Staff Interview with Musanase Winnie

What inspired you to work for Red Rocks Eco-Tours?

I am passionate about tourism, but what really inspires me the most at my work is the sense of responsibility and compassion for our projects, driven by the fact that I am directly involved in them from their starting to final stage. Seeing the big smiles that our organization brings to the communities that we work with is very inspirational. 

Other reasons include a healthy work environment and hearty colleagues that I enjoy working with on a daily basis. This gives me enough motivation to love my work. I'm also getting to learn many things here as well.

Describe a typical day at work.

On a typical day, I reach the office at 8:00 a.m. I start by checking out the emails of the previous day and prioritizing their replies. I meet the rest of the team to discuss planning. I fulfill further financial tasks and ensure that all urgent requisitions made by the other departments are approved. There is a short tea/lunch break in between.

I also attend scheduled meetings that require my input. I am tasked in ensuring financial efficiency in all aspects of day-to-day operations, advising my supervisor of any problems or weaknesses in financial controls and procedures, and any ways in which costs could be spent more efficiently.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Knowing that the organization appreciates the effort I put into conquering our target goals is my favorite part of my job. Also, working alongside this incredible team is another reason. Everyone in the team appreciates my input. The working environment is friendly and supportive, thus creating a sense of belonging.

What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?

I would say number one is time management. As an Administrative & Finance Manager, I have to keep an overview of the staff in my department, and sometimes this leaves me with little time to do my own tasks. Sometimes I get to the office before opening hours and also leave late in the evening after everyone has left just to ensure that all the tasks are done on time. Another challenge is delayed payments from clients, so we have a strong payment policy.

What makes Red Rocks Eco-Tours special?

We are a responsible tourism and eco-tour company that is all about the community, wildlife tourism, and travel, thus promoting sustainable tourism through community and conservation programs. Our pioneering cultural tourism scheme involves developing our community and promoting nature preservation through tourism.

We bring underserved communities into the tourism supply chain and support community development projects that help people help themselves. We have launched many projects that are helping the local community get access to education, health care, and sustainable income, while honoring their traditional ways of life. 

Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?

We make the difference. Over the years, we have established ourselves as leaders in eco-tourism and community-based tourism in Rwanda. Our tailor-made tours are designed to provide clients with as much interaction with locals and like-minded visitors as possible, while also enabling clients to enjoy nature at its finest. 

We cooperate with an extensive network of community organizations, international NGOs, and volunteers from the four corners of the world. We aspire to leave a positive footprint on the environment. Lastly, we offer the best value in the market thus our clients can always be assured to get the best and competitive prices.

What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?

Our goal is to ensure the sustainable social and economic development of communities by supporting locally-led environmental conservation and sustainable tourism initiatives. With competition for land and natural resources between people and wildlife, we find it more imperative than ever before that to strive to protect and conserve the Virunga massif, which is now thriving thanks to increased conservation efforts. We aspire to create a win-win situation for both clients and the local community so that each party is happy.

What do you hope participants take away from your programs?

• Sense of fulfillment. We hope that participants feel like part of a team and that our organization offers them a chance to explore and pursue opportunities that give them a sense of achievement.
• Cultural Diversity. We hope that participants learn how to coexist with people of different backgrounds. This helps them develop the ability to solve problems that may arise with diverse situations.
• Experience. Our training targets helping participants gain more practical experience in the field.
• Good Time Management. We hope that by the time the participants finish their volunteering, they will have learned how to organize their time.
• Traits of becoming a good environmental ambassador and nature conservationist.

How do you help support participants?

We provide accommodation, transportation, and any assistance that might be needed. We also offer a supervisor who is the point of contact for anything that a participant may require.

We hold regular meetings with our participants to review their progress and offer any help they need. In a nutshell, we make sure that they feel like part of the team. 

If you could participate on one of Red Rocks Eco-Tours' programs, where would you go and what would you do?

If I were to participate in one of the programs at Redrocks, I would rather go for a skills-development program. In these programs we empower communities to increase the skills that help their ways of living, hopes for the future, and healthy lives.

Why do you think learning a new language is important?

I believe that learning a new language helps you step out of your comfort and face the world with renewed optimism.

 It is a way of improving your listening and memory skills. It is easier to interact with people of that language and you make new friends quite fast.  

What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?

1) Be open-minded - Expect anything. With this type of mindset, you will have an incredible experience and you won't realize how time goes by fast.

2)Try doing some research of the country - It comes in handy on your first few days in a new place. 

3) Learn the history of the country and also share your background story. It forms meaningful friendships and grows your knowledge.

4) Try and learn a few of the common phrases of the local language. The local people will love you even more for that little effort.

5)  Be ready to adjust to a new lifestyle and you will have no problems. Being flexible is an added advantage when it comes to volunteering. Things such as food, accommodation, cultural practices are different from your normal lifestyle back at home, and at first might be a nightmare. But don’t worry, after getting used to it, you will enjoy it.

6) I would recommend carrying a nice camera to help capture your moments while over here. Rwanda has wonderful attractions and on some of your off-days you may opt to tour the country to learn. What better way to capture your experience and share it with your family? As much as it is a productive learning experience, it is also an adventure.

7) Finally, give yourself time to adjust to this new environment.  

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

My understanding of this is "travel" that impacts your life in a positive way. Meaningful travel is being able to leave a positive mark in the location and people of that region.