KIGALI — American comedian and television personality Ellen Lee DeGeneres and her partner, Portia de Rossi, have been in Rwanda, where they recently visited the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in the Northern Province.
In a social media post, DeGeneres said she was delighted to return to the conservation centre, which she helped establish four years ago in honour of legendary primatologist Dian Fossey.
“Portia and I are in Rwanda. The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors in the four years since it opened,” she said.
DeGeneres said she has met people from different parts of the world who have shared their appreciation for the centre and its work.
She added that she was proud to contribute to efforts to raise awareness about gorilla conservation while supporting Rwanda’s tourism sector.
DeGeneres has maintained a close connection with Rwanda, particularly through her involvement in the protection of mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes region.
Her foundation and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund continue to support conservation initiatives, scientific research and efforts aimed at protecting the endangered mountain gorilla population.
The Ellen DeGeneres Campus, located near Volcanoes National Park, was established as part of the conservation legacy of Dian Fossey, whose work studying mountain gorillas in Rwanda became internationally recognised.
The centre combines conservation education, research and tourism, offering visitors an opportunity to learn about gorillas and the wider efforts to protect their habitat.
DeGeneres, 68, is widely known as a comedian, television host and actress. She gained global recognition through “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which premiered in 2003 and became one of the most widely recognised daytime talk shows in the United States.
The programme featured numerous international celebrities and was distributed in several countries around the world.
DeGeneres and de Rossi first visited Rwanda in 2018, when they also met President Paul Kagame.
Their latest visit highlights DeGeneres’ continued connection with Rwanda and her long-standing support for mountain gorilla conservation, a sector that remains an important part of the country’s tourism and environmental protection efforts.
KIGALI TIMES