The best way to integrate into a new community is to volunteer your time. I have been spending one day per week volunteering at an organization called Conservation Heritage-Turambe (C.H.T.). C.H.T. runs an educational program that teaches the importance of healthy living and respecting wildlife. ‘Turambe’ translates to ‘let us be sustainable,’ and C.H.T. shares this message with local primary school students. Since the students are currently on vacation, my role so far has been to record feedback the kids have previously given, and to see how C.H.T. has impacted their lives. Despite living so close to park borders, many children do not have the opportunity to learn about their environment in the way tourists do, since they sometimes cannot afford park fees. I think C.H.T. is a great bridge between my conservation research and r community outreach and education. With the school year starting later in January, I am really looking forward to interacting more with the kids.
Rwanda has a tradition that is very special called umuganda, which is a monthly holiday dedicated to community service. On the last Saturday of every month, there are no cars in the road, and everybody looks for community work they can do, such as cleaning roads or building houses. On one umuganda, I have helped with cleaning work at a local school that is currently under construction.
