KANEMBWE VILLAGE

Kanembwe is a village found in Rubavu District. Up to 2009, Kanembwe was a forest that belonged to the Government of Rwanda. Today Kanembwe is a home to more than 1200 families. The first inhabitants of Kanembwe, 300 families who arrived August-September 2009, were re-located by the government to Kanembwe from Nyakiriba and Kanzenze sectors of Rubavu district.

In Nyakiriba and Kanzenze, inhabitants were staying in the outskirts of Gishwati natural forest and earned their livelihoods through agricultural activities or hunting inside the forest. These activities resulted in the deforestation of the forest, which led to floods and landslides. The Government then decided to re-locate people from this area in an effort to protect their lives and as well protect Gishwati natural forest, which was ravaged by these activities.

Inyamanza Travels is a proud partner of CODUCYA, a tourism activity cooperative in Kanembwe. Together we organize traditional tours in the village, which are made up of welcoming traditional dance and house visits. In partnership with Palmer & Associates and Playground ideas we have completed the soccer playground for the village and are going to build a playground for young children. Also through Inyamanza Travels, the University of Central Arkansas study abroad department taught food canning and constructed rocket stoves for the people of Kanembwe.  In return, the UCA students learned pottery from residents under the UCA study abroad program called GUSANGIRA.