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Art of Conservation: Rwanda
Art of Conservation: Conservation Education
Through Learning and the Arts
Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national parl is known as a haven for the endangered mountain gorilla as well as the lesser known endangered golden monkey.
The Houston Zoo, Art of Conservation and Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project are currently partnering on both the development and facilitation of a number of initiatives in the region including the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Projects Employee One Health Program (EHP) and local conservation education initiatives aimed at rural primary school 5th grade classrooms based on supplementary education whose focus is community health and natural history education.
The Art of Conservation (AoC) was initiated in 2006 by artist Julie Ghrist. The AoC team includes Rwandan staff members Valerie Akuredusenge, Executive Assistant to the Director, Translator and Teacher; Eric Mutabazi, Lead Art Instructor; Innocent Uwizeye, Translator and Teacher; and Project Staff Manager and Teacher Olivier Habimana. All Rwandan staff and AoC Director Julie Ghrist are based out of Musanze, Rwanda.
The Art of Conservation project became established in 2007 and works in poor rural communities bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, teaching schoolchildren about the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for both people and animals and instilling in them an understanding and respect for themselves, their peers, and the natural world. The project's main objective is to teach Rwandans good health and conservation habits that will benefit both people and animals--especially the 300 or so endangered mountain gorillas living in the national park.
Teaching children to appreciate wild animal species for their beauty, remarkable behavior, and rareness is also a key to the programs success. English lessons are incorporated into each of the lesson plans as well and classes are taught in both English and Kinyarwandan. AoC exists to address the health conflicts that arise as a result of human and mountain gorilla populations living side by side around Volcanoes National Park. AoC recognizes the interconnectedness and necessity of good health in both populations, and in educating the local people.
Art of Conservation Core Objectives
- To educate young people living around the park about good health and conservation in order to achieve healthier human and wildlife populations
- To create a personal, interactive, and safe learning environment.
- To encourage students to use the AoC Code of Conduct in everyday life: create, discover, learn, observe, respect, and celebrate.
- Help students gain self-respect and respect for other people and the natural world.
- To instill students with an understanding and appreciation of nature, animals, and the interconnectedness of life.
- To teach students healthy living habits.
- To introduce students to different forms of artistic expression such as drawing, painting, singing, dancing, and acting, and encourage creative expression and thinking both in and out of the classroom.
- To give students positive examples to follow, with the instructor, translator, director, visiting artists, and guest speakers serving as adult role models.
- To help improve the health of the students through special projects such as the construction of water tanks and hand washing stations.
- To work with other organizations, local leaders and educators, and the Rwandan government to find solutions to shared challenges.
