A Day in the Life of a Local Artisan
Overview
A unique opportunity to experience and gain insight into the life of rural Rwandans and their families. Spend a day on the farm and get the opportunity to learn weaving with the ladies. You get to not only see something of the beauty and rigor of everyday life, but to also experience it. A truly interactive way to learn about Rwandan Culture.
Inclusions
- Gratuities
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Local guide
- Tour host
- Return transport from Muhanga Town to Village
- Entry/Admission - Azizi Life Experiences
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Azizi Life Experiences, RN1, Muhanga, Muhanga Rwanda
The days starts with a briefing before driving the village where you will be welcome by the artisans and try your hand at some subsistence farming . Then you will join the locals to fetch water and have the opportunity to help with food preparation.
Lunch will be served and this will be local Rwandan food that the family would normally eat. The food will be cooked as vegetarian e.g. cassava and beans. This is a good time to ask your hosts about life in their community. They may have questions for you too about life in your home country.
After an hour at lunch there will be a two hour one-to-one instruction in weaving a simple item in sisal before departing the community. You will arrive back at the office where you will enjoy a cold drink and have a debrief about your experience before shopping for gifts and souvenirs in the life store, here you will find a wide range of high quality handicrafts for sale, including those made by the artisans you visited.
Duration: 8 hours
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Azizi Life Experiences, RN1, Muhanga, Muhanga Rwanda
The days starts with a briefing before driving the village where you will be welcome by the artisans and try your hand at some subsistence farming . Then you will join the locals to fetch water and have the opportunity to help with food preparation.
Lunch will be served and this will be local Rwandan food that the family would normally eat. The food will be cooked as vegetarian e.g. cassava and beans. This is a good time to ask your hosts about life in their community. They may have questions for you too about life in your home country.
After an hour at lunch there will be a two hour one-to-one instruction in weaving a simple item in sisal before departing the community. You will arrive back at the office where you will enjoy a cold drink and have a debrief about your experience before shopping for gifts and souvenirs in the life store, here you will find a wide range of high quality handicrafts for sale, including those made by the artisans you visited.
Duration: 8 hours
Additional information
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Uneven surfaces
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
WendyWardell
February 2023
I wasn't sure what to expect from this experience, but it was amazing and our hosts, Theogene and Rose could not have been more kind and welcoming. They patiently, and with good humor, walked us through all of the daily activites like cooking, hoeing, water gathering, feeding their animals and f...
I wasn't sure what to expect from this experience, but it was amazing and our hosts, Theogene and Rose could not have been more kind and welcoming. They patiently, and with good humor, walked us through all of the daily activites like cooking, hoeing, water gathering, feeding their animals and finally, learning the beautiful craft of sisal basket weaving. It was a day I will never forget and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn how the Azizi villagers actually live.LaraRay
September 2019
I spent the day with a women's cooperative group who make woven goods (baskets and jewelry) to sell. My excellent interpreter spent the day by my side, opening up a window into the daily lives of these great women. I helped with household chores like gardening, cooking and fetching water. Afte...
I spent the day with a women's cooperative group who make woven goods (baskets and jewelry) to sell. My excellent interpreter spent the day by my side, opening up a window into the daily lives of these great women. I helped with household chores like gardening, cooking and fetching water. After a local lunch we settled down to do some weaving. It was a humbling experience, as they are so quick and skillful! But they were patient and taught me and the afternoon was a big success!nickymsmart
July 2018
We thoroughly enjoyed our day. The activities were great fun and the ladies were so friendly and welcoming. It was a truly authentic experience!
We thoroughly enjoyed our day. The activities were great fun and the ladies were so friendly and welcoming. It was a truly authentic experience!daschwa
July 2023
We spent a night and a day in the village. What an experience! The visit in the village gives an insight to the rural daily life in Rwanda. The women of the cooperative that hosted us where so friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed every minute of this unique experience. To get a better understanding...
We spent a night and a day in the village. What an experience! The visit in the village gives an insight to the rural daily life in Rwanda. The women of the cooperative that hosted us where so friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed every minute of this unique experience. To get a better understanding of a place you should try to know the people and their way of life. Thank you Azizi Life for the opportunity. I fully recommend this experience.G4434NBcamiller
June 2023
I had the chance to live a day with a very skilled potter! I learned a lot about pottery making in Rwanda. We started the day by collecting clay directly in the closeby river and we then made an object I could choose. All along the day we were together with a facilitator (for translation). So we ...
I had the chance to live a day with a very skilled potter! I learned a lot about pottery making in Rwanda. We started the day by collecting clay directly in the closeby river and we then made an object I could choose. All along the day we were together with a facilitator (for translation). So we could exchange a lot! Finally we had lunch all together in our host familly. I would recommand this expericence to anyone, also if your not a great artist. There are many other options, and everyone at Azizi is so welcoming that your day is going to be amazing anyway! The plus: you can stay for the night in the brand new accommodation of AziziLife in Byimana.gataylor1952
May 2018
I was picked up at 7:45 by Richard, a quiet and friendly young man in his 20’s. During the drive out of Kigali and into the countryside, he told me about his family’s life, their experiences with the 1994 genocide, and the challenges of finding a good job, despite a university degree in mathemati...
I was picked up at 7:45 by Richard, a quiet and friendly young man in his 20’s. During the drive out of Kigali and into the countryside, he told me about his family’s life, their experiences with the 1994 genocide, and the challenges of finding a good job, despite a university degree in mathematics. We arrived in the town of Muhanga and met Juliette,a charming teacher who spoke excellent English, and would be my guide and translator during my visit to a rural household. We drove out into the countryside, passing scores of women carrying fruit, potatoes and beans on their heads to the local market. After a short while, stopped at a deep rut by the side of the road leading off down a steep hill. “We have arrived” Julliette announced. As we stepped out of the car, two toddlers met us a few yards down, followed by three women who embraced Julliette and then me, welcoming me in Kinyarwanda. We followed them through a rusted metal door into the courtyard of a mud-brick house consisting of 4 rooms surrounding the yard. To the left was a lean-to shed housing a young male pig. To the right of that, a room serving as the kitchen, then the stable containing a large black cow, a storage shed for grass and banana leaves for the cow, and the living quarters. A single-hole latrine at the rear completed the accomodations. We met Specioze, a 43 year old, mother of 5, and owner of the house, and 4 other women members of the weaving cooperative. The six women and I sat around a table and introduced ourselves. That began a day-long introduction to their lives to me, and mine to them. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, from birth control to religion, to what their hopes were for their children. There were many questions: (are you married? How did you meet? How many children? I am a widow too. This all happened while the women and I peeled a mound of sweet potatoes, then grabbed hoes and climbed down the hill to a small patch of land half-planted with soy, sorghum and sweet potatoes. We broke up the soil as a “first cultivation” for about 20 minutes, then a woman named Vestine showed me how to use a scythe to cut grass to feed the cow. The leaves were about 3 feet long and were wrapped into bundles held together by a strip of banana leaf. They fashioned a banana frond into a crown-like headpiece to support the grass bundle on each of our heads. After feeding the very hungry cow, we were ready for lunch. Two metal serving dishes brimming with red beans and sweet potatoes were placed on the table, along with a dozen avocados. We washed our hands, and after a prayer of thanks, ate communally with our hands. A typical day starts at 6AM with work in the fields. There is no time for breakfast, so lunch is a big meal. I was surprised when all of the food was gone within 15 minutes! There is no running water, so we all gathered yellow plastic jerry cans and wandered up to the road, and then up a hill on the other side to a natural spring. Because of the heavy rains, the water was very muddy. Water for bathing and washing is used after the mud settles down. Water for drinking is boiled first (there were water bottles for me). The women were all taught to weave by Specioze. They showed me how they cut sisal leaves, stripped the fibers away and dyed them, and twirled the fibers into usable cords that were knotted together to form a simple bracelet. While we were sitting together, Specioze’s toddler spread his legs a bit and peed in the courtyard while smiling broadly. I politely asked if I could also relieve myself, but in a somewhat more private setting. They then pointed out the latrine behind the living quarters. Packed mud surrounding a 6-inch hole. It was not conducive to reading or surfing the web…..! Speaking of electronics, the house had electricity, almost everyone owns a cell phone. They are simple smart phones costing about $6 to purchase. Cards authorizing airtime can be bought on the street inexpensively as well. The end of the visit came around 3 pm with singing and dancing to a song about everyone working for God.