What Is In Place
Elephants, People, Impact
The project directly involves communities living around Akagera National Park, particularly local community guides and families whose daily lives are closely connected to the park. One of our core objectives is to develop and strengthen local knowledge about Akagera's elephants, ensuring that this knowledge remains within the community and is passed on to future generations. By equipping local community guides with accurate information, traditional stories, and field-based understanding of elephant behaviour, the program enables them to offer richer, more meaningful experiences to visitors.
THE STORY IN NUMBERS
Communities In Action
From 2018 to 2023, the Akagera Elephants Memories program welcomed five different groups of tourists who participated specifically in elephant-focused experiences linked to the project. During this period, these visitors spent more than USD 26,500 on community-based cultural activities. These activities included local banana beer making, guided community walks, handicraft experiences, blacksmith demonstrations, and other everyday cultural practices. The income generated from these experiences went directly to local community members, supporting households with daily needs and strengthening community livelihoods.
COVID-19 Solidarity Story
In 2020, when the world came to a standstill due to COVID-19, tourism activities stopped completely. Visitors who had previously participated in the Akagera Elephants Memories program chose to stand with us, even though they were no longer travelling. Their support continued throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period and made it possible to provide food supplies to over 600 families who were in critical need. The total value of this support exceeded USD 20,000.
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Help elephants be seen and protected
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
Community members and fellow guides from the Akagera Community Freelance Guides Cooperative have expressed deep gratitude for the project. Many have said that without the Akagera Elephants Memories program, they would have suffered greatly during the COVID-19 period in 2019–2020. The support received during that difficult time remains a memorable and deeply touching experience.
Community Members
Akagera Community Guides
Participants often describe feeling deeply moved and personally connected. Visitors say the experience stays with them long after they leave Akagera, not only because of seeing elephants, but because of understanding their stories, behaviours, and relationship with the surrounding communities. Many feel a sense of responsibility and pride in being part of something meaningful.
Program Participants
Visitors & Community Members
Join the Herd
Be Their Voice
Akagera Elephant Memory welcomes volunteers and partners in many practical and meaningful ways. Opportunities include supporting elephant research tours, contributing to documentation and storytelling, assisting with guide training programs, and participating in community-based conservation activities around the park. Whether short-term or long-term, all partnerships are built around shared values of conservation, respect, and community empowerment.