This past March, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Rwanda on a donor trip to visit our conservation partners and witness the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s investment in global conservation firsthand. Our small group embarked on a ten-day journey through a country that is continually evolving.
Growing up in the 1990s, Rwanda was synonymous with its darkest moments. It was difficult not to associate the country with the genocide that introduced many of us to its name. But over 30 years later, I witnessed a country and a people determined to move forward—while still honoring and recognizing their past. From my first moments in Kigali, I was struck by how clean and lush the city was. Our driver proudly shared that Kigali was the cleanest and safest city in Africa, and I wouldn’t dare debate that claim.
Our first stop was Akagera National Park, a 433-square-mile park near the Tanzanian border. The park’s history is complex—once home to abundant biodiversity, it suffered severe losses due to poaching and post-genocide resettlement. But over the past 20 years, strong protections and strategic reintroductions have allowed wildlife to return and flourish. We were fortunate to see all of the "Big Five" in just two days—lions, leopards, an elephant, several rhinoceroses, and African buffalo—along with a genet, countless hippos, and my personal favorite: a black mamba (!!!!).
After Akagera, we returned to Kigali to visit the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, a beautiful oasis of nature in the heart of the city. A longtime partner of both the Columbus Zoo and Houston Zoo, their work is a testament to the lasting impact of dedicated individuals when backed by strong partnerships.
From there, we continued into the mountains to Musanze and Volcanoes National Park. Greeted by thick mist that occasionally parted to reveal the lush valley below, I was struck by how dramatically different this ecosystem was from where we had been just days before.
On our first day there, we visited the Ubumwe Community Center (UCC), which the Columbus Zoo has supported since its inception. UCC provides opportunities for individuals with developmental and physical disabilities to receive high-quality education alongside their typically developing peers. From preschoolers to adults, the students were warm, bright, and engaged. We were welcomed with songs, hugs, smiles, and a courtyard dance party. To say that UCC was moving would be an understatement—it’s impossible to witness the work being done there and not feel inspired to think about conservation in a broader, more inclusive way. What does it look like, for example, to truly care for the most vulnerable in a population—especially those living near some of the planet’s most precious natural resources?
With UCC in our minds, we traced the shores of Lake Kivu on our way back to Musanze. We carried that spirit of collaboration and resiliency into our meetings with Gorilla Doctors and Conservation Heritage - Turambe—two more projects with deep, meaningful relationships with our Zoo. I was thrilled to meet fellow members of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders community, a powerful reminder that the world of conservation is small, interconnected, and deeply collaborative. Sharing these partnerships with our donors was a powerful way to illustrate the impact of community-centered conservation.
We closed our trip with treks to see both gorillas and golden monkeys—an insightful experience that offered a glimpse into how tourists without a professional background in wildlife conservation engage with wild animals. Former poachers, now trained trackers, led us to gorilla families who graciously allowed us to observe an hour of their daily lives. The experience made me reflect deeply on how we view the wild, our place in it as respectful guests, and how we might recreate these empathy-building moments for those unable to witness them firsthand.
Each of these experiences could fill pages, but for now, suffice it to say that Rwanda offered insight into a new world of conservation partnerships and relationship-building. It also deepened my understanding of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s values and legacy. This was just the beginning, and I look forward to building on these relationships throughout my time at the Columbus Zoo.
Read Another Team Member's Story about Travels to Rwanda
