What we are actually doing here! :)

Many people were asking us these last days what we are actually doing in Rwanda. Some even think that we're on holidays. Now we think, it's finally time to explain you a little more in detail, what our tasks and challenges are here in the middle of Africa.

We're both working for a travel agency called "New Dawn Associates" (=NDA) which specialised on sustainable and educational tourism and thereby wants to contribute to Rwandas efforts of poverty reduction. NDA is not an NGO but a profit-seeking company, but its members rather see themselves as social enterprise. In the following I'm quoting some of NDA's statements that are to be found on their webpage www.newdawnassociates.com: "NDA's tourism activities are life-enriching for the participating visitors as well as their Rwandan hosts. We create culturally engaging, intellectually challenging and very intimate high-value experiences that offer unique insights, educate and provoke. We also provide numerous opportunities for meaningful empowerment, sustainable economic development, poverty reduction, reconciliation and enhanced cultural pride. Our vision is to make a meaningful difference that ensures that the new dawn is followed by a bright day."

Some of you might wonder how we got to know about NDA, while some might already now. It's as easy as NDA's director general, a German called Michael, had been giving lectures about tourism and poverty reduction at our university in 2006. As a very open-minded and creative person, Michael offered us to visit him in Rwanda and work for his company. This summer we finally found the time to go there and that's where we are now!

We can warmly recommend you to surf the webside of NDA!

Yours Ricarda and Tanja!