So far, investors have set up hospitality facilities including Twin Lakes Recreational Resort, a project expected to expand through the establishment of Twin Lakes Recreational Island Hotel. It takes a 20-minute drive to reach Burera District and more than 10 minutes sailing from Ntaruka hydropower station to arrive at the islands.
Patrick Masozera and his wife Kerry Ann Kimone, from Jamaica have invested on the islands that remained unexploited for long. They established Twin Lakes Recreational Resort located in Buhembe Village, Mariba Cell, Gitovu Sector, in Burera District.
Masozera and Kerry Ann lived in the United Kingdom. In 2014, they came to Rwanda where they visited Rwanda’s attractions in Rubavu and Muhazi among other places. They later visited Burera and Ruhondo twin lakes.
As they explored the islands, one of them was thirsty but could not find anywhere to buy water. When they visited Lake Burera for the first time in 2017, the couple was impressed by its magnificence.
At the time, Kerry had a six-month pregnancy and failed to find a place to buy food or soft drink despite the strong need to re-energize her body.
As Masozera disclosed, the couple started considering the establishment of a hotel in the area or other recreational facility. He said that they took photographs of the area and returned to the UK.
After attending the Rwanda Day event that was held in Amsterdam, the couple that had traveled from London decided to return to Rwanda to invest in the land.
As Masozera said, they negotiated with residents, bought land from 30 individuals and began construction in 2019. More preparations continued in 2020 and 2021 where they used boats to take cows and other essentials to the island.
In August 2022, Twin Lakes Recreational Resort was successfully set up and has increasingly gained popularity that many tourists express interest in visiting the place.
Artiste Gaël Faye is among guests who recently enjoyed an amazing experience at the facility. Tented structures ordered from the UK have been assembled at the village for guests’ camping.
Masozera went on to explain that the facility currently consisted of tents, and two cottages, with six rooms that can accommodate between 12 and 14 guests.
He however disclosed that they have a large land where an individual can bring his/her tent to be used while exploring the area.
The tents are structured in separate units so that families can enjoy comfort in their own settings.
Masozera said that there are plans to build self-contained cottages once the land use status is changed. The entire island is lit with solar energy. The lights on the island are installed on different corners and emit light in different colours.
Guests spending nights at this island, Masozera said, wake up in the morning for bird watching experience and consume the attractiveness of Lake Burera.
Kerry Ann says that she had had a desire to visit Rwanda following the tragic history the country was reported to have experienced. As he visited the country in 2014, Kerry discovered that some people did not tell her the truth about the country. The hotel was built in an area that previously had no electricity or access to safe water.
Kerry said that they were aware of those enormous challenges but did not get discouraged as they wanted to run a project with an impact to the community.
With this mindset, they started the project that attracted public attention gradually.
One of the challenges was the lack of roads along the lake but there are plans to build them. The investors recently overcame some of the barriers as the land was classified under areas designated for tourism activities.
As of today, water used at the island is still fetched using jerry cans but there is a plan to introduce a water treatment system.
However, the couple affirms that challenges are being solved gradually
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Apart from exploring the beauty of Burera, Twin Lakes introduced cow-based tourism where guests are taught to milk cows and other aspects of cow farming as one of domestic animals holding great significance in Rwanda’s culture.
Masozera revealed that they are also considering introducing the Masozera Farm Initiative, to donate cows to residents in the surroundings of the hotel.
They are mainly farmers where a cow can be a source of milk, compost and improved livelihoods.
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The structure of the place and anticipated projects give hope for creation of many jobs for the youth and others to supply different items. Buildings at the facility used stones available in the area. It also used water fetched by residents and stored in reservoirs as an alternative before finding a way to purify water from Lake Burera.
However, the projects to distribute safe water and electricity to residents in the surrounding communities of the hotel are in advanced stages. Masozera says that Burera is among places where tourism is not advanced where they want to take advantage of the situation to improve its visibility with eco-friendly practices.
He also disclosed that the facility wants to use food supplied by residents in the surroundings or produced from their own fields. Masozera said that they want to develop the area and build five more cottages with each having two rooms and three beds.
The project is expected to be rolled out in three phases, with the first comprising existing structures. The second will have five cottages and a multi-storey bar and restaurant while more structures will be developed in phase three.
The project was initiated from the couple’s savings but has optimism to generate returns and expand activities.
For Kerry, her dreams will come true once the project thrives and brings positive transformations in the area. Keery has expressed optimism that a state-of-the art hotel will be built in the area going hand in hand with other activities attracting more investors with projects impacting the community.
Apart from a hotel, they also want to operate a modern boat that will transport guests to the facility. The couple wants to implement the project through collaboration with other investors even though the time has not yet come. It is expected to cost US$500 million.
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Masozera said that they detected investment opportunities in Rwanda and decided to settle in the country to follow up their project.
He explained that their visits to Rwanda impressed her wife who realized how beautiful the country is. It did not take much effort for the couple to agree on settling in Rwanda.
Kerry who worked in the health sector for over 10 years says that it is time for her to explore other opportunities even though she still stands a chance to work as a health professional licensed in Rwanda.
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