Page 7 - 2017 RWANDA

As usual, our suite was about as far from the common areas as possible,

but the long walks did us good.

Before reaching the lodge, we stopped at the Dian Fossey Foundation's

Karisoke Research Center to observe the continuing work being done in

her name and also to learn more about the gorillas we would be

visiting. It is not a sleek modern building, but a simple concrete

structure in the middle of a small town. This was reassuring actually
because it made us believe that contributions go to gorilla conservation

and research as she would have wanted and not to make some

beautiful building enshrining her name and legacy. But that legacy was

clear in the exhibits and the zeal of the people working and

volunteering there.

It was there that we discovered how the $750.00 per person per trek
fee is disbursed. All of it is directly or indirectly connected with

conservation of the gorillas. A percentage goes to the farmers whose

fields are often disturbed by the gorillas who leave the national park to

enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetables the farmers are cultivating. Any

farmer whose fields are disturbed by the animals is recompensed for
his loss to prevent "revenge" killings. A different percentage goes to the

surrounding villages for improvements for the people there: clinics,

schools, & other desirable public projects.

Some goes to pay the rangers and trackers who protect the gorillas

from poaching as well as guiding the tourists to the sightings. Other

monies pay for continuing research. And soon there will be more
money to fund these efforts. We learned that our costs were as stated

above and would be honored even though we purchased our "tickets"

several months ago. Since July of this year, the new costs is $1500 per