NYUNGWE- Seventeen trainees drawn from watershed management committees of the Burera, Gicumbi and Nyamasheke districts, on Wednesday, completed a month long training on the functions and values of wetlands for proper designing, planning and management of eco-tourism in their communities.

The training that was conducted at the Kitabi College of Conservation and Environmental Management (KCCEM), drew participants from the three districts, in which two important marshlands are found namely, Kamiranzovu in Nyamasheke district and Rugezi in Burera and Gicumbi.

The 17 are meant to train others in their respective communities.

At the graduation, the Director General of the Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA), Dr Rose Mukankomeje, called upon the trainees to put to good use the knowledge acquired from the training, when they in turn go out to train their counterparts in their communities.

Stressing the importance of the training, the REMA boss noted that conservation efforts have to be backed by knowledge of what is to be conserved.

The KCCEM acting principal, Richard Kagoboka, said the group received the basic skills which are needed to impact on the sustainable management of water sheds in their communities.

"Over the course of one month, participants received training in areas like ecotourism and management, wetland planning, leadership and management, and wetland and birding.

This has prepared them well to help their communities in conservation efforts while generating income from their conservation activities,” he said.

Fidele Ruzingandekwe, an official from the Rwanda Development Board’s Tourism and Conservation department, noted that tourism is one of the biggest foreign exchange earners in the country.

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