Wilderness Bisate Newsletter – August 2024

As we are about to open the doors of Wilderness Bisate Reserve, our second property here, we look back with intense affection at the amazing offering we have created with Wilderness Bisate. It has been a great success, not only because of our tireless staff, who turn our beautiful property into a home away from home, but also because our guests have approached Rwanda in a manner befitting this extraordinary country. It is raw, untamed, and an incredibly huge adventure. We encourage all who come to visit our Bisate Concession to continue to approach us with that same mentality. Even though we provide you with plush interiors, intuitive service and the best food and beverage offering that we can muster, we want you to remember where you are and why you are coming to this country. Most of the time, that answer is to experience one thing… true, unadulterated nature. If you come to us with that in mind, I promise you that not only will you have the best holiday of your lives, but you might just leave with you having had a life-altering personal growth journey. We can’t wait to welcome you to our entire Bisate experience! 

In preparation of the opening of Bisate Reserve, we have had some very exciting individuals join our staff in various roles, and our team has now swelled from around 60 to now over 100! With a concession that only accepts 20 guests at full capacity, our staff-to-guest ratio is a marvel! We would like to highlight a few of these individuals, and have included a small write-up on them below. They form our new management team; some are new hires and some are familiar faces who now find themselves in exciting and challenging now roles. So now I present to you, our leaders of the Bisate Concession…

Becoming the Executive Chef at Bisate was a dream come true for Angelus, who always remained hopeful and driven to improve his life circumstances, despite a very tough start. He was born in 1991 but does not have many memories of his early childhood, as he grew up in an orphanage run by nuns, after losing all his family members in the 1994 genocide. “Life in the orphanage was hard and I needed to keep hope for the future. I always told myself that it does not matter if life is hard today, as tomorrow it will be better”, says Angelus. 

Angelus completed his secondary schooling in 2013, and thereafter graduated as a primary school teacher. After completing this degree, he approached an organisation called Global Foundation, which sponsored students for short courses, as he wanted to take lessons at a driving school, thinking it would be cool to be able to drive a car. At that time however, the driving school was full, and the study leaders advised him to do a cooking course at a hospitality school instead. Angelus did not think that was a good idea at first, as surely a culinary course was something more suitable for ladies... little did he know how much he would love it, and that he would discover his passion for cooking.

“My love for preparing meals grew during my internship in a hotel restaurant in Kigali. The executive chef there taught me many things, especially to work hard and to be humble. I am still appreciating his life lessons, especially now that my dreams are coming true as the Executive Chef for Wilderness Bisate, Kwanda and Bisate Reserve”. 

Angelus lives in Musanze, the closest town to Bisate. His friends and work colleagues are like his brothers and sisters, and he has a loving and supportive girlfriend. Angelus has also adopted and financially supports two children so that they can go to school. “I like to take this responsibility so that I can give back to the community, and give children a chance in the same way that I got that chance. When I am at home, I like to watch movies, to be creative with crafts, and listen to traditional and reggae music”.

The Bisate menu comprises seasonal ingredients for freshness, the majority of which are picked straight from the garden, or supplied by nearby communities. Angelus especially enjoys preparing Bisate’s popular Chicken, Lime & Avocado Consommé, the Bisate Butter Chicken with Tree Tomato Salsa, Nasturtium Raita & Labneh, and the Beetroot Tagliatelle with Pistachio Pesto.

Patrick was born and raised in Kinigi. His love for hospitality started after his studies, knowing that it was the only career that would allow him to create joy in the lives of others, whether guests or workmates.

He started his journey working at Wilderness Sabyinyo, just a stone’s throw from Bisate. Here, Patrick grew into a respected leader amongst his colleagues, and was promoted to Assistant Lodge Manager. 

In 2024, Patrick moved across to Wilderness Bisate, and brought with him an amazing approach to the guest experience. Patrick has a true love of nature and embodies this each and every day. 

His favorite thing about Rwandan culture is Igitaramo, because he learns the importance of celebrating every big or small win that he achieved during the day. 

What he loves the most about working for Wilderness is being part of the family. Patrick says, “Not every company will treat you as a part of the family. Wilderness would love to see you growing and being the best, you can be like your family would. My role model is H.E. Paul Kagame, mainly because of how he restored the country after the tragic history of 1994, and I aspire to keep growing in my career and become a GM in the future”.

We are pleased to announce Patrick’s appointment to Lodge Manager on the Bisate Concession and we wish him well as he continues to build on his amazing career.  

Benjamin started his career as a young man in Kigali. He spent many years working in various departments where he received the best training to start his long career in hospitality. From working as a waiter, to being a chef in the kitchen and then onto F&B Manager, Ben has seen it all. 

He was present from the very first day that Bisate opened in 2017, and has been a pillar of strength within the Bisate family ever since. 

Affectionately known amongst our team as “the Silverback” due to his fatherly presence among the younger generation and his leadership abilities, Ben embodies what Wilderness stands for in every way. 

He has an unwavering passion and love for the hospitality world, that he carries within himself in everything he does. He also has a delightful sense of humor and a flair for French that would have you believe he grew up on the streets of Paris. Don’t let this fool you though – he is also our resident Igisoro champion and proudly Rwandan! 

We are thrilled to have Benjamin continue, not only his journey as the F&B Manager for the Bisate Concession, but even more pleased to announce him as our Trainer. We wish him many more happy years at Bisate. 

JP’s Wilderness journey began in 2017 when he was offered a security position at Wilderness Bisate. This is where he says he fell in love with the hospitality industry, and proceeded to accept all training opportunities that came his way. Eager to learn, he was promoted to the Housekeeping Department in 2018. With his local village knowledge, and under the guidance of Aline Umutoni, Wilderness Rwanda CITW and Community Co-ordinator, JP was given the opportunity to guide guests on the Bisate village community walk. As a result of this, he was promoted to Bisate Nature Trail and Village Guide in 2019, affording him the opportunity to work alongside the lodge managers and build his confidence in guest relations. “This position is a highlight in my Wilderness career, as I was able to improve my English interacting with guests from around the world”, noted JP.

Through hard work and dedication, JP became the Bisate Trainee Manager in 2021, and shortly after, he was promoted to Bisate Assistant Manager in 2023. We are pleased to announce JP’s appointment as a Lodge Manager at Bisate. 

JP is focused on growing with the company and honing his managerial skills. He dreams of becoming General Manager one day. Reflecting on his career path so far, JP emphasises, "Wilderness is a great company that has changed my life. I have enjoyed every single day since I started at Bisate. The managers are great at motivating the team, making sure we communicate effectively, and ensuring all staff members are happy and empowered. I appreciate the financial stability my family and I have thanks to this amazing job at Wilderness”.

Elie was born in southern Rwanda and has travelled the country far and wide. 

He started his hospitality journey as a Housekeeper at Bisate in 2018 and has worked very hard to get to where he is now. Elie has grown immensely over the years and has become an integral part of the family.

Elie spent five years working at Wilderness Magashi in Akagera National Park, right from the camp’s opening. Here, he put his unique stamp on the Front of House team, ensuring that each and every guest felt at home. Whether it was out in the bush setting up a magical sundowner, or back in camp around the fire regaling guests with stories, Elie created many magical memories for our Wilderness guests. 

While working at Wilderness, one of Elie’s biggest achievements has been completing his studies and obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, becoming the first person in his family to obtain a formal qualification. 

In 2024, Elie rejoined the Bisate family in the role of Assistant Manager. We are extremely pleased to announce his promotion to Lodge Manager. In this role Elie will assist to oversee the management of the Bisate Concession, keeping a watchful eye over both Wilderness Bisate and Wilderness Bisate Reserve. 

Anivia started her career as a trainee waitress in a small restaurant in Kigali and later began working as a waitress at a hotel. After six months of hard work, she was promoted to cashier and hostess, and even had the honour of serving His Excellency Paul Kagame and his family, a highlight of her career. 

Anivia joined the Wilderness Bisate family in 2018 as a member of our service team. She was then promoted to Head of Service and led the Front of House team to new levels. With an astute knowledge of F&B and an even keener palate for wine, Anivia has always ensured that each guest who passes through our doors has a unique and memorable experience. 

In 2024, Anivia was promoted to a Trainee Manager at Bisate and quickly rose up to a Junior Manager role. 

Cool and calm, Anivia adds a sense of grace and elegance to the team and everywhere she goes. When she isn’t hard at work at Bisate, Anivia loves to travel and visit new places in Rwanda and around the world. 

We are pleased to announce her appointment as an Assistant Manager for the Bisate Concession, and we can’t wait to see how she brings her personality and professionalism to the role. 

After completing his studies, Fulgence started his career as a waiter in hotel located very close to Volcanoes National Park. He was then promoted to Barista and kept climbing the ranks until he was made Food & Beverage Manager, where he was tasked with overseeing the Front of House team. 

Fulgence joined the Wilderness Bisate family in 2024 as a Trainee Manager and brings with him a vital guest-centric approach to hospitality. Having grown up locally and worked in the region for many years, Fulgence possesses a wonderful knowledge about our beautiful landscapes and wildlife. Fulgence is approachable and focuses a lot of his energy on ensuring that the rest of the team all grow in their roles. 

We are very excited to see what the future holds for Fulgence, and we know that he will create exceptional memories for all of our guests. 

Francine started her career in hospitality in 2013 as a waitress in a local hotel. After gaining some experience she was promoted to Restaurant Supervisor. Francine then made the move over to a local luxury hotel in the Housekeeping Department. In 2021, she made the brave decision to move to Dubai where she worked at the Atlantis Palm Resort as a Guest Laundry Co-ordinator.

After spending three years abroad gaining a new perspective on the hospitality world as a whole, Francine answered the call to come home and returned to Rwanda.  In 2024, she joined the Wilderness Bisate family as a Trainee Manager. 

Francine brings a true love of hospitality to her role and she tackles each new challenge with a calm mind and a graceful approach. We look forward to seeing her grow within her role. 

She has the ability to converse with guests from all walks of life and has a natural repertoire with her colleagues alike. Addy has grown into a respected leader amongst her colleagues and has proven her ability to problem solve as well as create lasting memories for all of our guests. 

In 2024, Addy was promoted to Trainee Manager for the Wilderness Bisate Concession. We look forward to seeing Addy put her unique stamp on the role and to see her blossom further. 

Eighty children from eight primary schools in Rwanda’s Kinigi and Nyange sectors attended two four-day Conservation Camps in August 2024, organised by Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Rwanda in partnership with several conservation organisations. The camps focused on teaching the children, all members of their school Environmental Clubs, about gorilla behaviour, ecology, Rwanda’s national parks, threats to biodiversity, and the importance of conservation.

Workshops and activities took place at the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, with sessions run by the RDB Community Conservation Wardens and Gorilla Doctors. The children also visited Wilderness Bisate, learning about reforestation, biodiversity, and tree care, and each child received a sapling to plant at home.

The camps culminated in a conservation parade and a closing ceremony attended by local leaders, RDB representatives, and media. Children pledged to continue conservation efforts, with sector leaders noting the positive impact of such camps in preserving Volcanoes National Park. The initiative, which started in 2019, has hosted 280 students over seven camps, inspiring young conservation leaders.

The students expressed how the camp broadened their understanding of biodiversity and its link to Rwanda’s economy through wildlife tourism. CITW Rwanda, along with its partners, looks forward to next year’s camps, aiming to further increase their impact.