.jpg)
CNN Hero Edwin Sabuhoro turned the idea of conservation on its head when he thought-up the notion of converting poachers into saviors. With not more than $5,000 of life savings, Edwin quit his job as a park ranger in Rwanda and imbedded himself into communities of poachers to understand the rationale behind their desire to hunt the country’s endangered mountain gorillas. After earning their trust and slowly making the poachers understand that the species was more valuable alive than dead, by way of attracting tourism dollars, Edwin began to assist the impoverished communities in earning a respected income. We sat down with Edwin to speak about his risky decision to confront the country’s problem of poaching head-on, his passion for gorillas and his mission to uplift the communities who have lived amongst the gorillas for centuries.
