Nkwanzi

Income Generation 

Every purchase made at Kwanzi goes towards sustaining Grace Villa and its different programs. Whether it be a meal, a room reservation, a museum tour or a purchase from the Kikazi shop.

Community Service

Spaces are availed for workshops, clubs, trainings and community meetings. If vulnerability and financial duress are proven, Kwanzi offers these amenities for free. An example is what happens every Friday evening at 5:00pm. One of the rooms turns into a sewing space where we make reusable sanitary pads that are then issued to vulnerable girls who cannot afford the average 4,000/= pack. The Kabale community is welcome to give a hand, and they do!

Background

In January 2016, a unique sustainable development opportunity presented itself to Grace Villa. Acquisition of a guesthouse in Kabale, South Western Uganda. Kwanzi has since developed into a wonderful concept with a café, a museum, book exchange, gift shop (an outlet for the things that the Grace Villa girls make) and accommodation all under one roof.

It is located at the confluence of Nyerere Avenue and Kaita Road in the heart of Kabale town, just a few minutes walk from where Grace Villa is located. Because it is located at the gateway to Bwindi forest, several National Parks, to the stunning legendary lake Bunyonyi and the borders to Rwanda and Congo, Kwanzi is a popular stop over for tourists. A recent addition of tasty local food, drinks and muchomo (roast meat) to the menu has made Kwanzi a popular spot for locals too.

The Bakiga Cultural Museum is carefully curated by one of Kabale’s most decorated historians, Omugurisa Karwemera. Museum Mission: To exhibit, document, protect and preserve the unique yet fading history of the Bakiga, and in doing so – Uganda. Step back in time through a recreation of a traditional homestead, complete with a fully furnished hut, and a granary in the ‘compound’.

The experience immerses its guests in life as it was in the days of our ancestors. The homestead has a wide range of both every day and rare artifacts, musical instruments, tools, weapons and more. We are very proud to be the proprietors of this cultural gem and especially love how Kwanzi museum has become a popular school field trip destination. We receive an average of 20 museum guests per week, with the majority being students.

The Grace Villa girls work here during their holidays, learning entrepreneurial and hospitality skills.