WILDERNESS MAGASHI JUNIOR MANAGER & MASSEUSE

RACHEL MAFUBO HAKIZIMANA

“Chance comes once in lifetime – you have to grab it and use it well”. Rachel lives by this mantra and is already fulfilling her dream of becoming a Camp Manager with Wilderness Rwanda.

Growing up in Kigali, Rachel completed her schooling and pursued a diploma in Hospitality Management & Leadership at Akilah Institute for Women. While finishing her tertiary education, Rachel gained hospitality experience through internships and part-time roles.

Rachel’s Wilderness journey began at Magashi in 2019 as a waitress, during which time she also did some bartending work, which she thoroughly enjoyed. She subsequently took the opportunity offered by Wilderness to complete a course in Food & Beverage Operations, after which she was appointed as Wilderness Rwanda’s first female bartender.

Not one to lose sight of her goals, and spurred on by her peers and staff at Wilderness, Rachel approached her managers and asked to do a management course. She enrolled at Cornell University, and while studying part-time was promoted to Trainee Manager and Masseuse.

Eager to succeed, Rachel achieved another promotion in 2023 to Magashi Junior Manager, with a focus on streamlining operational processes, providing ongoing training and development for her team, and finding innovative ways to exceed guest expectations. 

Rachel’s Wilderness career highlights thus far include successfully completing her masseuse training, being one of the first staff members at Magashi to offer in-room massages, and leading a successful team who achieve consistently high guest ratings. 

Rachel is continuing to upskill herself with various courses through the African Management Institute, and combines her studies with invaluable on-the-ground training and experience.

She credits Wilderness as an important part of her growth journey, presenting many opportunities to her along her career path – chances which Rachel continues to grab on her way to fulfilling her goal.

“I enjoy working for Wilderness because of the dynamic and collaborative work environment, the opportunity to work in a beautiful natural setting, and the chance to make a positive impact on guests’ experiences”, says Rachel. “I hope to develop my leadership skills further and contribute to the growth and success of Wilderness”.