Rwanda & EWB

In the first week of July, I headed down to Rwanda to work with Engineers Without Borders. I met with a young Rwanda, named Innocent, EWB was hoping to mold into their business manager for their pumice rocket stove project. Innocent and I worked on his business plan that helped focused his efforts for implementation. EWB would ultimately like to have the entire organization Rwandan run. The business idea, using highly insulating, locally harvested volcanic pumice to create very efficient cooking stoves, saves fuel and burns more cleanly.

This picture is of the capital, Kigali, taken from the Genocide Memorial.


After a taxi ride to Kibuye, and an hour ride on a motorcycle taxi through some of the most stunning country I've seen, I arrived at Mugonero, a small town on Lake Kivu.

EWB is working with a local organization to build an efficient and comfortable orphanage complete with filter and UV water purifier, solar electricity, and the aforementioned cook stoves. This picture was taken a short walk from the site.








After a few days (one of which I was doubled over with a bad bug), we hiked about hour down to town to go to the Wednesday market. The market was very busy, since most people from the rural districts walk to town to buy necessities.

You can the town in the distance.





























At the dock, boats were arriving from the Congo, just across the lake, bringing goods, including a lot of plantains, to sell and trade.







On the hike back up to the orphanage we stopped by our guide's home for a brief visit. Jacque also worked for the orphanage.





This picture is looking back down on Lake Kivu during the hike back up. Here you can see the terraced hills. Rwandans face a dearth of farming land because of the high population, so they plant wherever they can including unstable hillsides.