1. The Umurage Lodges (or Ikirunga Cabins V6 and V7)
This is the first project we will undertake in order to generate funds for the subsequent phases.
We have raised guaranteed funding from several individuals for the construction cost of the first four Umurage Lodges in Musanze and the site acquisition. We are now urgently looking for funding for two more cabins, the staff accommodation, kitchen and possible restaurant in the future; any donations would be very welcome indeed.
The proposal is to build a series of these lodges across Rwanda for rental to tourists and Rwandans, in due course. All profits from the first phase will go to Shyira mountain village in North-West Rwanda and other worthwhile local causes, via a new Rwandan Charitable Company which we are investigating at present. We will be donating our fees to the project to cover our architectural work, design and administration, have made a significant donation of capital to kick start the project, and we will not be charging any fees for administration, or our time. Expenses may need to be charged in the future. Umurage Lodges will also be built in other parts of Rwanda to generate funds for local villages and projects.
The Umurage Lodges will offer an excellent standard of accommodation including delicious food served individually to each lodge and pitched towards mid-range hospitality which, at present, is lacking in Rwanda.
We have designed a number of variations (V6, V7, V8) but the key aim is to produce an iconic, memorable design which people will immediately recognise either on the web or in articles. This approach has been proved with the ‘AirShip 002’ and ‘Captain’s Cabin’ from Out of the Blue Ltd. (www.outoftheblue.uk.com). Sustainability and use of local materials will be paramount and some of the lodges may well need to be off-grid.
Umurage Lodges provide either an elliptical plan with single-storey accommodation for 2 people in double or twin beds with en-suite shower, bath, wc and living space, (OR two-storey accommodation for four people in two bedrooms). The living room/galley on the ground floor has a dramatic, tall, distinctive, copper, aluminium, or tiled passive cooling-cone roof topped by a glass skylight and louvres. This will draw in cool air from floor level in the veranda and exhaust the warmed air high up through convection thus providing natural air conditioning. The area of the accommodation is around 45m2 with a balcony and veranda to the perimeter.
The bedroom core of the lodge will be built of volcanic rock from the local area. The living area will be part volcanic rock and part glazed. We will use local materials in each different region.
The interior will be furnished with comfortable African furniture and beautiful basket-ware woven by widows of the genocide from across Rwanda. The walls will be simply painted and the interior finish of the Volcano cooling cone will be woven palm or basket-ware.
2. An apprentice building training programme will be set up to build the cabins.
We have bought a wonderful site overlooking five volcanos in the Musanze area to build the first four Umurage Lodges and kitchen and workshop. The site will also provide simple staff accommodation for a housekeepers and cook who will maintain and supply food for the lodges.
Please contact us if you would like to be a part of building the Umurage Lodges; your support would be invaluable.
ONCE THE FIRST TWO STAGES ARE COMPLETE WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PROJECTS AS SHOWN BELOW:
3. A village store
At present villagers have to walk 7km or more for basic supplies. This can change.
4. Cultural Centre
This hub will become the focus and sales point for handmade raffia and basketware by the women and menfolk of Shyira and beyond. A business plan has been prepared to raise the considerable funds needed for the equipment to make this a reality.
The over-riding aim is to attract visitors to Shyira Village and to encourage them to take part in the range of activities being offered
5. Small new businesses.
After discussion with the residents of Shyira and in the Musanze area there will be a number of businesses that can be encouraged to start or be restarted with a small injection of capital and mentoring. The intention is to provide Trade not Aid and to enable them to become self-sufficient and in turn generate funds for other projects.
These might include renovating the existing coffee plantation and building a simple interpretation centre telling the coffee story.
Market gardening and horticulture for the community? Activities for visitors? Demonstrations?
Establishing a visitor center and circuit in Shyira.
Growing Pyrethrum? Cocoa?
There is also the possibility of making cruelty-free ‘leather’ from banana plant waste. Over 4 tons of waste is produced for every ton of fruit making this a potentially valuable resource. We are contacting the founders and patent holders in India for this venture.
We are also contacting a start-up company called Texfad in Uganda who convert banana fibre waste into rugs, mats and household furnishings to explore a partnership. They can also provide training.
A very important activity will be the support of several start-up initiatives in Musanze which are creating opportunities for street kids which is a significant problem in Rwanda.
6. The Museum.
We will assemble, in association with the Pastor, residents and people who have lived there in the past, the photographs, books, oral history and artefacts for a small museum telling the story of Shyira with particular focus on the building of the hospital, the church and school.
We have photographs from 1938 of the King of Rwanda, Mutara 111 Rudahigwa (1931-1959), opening the hospital and many other photographs from the period 1934-1939. More history and photographs will be unearthed from as far back as we can and up to the present day.
7. This section will amplify the scope of demonstrations, range of activities:
Tours of brickmaking, basket-weaving, woodcarving and courses.
Mountain biking and bicycle repair workshop, Guided hiking, Bird safaris, The story of coffee plantations…….
There are many ideas for new activities which we will be carefully evaluating.
