Rwanda

Wilderness Magashi newsletter – October 2024

Camp news

Selma Benyameni

11/20/2024

Rwanda’s Akagera National Park

While October was a bit quieter compared to previous months, Wilderness Magashi was still filled with excitement and memorable moments. From incredible wildlife sightings and valuable staff training to welcoming new team members, October was full of highlights that made it another special month here in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park.

Wildlife on the Magashi Peninsula

October’s game drives offered unforgettable experiences, showing just how magical Magashi can be. One early morning, two guests and our guide, Venuste, saw a rare and thrilling sight: four young cubs from the Amahoro Pride playfully hunting near the lake. To everyone’s surprise, one of the female cubs managed to catch an African darter! Her three brothers eagerly ran after her, hoping for a bite of the prize, but the small catch was hardly enough to share. The young lioness proudly showed off her catch to her mother, Amahoro, who, appearing rather unimpressed, allowed her cub to enjoy the meal solo. Watching the cub pluck feathers with precision and savour her first “hunt” was a truly special sight, and it marked a first-time experience for Venuste in his 10 years of guiding in Akagera National Park.

 

The spectacles of October continued, with a rare sighting of a spotted-necked otter by guide Alphonse and his guests. Otters are seldom seen in Akagera, so this encounter was particularly exciting for both the guests and our team. 

 

Adding to the thrill, a large herd of elephants remained on the Magashi Concession, and were seen enjoying refreshing swims in the lake and playful mud baths, giving guests plenty of opportunities for fantastic and remarkable moments.

 

Finally, a group of six white rhinos was spotted close to the camp’s rooms, thrilling everyone at Magahshi and underscoring the rare beauty of our diverse wildlife.

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Training and growth were also highlights in October, as our team honed their skills in a Snake Handling Training session led by Hendrik and Astrid. This training helped our staff learn how to identify, handle, and safely respond to various snake encounters. Given our wild and natural surroundings, this training was invaluable, ensuring everyone feels safe and confident in handling these encounters should they arise.

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In addition, Aline Umutoni conducted a refresher training on our Children in the Wilderness (CITW) programme, which provides scholarships and support for local students. The session included a thoughtful discussion on the programme’s impact, answering questions on school fees and the broader community support offered by Wilderness. This was a meaningful experience for the team, helping each of us feel connected to the positive impact CITW has on the lives of children in our communities.

 

Magashi is delighted to announce Samuel Niyonshuti’s promotion to Head of Service! Since joining Magashi in 2022 as a bartender, Samuel’s passion, dedication, and enthusiasm have made a lasting impact on both Magashi team and guests. Congratulations Samuel!

Special bathroom for girls at Rwabiharamba Secondary School (CITW)

Rwabiharamba School is situated in Akayange Village just outside of Rwanda’s Akagera National Park, where Wilderness Magashi is located.


Wilderness Rwanda and Children in the Wilderness partnered with this school via the Magashi Community Committee in 2020, and every week the school facilitates the CITW Youth Environmental Stewardship (YES) Club for the students, of whom 35 are sponsored with a CITW Scholarship. 

 

At the school leaders’ and Magashi Community Committee’s request, we recently supported the school with the construction of a special separate bathroom for girls.

 

 

 

 

The idea to set up a Menstrual Health and Hygiene Room, known in Rwanda as Icyumba Cy’Umukobwa, to promote girls’ health and education, was brought to the attention of the Magashi Community Committee by Hilarie Niyigena, the school’s Headmistress. She mentioned that her female students face enormous challenges in education when they are menstruating, with a notably high rise in absenteeism observed. Before now, it was the norm for menstruating schoolgirls to skip school for seven days. This practice not only led to the high rates of absenteeism, but also had an impact on the girls’ overall performance and confidence levels. 

 

When girls are menstruating, they sometimes need a place to rest for a while. They also need adequate bathroom facilities, and are not comfortable using the big communal bathrooms that have insufficient hygiene provisions. The completion of this project means a lot to the school leaders and the female students, as it will provide the girls with safe place to rest and have proper hygiene facilities. The room contains a bathroom to freshen up, a room to have a rest, toilet facilities and storage for clean linen and other hygiene supplies.

 

Rwabiharamba School has a total of 1,348 students, with 200 girls in puberty. The construction of the Menstrual Health and Hygiene Room, completed this October, was made possible through a total of USD 4,500 in donations from our generous Wilderness guests.

 

 

 

 

“There are numerous girl students who previously could not access these facilities and ended up missing classes. Therefore, we wholeheartedly thank our partners’ determination to help us make this project a reality, and break the bias in girls ‘education. We believe that the completion of this facility will prevent school absenteeism among girls, and help them feel more comfortable at school when they are menstruating”, said Headmistress Hilarie in appreciation.

It was an extraordinary stay in every way – the staff, the local food, the experience – all exceeding expectations.

Judith & Justis

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