Social Enterprises are gaining attention as a sustainable way to support local communities in developing financial opportunities but also preserving culture and heritage in a way that builds on the strengths of a community. For tourists, Social Enterprises are one of the best way to both experience and give back to the community you are visiting for a variety of reasons. Firstly- you know where your money is going, and it’s going directly to the people for causes they care about. Secondly- in engaging with a social enterprise during your trip your being open-minded towards how local people experience and view their country and are collaborating in preservation of that. My definition of social enterprise is any business with a social goal as it’s main purpose, specifically meeting one of three criteria- providing employment opportunities for a community experiencing disadvantage, raising funds in support of a local causes or charity, or providing a product or service in response to a community need.

Although many organizations have elements of a social enterprise, or could be classified as one based on your own definitions, not all social enterprises have elements that are directly accessible for tourists to be involved in. But tourism can be altering for a country’s development- for better or for worse, therefore it’s behoove of an organization to utilize the benefits of tourism in a systematic way. While visiting Rwanda, I visited 5 Social Enterprises that were not only accessible for tourists, but are partnering with tourists systematically to have mutual benefits for both locals and travelers. These Social Enterprises focused on the following Sustainable Development Goals- Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Question Coffee: Best for Coffee & Cafe Experience

Question Coffee began as an investment in supporting local woman farmers in 2013 through innovative training and now has grown to a physical Cafe and Roastery that tourists can stop and get a quality cup of coffee. With each purchase, tourists are supports initiatives which creates economic independence for women farmers and their families. Other experiences tourists can book include a Speciality Coffee Master-class and Women Led Farm Trek. Question Coffee has two locations, which makes it easy to access for any tourist visiting to Kigali.

Inema Arts Gallery: Best for Education on Local Projects and Support through Art

Inema Arts Gallery’s moto is “fueling creative expression and contemporary art in Rwanda.” This gallery showcasing artwork from resident Artists is a great place for you to visit to not only experience local work, but also support work as a business endeavor. Inema Arts Gallery is a home to many several projects that support the sustainability of art and creative expression especially among youth in Rwanda. Art with a Mission (AWAM) works with orphans to give them an opportunity to express themselves and learn art and organizational skills and there is a showroom on-site where visitors can purchase their work and support the program. Additionally the Gallery offers a variety of experiences such as dance classes to preserve the history and culture of Rwanda and other experiences such as social nights, yoga classes, and cafe.

Nyamirambo Women’s Center: Best for Diversity of Community-Tourism Experiences

Nyamirambo Woman’s Center’s main objective is to address the concerns of gender-based violence and inequality. They do this through training and employing woman from local communities to improve their livelihood and offering community- based tourism experiences for visitors to explore the township in a way which preserves and promotes the heritage of the community. To maximize the benefits of this mission, the Women’s center offers a variety of experiences that will cater to different interests of travelers. Options include a Walking Tour of the Neighborhood, a Cooking Class featuring local cuisine- Chapti and Sambusa, a handcraft Basket Weaving Workshop or Sewing Workshop and finally a local hike to visit Mount Kigali. On top of this, the center has a gift shop that sells a variety of handcrafts that can be purchases for fair-trade prices to support the local crafters.

KU Social LTD: Best for Hotel Integration to Purchase Souvenirs

We came across KU Social LTD selling a variety of clothing and locally made handcrafts in the hotel lobby of The Hut Hotel. The business has a mission of fighting women and girls violence and does this through offering trainings to teen mothers and helping local expats and tourists learn about culture in Rwanda. Social Enterprises setting up a shop to sell in main-stream hotels such as this one is a partnership that can have real positive impact. This is because tourists are not coming to the business, the business is going to the tourists. Therefore, likely the business will encounter and promote to a different audience than they normally would get having a separate center or shop.

Urugo Woman’s Opportunity Center: Best for Eco-Lodge & Restaurant and Sustainable Communities

Unlike the previously mentioned Social Enterprises which are all located in the country’s capital city Kigali, Urugo Woman’s Opportunity Center is located on the side of the road in the city of Kayonza, conveniently situated just outside the main roadway to Akagera National Park. Walking onto the center grounds, one is met with a sense of calm, as well-organized buildings form a tranquil environment for craft, farming, and art. Tourists can walk around the premises enjoying the gorgeous view and marveling in the layout of the land. We stopped here twice, both on our way into the park for a last big-meal and on our way out of the park for brunch and were pleasantly surprised both times by the quality and value of the food being serviced. We did not stay at the Eco-lodge but reviews suggest this is also a highlight with eco-toilets and solar-heated water in the shower. There are also a variety of other experiences tourists can participate in during their stay such as basket weaving, painting, coffee plantation visit and purchasing handcrafts from their roadside souvenir shop.