Penn State student researcher studies how tourism can protect gorillas in Rwanda

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Brandon George took his learning from Penn State’s recreation, park and tourism management (RPTM) program to the real world this summer as a research assistant in a gorilla sanctuary in Rwanda. Now in his senior year at Penn State, George said he never imagined that his Penn State journey would lead him to such opportunities.

George, originally from Pittsburgh, elected to attend Penn State because of his mother’s influence.

“My mom is an alum and we used to visit when I was a kid — she always talked it up,” George said.

When he arrived at University Park, he learned about RPTM from one of his roommates, who is a student in the commercial recreation management option of the program. George said he liked the idea of a career in recreation and leisure but didn’t feel that commercial recreation was for him.

He found that the outdoor recreation management option of the program aligned both with his personal interests and with the values he learned from his family.

“Growing up, my family was into missionary work where we would visit other countries and do projects to help communities,” George said.

George progressed through the curriculum and completed the Student’s Engaging in Experiential Discovery (SEED) semester in collaboration with Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. SEED is an embedded semester at Penn State Outreach’s field laboratory focused on hands-on learning, environmental education and building community.

Returning to campus after his SEED semester, George enrolled in a course on sustainability, society and well-being taught by Edwin Sabuhoro, assistant professor of recreation, park and tourism management and African studies at Penn State.

Sabuhoro, founder of the Gorilla Guardians Village in Rwanda, is a world-renowned expert in using tourism as a means of promoting conservation and supporting communities in Africa. A former tourism warden with Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Sabuhoro recounted how he saw firsthand the devastation of poaching and at one time put himself at great risk to pose as a potential buyer of a baby gorilla. With a vision to support the community while protecting the gorillas, he donated his own money to buy land and provide resources to offer an alternative to the poachers.

The Gorilla Guardians Village is a tourist destination where former gorilla poachers provide experiences for visitors to learn about African culture. By offering an alternative to poaching, the village allows former poachers to provide for themselves and their families through tourism instead of through participation in the endangered gorilla market. Sabuhoro was identified by CNN as a CNN Hero and has been called, “the man saving Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas.”

“In my class with Dr. Sabuhoro, hearing about his efforts with the gorillas, I was able to see what was possible in recreation and leisure and how community outreach can make a difference,” George said. “SEED semester provided the foundation for an understanding of how connections and people can work together for conservation.”

Sabuhoro said he noticed George’s investment in the issues they were discussing in class.

“Brandon started coming to office hours,” Sabuhoro said. “And then, he started walking with me after class. He was very interested in the program. We talked about how he might support the program through his internship.”

With Sabuhoro’s support, George applied for and received a College of Health and Human Development Summer 2023 Undergraduate Research Award to support his experience in Rwanda. With that, he began planning for an internship at the Gorilla Guardian Village.

“We want to learn ways to support the community,” said Sabhuhoro, who is leading a research project focused on understanding how tourism can be leveraged to improve and support conservation efforts for the mountain gorillas. “We are looking at how perceptions and, therefore, behaviors related to poaching may be changing. We want to learn more about the individuals in the community. Brandon spoke with them to log their stories. What are their dreams? What are their aspirations? We want to learn more about their lives.”

While on his internship, George worked with the workers in the Gorilla Guardian Village on site. His role in the research project was to meet with and gather testimonials from former poachers.

According to Sabuhoro, the gorilla population has grown since the people who formerly used poaching to support their families gained an alternative way to earn a living. Since the opening of the Gorilla Guardian Village, no gorillas have been killed by poachers in the region. The village has celebrated the birth of up to 20 gorilla babies each year, growing the gorilla community.

George shared how spending a summer embedded in a new community and culture is impacting him.

“I feel like I’m on a dopamine detox,” George said. “I spent so much time in the village, even when I didn’t have to be there. At night it is so dark and … peaceful. I wasn’t scrolling on my phone all the time. I feel like the connections made away from technology are more genuine and without strings attached. I have made friends. There is a big difference between our cultures and traditions, but at the core, all people are the same.”

Sabuhoro said he hopes that George’s success opens the door for other students to step outside their comfort zone and take a risk with learning.

“The experiences you have and the risks you take impact your life,” Sabuhoro said. “In the African community where we work, there is less material wealth, but the community is willing to share the little they have. We learn that people with less are often happier. With a focus on restorative justice, we were able to train former poachers to make crafts and music and dance to offer visitors an experience. In exchange, the gorillas are protected. It is a wonderful experience for students to bring their learning from the class to the field.”

To learn more about the field work of George and other RPTM students, check out their postcards from the field web series.