busy roads of Kigali’s Remera and Ndera sectors, Nyandungu Ecopark feels like another world. The air is cleaner here, softer somehow. The city noise fades into the rustle of papyrus and the slow chirping of birds, and the only traffic comes from walkers and cyclists tracing the park’s winding trails. Yet this quiet stretch of restored wetland represents something far larger than a weekend escape. Nyandungu Ecopark is turning out to be the clearest expression of Rwanda’s vision to build cities that breathe, urban environments designed not just for movement and commerce but also for health, climate resilience, and human well-being. Under the Kigali City Master Plan and Vision 2050, Rwanda aims to dedicate at least 25 percent of Kigali’s surface area to green space, part of a broader national push to integrate ecological restoration and public health. Nyandungu, officially opened in 2022, is the first fully developed urban wetland ecopark in the country, a living demonstration of how environmental planning can directly support physical and mental health. Healing by design When you walk through Nyandungu, the first thing that stands out is how deliberately it has been designed to promote calm and movement in equal measure. ALSO READ: Nyandungu Eco-Park recorded over 76,000 visitors in 2024 There are ten kilometres of walking and cycling tracks, shaded benches tucked into quiet corners, birdwatching decks, and a medicinal garden featuring more than 70 indigenous plant species once used in traditional healing. “These are not random details,” said Ildephonse Kambogo, who oversees operations at the park. “A visit to Nyandungu is itself linked to mental and physical well-being. When people come here, they breathe clean air, they walk or run, they learn about biodiversity, and they find peace away from the city’s noise. It’s a healing place.” The park is a result of years of collaboration between the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), the Ministry of Environment, and partners including the Green Climate Fund and the European Union. What was once a degraded, flood-prone wetland choked by waste and informal farming has been transformed into a 121-hectare green sanctuary balancing conservation, recreation, and education. According to REMA, Nyandungu is part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to restore degraded wetlands across Kigali and to create ecoparks in all major districts as natural buffers against urban flooding, rising temperatures, and stress-related illnesses. But beyond its ecological purpose, the park’s managers and frequent visitors are increasingly recognizing its therapeutic value. Reviving indigenous plants Nyandungu Ecopark in Kigali hosts several indigenous medicinal trees that reflect Rwanda’s rich tradition of natural healing. Among them are Kigelia africana (Umuvungavungo), the sausage tree, whose fruits and bark are traditionally used to treat skin problems and wounds; Ficus ovata (Umurehe), a fig tree whose bark and roots serve in remedies for digestive and respiratory issues; and Markhamia lutea (Umusave), valued both for timber and for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. ALSO READ: Rwanda secures $15 million to rehabilitate 400 hectares of wetlands in Kigali These species are carefully arranged within the park’s medicinal garden, a space designed to preserve indigenous plant knowledge while offering visitors an opportunity to learn, engage, and reflect. By combining education, conservation, and wellness, the garden not only showcases Rwanda’s botanical heritage but also supports the broader goal of mental and physical well-being. A sanctuary for mental health “When you walk here, you don’t just see trees, you start listening to yourself,” Kambogo said. “We’ve seen visitors come just to find a private corner to sit and think. Some meditate for hours, and when they leave, they tell us, ‘I feel lighter, calmer, better.’” He recalls visitors who request more private sitting areas for meditation and reflection. The park has responded by training guides to help visitors understand the cultural and historical significance of different trees and plants, many of which carry symbolic meaning in Rwandan tradition. “Some of the trees here were used in ancient Rwanda to resolve community conflicts or to mark boundaries,” he explained. “When older visitors see them, they remember their childhood. It brings comfort and connection. That’s also healing.” The Medicinal Garden is a favourite spot for both locals and tourists. It showcases plants once used by traditional healers for ailments ranging from respiratory conditions to skin infections and anxiety. Signage in Kinyarwanda and English explains their uses, allowing visitors to learn while strolling through aromatic herbs and flowering shrubs. ALSO READ: Nyandungu Eco-Park to expand cycling trails “When people touch, observe, and smell these plants, they are not just learning, they are engaging in a sensory experience,” Kambogo said. “It’s a way of reconnecting with nature and with our own history.” Accessibility and inclusion Although Nyandungu’s terrain remains largely natural, the park's management has made significant efforts to improve accessibility. Several trails feature gentle slopes and smooth surfaces, making them suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. According to Kambogo, Nyandungu is currently setting up a first aid and wellness room to assist visitors who may experience fatigue, dizziness, or other minor health concerns during their visit. He also noted that two electric buggies have been procured and are expected to be operational by the end of the year. In addition, construction of a new visitor center is scheduled to begin soon. “We’re setting up a small medical space with basic equipment—first aid kits, a bed, a resting area,” he said. “If someone feels unwell, they can recover before heading home. It’s part of our plan to make Nyandungu a full wellness destination.” A larger Visitor Centre is also being built. The design includes a reception, educational space, mother’s room, and expanded first aid facilities. “The idea,” Kambogo explained, “is to combine conservation education with comfort and health safety.” Prescribing nature While urban green spaces have long been valued for recreation, doctors in Kigali are increasingly recognising them as legitimate tools for public health. According to Dr. Concorde Ishimwe, Chief Medical Officer at Muhima Hospital, activities like walking and cycling in green environments have measurable health benefits. ALSO READ: Nyandungu Eco-Park to be expanded by 43 hectares “For patients with chronic diseases—those who live with conditions like hypertension or diabetes—regular walking is essential,” he said. “But walking in nature adds something extra. It helps lower stress hormones, improves blood circulation, and strengthens the immune system.” He noted that many of his patients who live on lifelong medication develop depression or emotional fatigue over time. Nature-based physical activity offers a low-cost, sustainable complement to conventional care. “When you walk slowly through a place like Nyandungu, your breathing changes, your mind relaxes, and you feel more present,” he said. “It’s not just exercise, it’s therapy.” Dr. Ishimwe also called for stronger awareness campaigns to encourage more people to use parks as part of their health routines. “Many people don’t even know these spaces exist,” he said. “We need to educate the public that parks are not just for leisure, they’re preventive medicine. Hospitals, schools, and communities should all promote this.” The psychology of green space Psychotherapist Leocadia Kabibi Nkusi from the Never Again Rwanda Wellness Centre takes it a step further. For her, walking in nature is not just a healthy habit, it’s a form of therapy with deep psychological roots. “I often recommend nature walks to my clients,” she said. “It’s part of what we call mindful walking. You go into nature, slow down, and let your senses open. You feel the ground under your feet, the air on your skin, the sound of birds. It reconnects you to the present moment.” She explained that this kind of physical and sensory grounding helps regulate the nervous system, which is often overactivated by stress or trauma. ALSO READ: Walking 7,000 steps prevents heart diseases, cancer and diabetes, study finds “It has a calming, balancing effect,” she said. “Your heart rate slows, your thoughts settle, and your body releases tension. That’s emotional healing.” She described the practice of walking barefoot on grass or soil as a powerful form of grounding therapy, long used in trauma counselling and mindfulness practice. “It may sound simple, but when people touch the earth, they literally reconnect to their environment,” she said. “They feel supported and safe. That’s something no pill can replicate.” Nkusi believes that ecoparks like Nyandungu should be seen as public mental health infrastructure, as important to urban planning as clinics or schools. “In cities like Kigali, life moves fast. People are under pressure from work, traffic, noise,” she said. “We need more such spaces where people can decompress. Green areas are not a luxury; they’re a public health necessity.” A growing network of healing landscapes Nyandungu is not an isolated experiment. Rwanda’s environmental authorities are already planning similar ecoparks and wetland restorations in other districts, following the same philosophy: restore nature, restore health. According to the Ministry of Environment and the City of Kigali, ongoing plans include developing ecological parks in Gikondo, Kibumba, and Rwampara wetlands, turning them into community green zones that combine biodiversity protection with recreation and education. These projects also align with Rwanda’s National Environment and Climate Change Policy, which prioritizes urban green infrastructure as a tool for resilience, pollution control, and well-being. Nyandungu is described as a “model for eco-tourism and wellness investment,” a place where environmental restoration and human health goals meet. “Rwanda’s future cities will be designed around people, not cars,” said one City of Kigali planner during the park’s launch. “That means building spaces that keep people healthy—physically, mentally, and socially.” Stories from the trails For many visitors, Nyandungu has already become a personal refuge. Some come in groups to jog or cycle before work. Others, like older residents from nearby suburbs, prefer slow evening walks among reeds and water lilies. “I never used to have a quiet and environmentally safe place to walk but when Nyandungu came, I now have at least 3 times a week of visiting this place to walk, meditate and heal,” says Noel Mukiza, a 65-year-old retiree who has turned the ecopark into a personal space to recharge and stay strong. As Kambogo says, many are now beginning to discover the beauty of nature and what it has to offer. “We’ve had visitors who come here almost daily,” said Kambogo. “Some were told by friends, ‘If you feel stressed, go to Nyandungu.’ They come, walk for two hours, and go back home refreshed. It’s become word-of-mouth therapy.” ALSO READ: Regeneration of wetlands – it’s the spirit of Rwanda, isn’t it? One elderly man, he recalled, told park staff that he had started visiting after struggling with mild depression following retirement. “He said walking here every morning gave him a new rhythm to his day,” Kambogo said. “That’s exactly what this park is for.” As these stories multiply, Nyandungu’s identity is quietly shifting from a restored wetland to a kind of open-air wellness clinic. Nature as preventive medicine Globally, the idea of prescribing nature is gaining traction. In countries like Japan, the practice of Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing is used as an official public health intervention. Research shows that spending time in green environments lowers cortisol levels, reduces heart rate, and boosts mood-regulating neurotransmitters. In Rwanda, the cultural connection to land and nature runs deep. By restoring spaces like Nyandungu, the government is not only reviving ecosystems but also reawakening that connection in a modern urban context. Dr. Ishimwe believes this shift could redefine how communities approach wellness. “The more we make parks accessible, the less pressure there will be on hospitals for preventable stress-related conditions,” he said. “This is public health in its most natural form.” A green future ahead With construction of the new visitor centre underway and plans for expanded walking trails and medical support areas, Nyandungu is evolving from a conservation project into a prototype for urban wellness design. Rwanda’s commitment to developing a network of ecoparks across the country will not only enhance climate resilience but also provide safe, inclusive, and restorative spaces for its citizens. As Kambogo put it, “Nyandungu started as an environmental project, but it’s becoming a healing destination. When people come here, they find peace, they breathe differently, they leave lighter. That’s how we know it’s working.” At a time when modern life demands more speed, more screens, and more concrete, Rwanda’s green vision offers something rare: space to slow down, walk, and heal. And in the heart of Kigali, Nyandungu Ecopark stands quietly as proof that sometimes, the best medicine is simply nature itself.

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How Nyandungu is leading Rwanda’s long-term vision to use green spaces for health and well-being