Angelique Nyirantwari collecting Guizotia scabra (Igishikashike) for her neighbour in her field in Rukira, Eastern Province, Rwanda. Photo: Alice Kayibanda Kayisire
The Rwandan government and local plant hobbyists are preserving indigenous knowledge, conserving plant species, and supporting traditional herbalists who have safeguarded the country’s biodiversity for generations. **
By Alice Kayibanda Kayisire
Angelique Nyirantwari, a traditional healer, carefully clipped a stalk of igisura (Urtica massaica) planted in her garden, avoiding the leaves’ burning sting. She moved with the quiet precision of someone who has carried this knowledge throughout her life, carefully cutting the leaves for her neighbour.
At 55, she still learns daily, and each plant is a chapter in a lifelong study of healing.
“Every plant is a medicine,” she said.
Nyirantwari, a mother of two from Rukira in Rwanda’s eastern province, has mastered over 200 medicinal plants.
Her journey began at six years old, guided by her father, who taught her how to identify and prepare remedies. Living far from modern clinics, her family relied on nature’s pharmacy. By age ten, she could treat ailments using ten different plants.
After her father died during the 1994 genocide, Nyirantwari continued learning through oral transmission and now teaches her daughter the same way. When she was bitten by a snake, she relied on hospital care to save her life, but used plant blends to reduce the inflammation and pain.
“Plants are free,” she said. “God made them for humans and animals; that is why ancestral medicine should be free.”
In Rwanda, an estimated 70% of the population uses traditional medicine, according to the figures quoted by the WHO. Traditional medicine is used to treat humans as well as livestock.
As a vital source of knowledge, Nyirantwari and other traditional healers play a crucial role in society. They help communities to ensure food security and build resilience against major ecological changes.
But there is a risk of losing this indigenous plant knowledge.
Climate change is disrupting ecosystems that traditional healers depend on, rapidly accelerating the decline of native biodiversity in Rwanda. The government’s 2023 Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy revealed that rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns are significantly altering ecosystems and putting iconic native species, such as the giant Senecio tree, at risk.
Invasive plants like water hyacinths are spreading across Rwanda’s landscape, while sensitive amphibians and reptiles in the Albertine Rift, such as the Western Rift Puddle Frog and the Rwenzori side-striped chameleon, face increasing threats to their survival. In Gishwati Forest, the impacts of climate stress and soil erosion are disrupting fragile habitats that many species depend on.
These environmental shifts not only jeopardize the survival of critical species like the mountain gorilla but also threaten Rwanda’s tourism industry and overall ecosystem stability. This crisis underscores the urgent need for climate-resilient restoration efforts to safeguard the country’s natural heritage.
The government of Rwanda has stepped in. The recent restoration of the country’s natural habitats is part of a broader effort to protect biodiversity that began under the 2016 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The plan focuses on reforestation, the protection of native species, and enhancing public awareness. In areas such as Gishwati–Mukura and Volcanoes National Park, indigenous trees are being replanted, and the borders of these natural reserves are being expanded.
In Kigali, efforts are underway to transform five wetlands, Rugenge, Rwampara, Kibumba, Gikondo, and Nyabugogo, into eco-friendly spaces. At Nyandungu, the Eco-park was completed in 2022 and is currently being expanded, and features a medicinal plant garden that cultivates 54 species traditionally used in healing practices. Awareness campaigns have also reached local communities, helping them understand the importance of biodiversity and how to contribute to its conservation.
Local plant hobbyists have launched their own conservation initiatives in their own capacities as concerned citizens.
Kanyandekwe, a historian and researcher, teamed up with Geoffrey Kagame, the founder of Youth Empowerment for Community Work Organization (YEC), on a privately funded project for the conservation of indigenous trees and shrubs. The project identified 200 indigenous species. Kanyandekwe used history books to learn about indigenous species and their significance in Rwandan culture. He travelled across the country to find rare species, utilizing the network of traditional healers. His interest in plants was sparked by reading about the abiru, ancient custodians of royal rituals who used plants in sacred ceremonies.
Their work supports the findings of the 2024 report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The study emphasized the inseparability of biodiversity from climate stability and human well-being, and points out that frontline community knowledge is not just cultural heritage but essential to conservation.
At Kambere Botanical Garden in Rwanda’s southern province, where Kanyandekwe and Kagame maintain a two-hectare garden, they now grow indigenous plants, many of which are endangered. One of their goals is to share their knowledge on medicinal plants. Since 2022, Kanyandekwe and Kagame have conducted botanical garden tours that introduce visitors to the significance and value of each plant, including their medicinal uses. After speaking with numerous traditional healers, they learned that many people are fearful of these healers and associate them with evil occult practices. They started educating visitors to the garden about how indigenous species, such as umukazanyana (Clerodendrum myricoides) were used in cultural rituals in the past. These rituals provided trauma support for those dealing with a tragic experience, such as the death of a family member or a lightning strike at home. The goal is to inform the public and dispel the negative associations between traditional medicine and occultism, thereby supporting healers like Nyirantwari, who have faced discrimination for their work.
Indigenous plants like umukuyu (Ficus sycomorus) and umugote (Syzygium guineense) that Kanyandekwe planted in the garden have revitalized biodiversity. The garden has become a haven for various bird species, including the Turaco violet, which was once considered extinct in Rwanda.
While experimenting with propagation techniques and building a plant nursery, Kanyandekwe is collaborating with Kagame to produce a book that documents various plant species’ history and uses.
Rooted in heritage and a commitment to serve, local plant hobbyists and traditional herbalists hope that they can continue to share knowledge of the healing power of plants.
bird story agency