Infrastructure

Land Acquisition and Housing

When the Batwa were forced out of the forests, they were left with nowhere to live. They have been mostly squatters with no homeland of their own. Acquisition and ownership of good land close to their ancestral territory is essential. It is clear that land ownership and permanent settlements contribute to the most positive changes among populations such as increased food security, improved social status and long term planning. Thus, the purchase of land and appropriate housing should be a priority intervention. With the confidence that the land they live on is theirs and cannot be taken from them, the Batwa people can flourish.

Cultural Preservation Centre

Land near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest will be made available for a Batwa Preservation site. In collaboration with the forest management, the Batwa will be allowed access to the forest to be able to introduce on this site their medicinal plants, re-establish their connection to the forest and educate their children about their prior way of life in the forest. Several tour companies have expressed interest in visiting this Batwa cultural preservation center. Tourism to this site will be encouraged so that the “outside world” will be exposed to the Batwa way of life and tourism dollars would be collected to assist in Batwa welfare activities. There will be direct interactions between Batwa and tourists through folklore, storytelling, and dancing. This form of tourism would be low impact and a very good source of income generation.

Social Centers/ Water Collecting Sheds

We will build a multipurpose hall/water collecting shed at every Batwa settlement. They will serve as a place of worship, community meeting center, volunteer accommodation, skill training center, most importantly weekly fellowships. Our goal is to draw the Batwa closer to God, change habits and quicken the transformation process. These sheds will be fitted with water collecting gutters and tanks to give the Batwa access to clean water at a very little extra cost.