1. Ikirunga Cabin V7 (Volcano Cabin)
The proposal is to build a series of these cabins across Rwanda for rental to tourists. All profits will go to Shyira mountain village in North-West Rwanda. We will not be charging any fees for our work.
They will offer an excellent standard of accommodation pitched towards the mid-range of 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. We have proved this works with our ‘AirShip 002’ and ‘Captain’s Cabin’ from Out of the Blue Ltd. (www.outoftheblue.uk.com) .
Ikirunga Cabins will provide an elliptical plan two-storey accommodation for 4 people in two double or twin bedrooms with ensuite shower and wc. There is a living room/galley on the ground floor with a dramatic, tall, memorable, copper or aluminium ‘volcano 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 natural convection. The area of the accommodation is in the order of 60m2 with a balcony and veranda to the perimeter.
The bedroom core of the cabin will be built of volcanic rock from the local area, to both floors. The living area will be part volcanic rock and part glazed.
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 plastered and the interior finish of the Volcano Cone will be woven reed or basket-ware.
We are now actively searching for an outstanding site in the Musanze area to build the first three Ikirunga Cabins. Please contact us if you can help.
2. Village Store
To be amplified in due course
3. 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.
4. Small new businesses.
After discussion with the residents of Shyira there will be a number of businesses that can be encouraged to start or be restarted with a small injection of capital. Staff wages will be paid from the Shyira Foundation. The intention is to provide Trade not Aid.
These will include renovating the existing coffee plantation and building a simple interpretation centre telling the coffee story.
Market gardening and horticulture for the community?
Cocoa?
Growing Pyrethrum?
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 actively following this up with the founders and patent holders in India.
To be amplified further in due course
5. Building team and apprentice programme.
The building team will be formed with instruction from an experienced manager and will get to work renovating and repairing the buildings throughout Shyira, including the school building, vacant houses and ultimately the Ikirunga Cabins in Musanze and Shyira. Capital for materials and labour will come from the Shyira Foundation once the Ikirunga Cabins project gets under way.
Additionally a carpentry workshop will be created to train young carpenters and provide furniture and structural elements.
To be amplified in due course
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
Hiking,
Bird safaris
To be amplified in due course
8. Other ideas………
Will be added as time goes on