Musanze District, nestled at the base of the Virunga Massif, has undergone a significant transformation over the past two decades–from a quiet agricultural region into a leading center of conservation-driven development.
Since the inaugural Kwita Izina ceremony in 2005, nearly 400 baby mountain gorillas have been named, reflecting Rwanda’s strong commitment to protecting this endangered species. Thanks to robust, community-empowered conservation strategies, the mountain gorilla population in the region has increased from 880 in 2012 to more than 1,063 today.
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On a recent work tour, I witnessed firsthand the transformative impact that gorilla naming, conservation, and the district’s rich natural resources have had on local livelihoods and the communities around them.
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Musanze town buzzes with life, while impressive infrastructure stretches into the outskirts, signalling rapid and purposeful progress. Gorilla tourism, anchored by permit fees that can reach up to $1,500 per trek, now contributes a major share of national tourism revenue and fuels far-reaching development initiatives.
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Through a national revenue-sharing scheme, 10 per cent of park’s revenue supports in the construction of schools, health centres, clean water projects, and roads. Musanze, now home to over 230,000 people, has grown into a modern urban centre with new high-rise buildings, expanded green spaces, and a €91 million hospital upgrade is underway.
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The Volcanoes Community Resilience Project (2023-2028) aims to expand the national park by 23 per cent, boost gorilla populations by up to 20 per cent, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and create an estimated 17,000 jobs, further cementing Musanze’s role as a model for conservation-led development in Africa.
But beyond statistics and projects, the story of Musanze is a story of people–of communities whose lives were reshaped by conservation, tourism, and opportunity.
Empowering communities through cooperatives
In the heart of Musanze, cooperatives have become engines of economic empowerment.
Emmanuel Ndayambaje, 36, leads one such centre that hosts 13 groups producing crafts and tourist items, from walking sticks to intricately carved art pieces.
“Our work has a major impact,” he said.
“Tourists visiting the area, especially those coming to see the gorillas, buy our products. And this helps us meet our basic needs, including school fees for children and other necessities.”
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The cooperative has not only improved household incomes but also elevated professional skills. “Previously, we did not work in such a skilled manner,” Emmanuel explained.
“Now we create professional-level art. Life has improved significantly, compared to the situation before we joined this cooperative.”
About 75 people have benefited, many of them women who previously struggled to market their creations. The income earned from selling these items–sometimes fetching as much as Rwf150,000 per piece–has allowed families to pay school fees, secure better nutrition, and improve their homes.
Nadine Nyiraneza, 30, has been part of the cooperative for seven years. She echoed Ndayambaje’s sentiment, highlighting how tourism directly impacts daily life. “For me, and my family, the cooperative enabled us to pay school fees, continue education, and meet basic daily needs like food and clothing. Life is, clearly, better than it was before joining.”
Members retain 80 per cent of sales, while 20 per cent goes into their cooperative’s administration, ensuring sustainability. Over time, the demand for their traditional clothing and crafts has grown, attracting both Rwandan and international visitors. “As Kwita Izina grows, expectations increase,” Nadine added.
“We are prepared and excited for more visitors, many experiencing the event for the first time.”
Similarly, Claudine Mukeshimana has witnessed tangible change ever since she joined her cooperative five years ago.
“My children are now in good schools, and our household is thriving,” she said.
“I have been able to save, run a small business, and support my family. The cooperative empowered me and other women in the community.” Tourists provide a steady income stream, and the cooperative guides members in managing sales effectively, creating an ecosystem of skill, knowledge, and opportunity.
Jacques Nsamaza, another cooperative leader who assists tourists at Volcanoes National Park, highlighted how infrastructure improvements complement these gains.
“In the past, there were no proper roads from Musanze to Kinigi and surrounding areas. Now, however, the roads are well-built. Health centres and schools were established, vehicles are available, and basic infrastructure is improved–all thanks to the park.”
Cooperatives also engage in projects registered with local government authorities, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently. Storage facilities such as a potato warehouse capable of holding up to 100 tons, illustrate how tourism and agriculture intersect to create tangible community benefits.
Hospitality: A tourism-driven economic engine
The vibrancy of Musanze during Kwita Izina is felt keenly in the hospitality sector. Abubakar Sadique Uwiduhaye, a team leader at Migano Hotel, emphasized how the baby gorilla naming ceremony boosts hotels, restaurants, and employees. “Kwita Izina is a major event, especially in hospitality, as it draws visitors from Europe, Asia, and America,” he said. “It creates a vibrant atmosphere in the city that is very different from other days.”
The event also exposes hotel staff to international best practices. “I have learned a lot about how the government and hotels prepare for such events,” Uwiduhaye added.
“The knowledge gained helps us manage expectations and operations during Kwita Izina.”
While tourist flows are seasonal, lowering from February to May, then increasing steadily, Kwita Izina represents a peak period where hotels operate at full capacity, creating significant, albeit temporary, economic gains.
Fabrice Kwizera, a manager at Best View Hotel, underscored the scale of the impact.
“When guests arrive, rooms are fully booked, and restaurants and bars operate at full capacity. It’s comparable to hosting a major international event–people come from across the country and the world.”
However, he noted that the one-day nature of the ceremony concentrates economic benefits into a short window. Expanding the celebration and investing in infrastructure could extend visitor stays and deepen economic gains, allowing more hotels and service providers to benefit.
Logistical challenges, such as sourcing supplies for VIP guests, are also hurdles that could be overcome through local sourcing and better coordination.
Cultural conservation and the Gorilla Guardian Village
Beyond commerce, Kwita Izina fosters conservation awareness and cultural education.
John Mukiza who manages Gorilla Gardens Village, a cultural site founded by former poachers under the leadership of Edwin Sabuhoro, an accomplished academic and conservationist. The village, non-profit and community-focused, aims to lessen poaching by connecting people to nature and promoting conservation.
“Visitors can experience local culture through dancing, planning, and interacting with traditional ceremonies,” he explained. “Revenue from visitors goes directly to community members.”
Since its inception in 2006, the village has contributed to a measurable decline in poaching while providing educational programmes, clean water, and insurance for conservation efforts.
Foreign tourists pay $35 while locals pay $10, ensuring that even modest fees translate into tangible benefits for the community.
Guiding development through revenue sharing
The economic and social impact of Kwita Izina is magnified through structured revenue-sharing mechanisms. Maurice Mugabowagahunde, the Governor of Northern Province, emphasized the scope of this contribution.
“Last year, more than 35,000 people attended the ceremony, and this year about 10,000 are expected. Visitors need accommodation, food, water, and other services, which boosts local businesses and creates employment. Preparing the site for the event also provides temporary jobs for many people.”
Revenue from tourism is reinvested in community development. Ten per cent of entry fees are distributed to local communities. The National Park has received $18 million ever since the programme began, while local administrative entities such as sectors and districts have received hundreds of millions of Rwandan francs to fund education, healthcare, electricity, and agriculture projects.
Conservation also drives employment–tourism requires guides, transportation, construction, and park maintenance, creating both direct and indirect jobs. The presence of rangers and local community vigilance groups further safeguards wildlife while reinforcing the economic value of conservation.
Mugabowagahunde stressed that Kwita Izina is more than a celebration–it is a platform for education.
Experts from across the globe provide talks and demonstrations, emphasizing the importance of biodiversity protection. Visitors learn why conserving wildlife, especially mountain gorillas, is critical, and locals understand the value of living harmoniously with protected areas.
For over 20 years, these combined efforts have produced tangible results: the gorilla population has steadily grown, over 400 infants have been named, and Musanze has emerged as a vibrant hub for responsible tourism.
Transforming infrastructure and public services
Tourism revenue, cooperative income, and government investment converge to improve infrastructure across Musanze District. During our tour, we saw a spectrum of newly developed projects: Groupe Scolaire Kampanga and the Early Childhood and Family Centre (ECFC), both designed to support local education; an upgraded Kinigi Health Centre offering modern healthcare; and a new housing estate built for families displaced by natural disasters.
Roads connecting Musanze to Kinigi and surrounding areas are better maintained, facilitating smoother transport for residents and tourists alike.
The Gorilla Guardian Village exemplifies the intersection of conservation, culture, and community services. Beyond cultural experiences, it provides access to clean water, health education, and insurance programmes, demonstrating that conservation initiatives can yield multidimensional benefits for local populations. Musanze’s €91 million hospital upgrade, expanded green spaces, and new housing projects all underscore the district’s rapid progress and commitment to providing residents with improved living conditions.
Challenges and future opportunities
Despite these successes, challenges remain. Roads used by tourists still require maintenance, while behavioural issues such as poaching and illegal tree cutting persist in some areas. Seasonal fluctuations in visitor numbers create periods of high economic activity followed by quieter months, making long-term planning a necessity for hotels, cooperatives, and service providers.
The event’s one-day format concentrates benefits, and expanding the celebration could allow for longer stays, more local engagement, and enhanced revenue distribution. Supply chain challenges, particularly in sourcing food and provisions for VIP guests, also require strategic planning to ensure that economic benefits are more widely shared across Musanze’s hospitality sector.
However, the outlook is promising. The Volcanoes Community Resilience Project (2023-2028) aims to further expand the park, increase gorilla populations, mitigate human-wildlife conflict, and generate an estimated 17,000 jobs. Combined with ongoing investments in education, health, and infrastructure, these initiatives position Musanze as a model for sustainable, conservation-driven development in Africa.
A catalyst for transformation
Kwita Izina has evolved from a conservation-focused ceremony into a fulcrum for economic, social, and cultural transformation. It has empowered artisans, supported women in business, expanded hospitality and service industries, strengthened local infrastructure, and provided essential public services. Importantly, it has reshaped perceptions of wildlife–from threat to opportunity–while fostering pride, education, and participation in conservation efforts.
Tourists, local communities, government actors, and cultural leaders converge annually in Musanze. As more visitors participate and communities continue to enjoy the benefits of revenue-sharing programmes, the gains are likely to grow in scale and scope.
For the people of Musanze, Kwita Izina is not just a celebration of gorillas–it is a celebration of opportunity, resilience, and the tangible rewards of protecting what is most precious.
A transformed district
Musanze today tells a story of transformation driven by vision, conservation, and community engagement. Its roads, schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions, reflect decades of strategic investment fuelled by tourism and international attention.
The number of gorillas has grown, and with them, the opportunities for local people to thrive economically and socially have expanded.
The residents we talked to paint a vivid picture of a district where conservation, culture, and development intersect. Artisans sell their crafts, women gain financial independence, hotels and lodges welcome visitors from across the globe, and former poachers now teach the next generation about the value of wildlife.
Kwita Izina, now in its 20th edition, has become more than a gorilla naming ceremony. It is a symbol of Rwanda’s commitment to conservation, community development, and the sustainable co-existence of people and nature.
As Musanze continues to evolve, the lessons learned here provide a blueprint for other regions in Africa and beyond. Protecting wildlife and empowering communities are not competing goals; they are complementary paths to a more prosperous, equitable future.
