At Site

Yesterday was my first day as a Peace Corps Volunteer working with the Access Project in the Northern Province. I’m placed at a small village about an hour away from the capital Kigali to the north with a population of about 19,000. The district here supports 2 district hospitals and 19 health centers, three of which I visited yesterday, as part of an audit round with the Mutuelle managers (Mutuelle, is the national health insurance provider in Rwanda).

The north is known for it’s high mountains and cold weather. In the background from my new house is Mount Kaboye (aver 8,000 ft high). My plan is to hike mount Kaboye’s peak which takes about 3 hours one way from the base.

Other attractions include the Gorilla National Part which is about 30 minutes away as well as the volcanoes (45 minutes away).

My village itself has little to offer other than the welcoming people and the beautiful nature. The market is open only 2 days a week and there’s only one decent restaurant on the main road, which turns into a truckers’ stop at night. There’re two or three other restaurants that I’m yet to visit.