Rwanda Development Board’s tourism and conservation department has reiterated its commitment to helping transform livelihoods in communities neighbouring the Volcanoes National Park through annual tourism revenue sharing.

RDB’s head of Tourism and Conservation Amb. Yamina Karitanyi said this yesterday while launching the 10th gorilla naming activities (Kwita Izina) in Kabatwa Sector, Nyabihu District in the Western Province.

At the launch, a new six-classroom block at Basumba Primary School with capacity to accommodate about 400 students was inaugurated.

Karitanyi said supporting communities around tourist sites is a continuous process, adding that development of tourism would go hand-in-hand with local residents’ development.

Karitanyi commended locals for the park protection, saying it was not possible for the government alone to protect and conserve tourist attractions.

"We cannot have great tourism without the involvement of communities. It is actually  communities that own the habitat,” Karitanyi said, shortly after commissioning the school.

"Conservation is not just about maintaining the parks, natural features and wildlife, it is also about empowering communities. Through this school, we hope to transform the lives of children in the area,” he added.

Basumba Primary School is one of the schools funded through a 5 per cent annual tourism revenue sharing scheme.

A total of Rwf1.962bn has been distributed among the communities going to a total of 360 initiatives funded by the scheme country-wide, including business centres, water facilities, health centres, and cooperatives among others.

Each initiative has helped improve the livelihoods of the communities around the park.  Some residents who were once a threat to conservation are now advocating for conservation in their communities.

The launch of Basumba Primary School marks the beginning of activities leading up to this year’s Kwita Izina, Rwanda’s annual gorilla naming ceremony, due on July 1 at the foot of the Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi, Musanze District.

Rwanda’s community-led conservation efforts have resulted into a 26.3 per cent growth in the population of gorillas since 2003.

Kwita Izina is inspired by the ancient Rwandan tradition of naming babies soon after they are born. In the nine years since the event was established, 161 gorillas have been named, and 18 babies will be named this time round.