Serving Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship

After two days of Gorilla trekking, I was fortunate enough to interview one of the local conservationists and community activists who works to preserve the forest and animals of Volcanoes National Park. His name is Frances and he is aware of his namesake, St. Frances of Assisi ( a large part of Rwanda is Roman Catholic).

He described, with great detail and pride, the numerous innovations of the Rwanda Development Board for which he works. The basic conflict that he and others were charged with resolving was the tension between the local village farmers and the wild buffalo and gorillas that would come down the mountains and destroy crops--man vs nature. What struck me was both the creative and experimental approaches used to great effect. Ideas are welcomed from bottom up, including the villagers, to insure ownership and enduring viability of results. He even asked for ideas that I might have (for responsible tourism) and took notes when I offered some. As I have heard so many times before, leaders who serve listen first while refraining from premature judgement, act constructively to address the needs they have come to understand, and are always, always willing to learn. No room for infatuation with their own rightness.

And just for fun, I'm including a few pictures of the village children because they are just so darn beautiful!