Friends of Batwa International

Due to conservation pressure in Early 90s, The batwa were evicted from Bwindi, Mgahinga and ekyuya conservation areas, in favour of the then endangered mountain gorillas, they now live in 60 settlements of between 12 to 60 households on the outskirts of these conservation areas, while still in the forest the batwa lived a life of gathering and hunting for food, reliable sources say they were not a threat to the gorillas but rather lived together as brothers,

New house that was gifted to Buderia and Desire by Terri and tabatha through friends of batwa intl Life outside the forest became challenging as the batwa were settled either on abandoned or unproductive land where they did not and up to now own no land rights except in a few settlements, Batwa generally stays away from major social services like hospitals, schools, churches and tap water, which has de-franchised them and kept them in rotating poverty. They also lacked any special skills such as farming to exploit the new environment

Because of this the batwa have lived impoverished lifestyles and continue to sink into poverty year after year, many batwa do not own land and they do, it’s always in poor locations that do not support crop growing or animal husbandry, less than 5% of batwa children attend schools but with alot of limitations like lack food, scholastics and sanitaries for girls.

Having had no skills and any reliable sources of income to set up houses , the batwa have continued to live in ramshackle houses, with leaking roofs and transparent walls, barely having any beddings or beds, majority of batwa live in huts made of grass and banana leaves and others don’t have even where to erect such huts, Friends of batwa intl a non profit organization through her partners are bringing housing solutions to the batwa with the aim of turning kasovu into a model batwa village,

8th November 2021, One Desire and Buderia of Kamugyemanyi, Kasovu Batwa settlement received the most first permanent house from Friends of Batwa Intl. The simple structure is a three roomed house, with a sitting area, two bedrooms, one for the parents and one for the children, this was intended to enforce privacy of parents from children, Desire and Buderia have also received beds, beddings, source pans , plates, basins and cups as seed support to enable them settle in the new house.

Richard the executive director of Friends of batwa intl said that they intend to build all the remaining 10 houses, and that they had already secured some funds to start on the third house, the first one being semi permanent that was built for Julian the oldest woman on the settlement who is in her 80s in August 2021.He encouraged the host community to love the batwa and participate in their development, stop any kind of marginalisation but rather help them to get out of poverty.

He added that they also engage in other programs like WASH, Land acquisition, Evangelism and spiritual growth, Civic education and formal education, and that they were already in preparations to build a school and a fellowship center for batwa. Emma Owayesu the programs coordinator appreciated the cooperation that the batwa were showing during the building of the house . He thanked the management for trusting him to take lead in the implementation of the project. He added that the batwa needed to take salvation as key in their lives, he thanked the people present and ensured them that this was just the beginning.

The chairperson of the batwa at kamugyemanyi village appreciated the initiative and pledged total support to the project,Buderia and Desire are the very first batwa people to have a house with household items, most especially beds and beddings,I have never seen a mutwa sleeping on a mattress and bed sheets in my life, – CHAIRMAN LC3

Also in attendance was the local council three chair person who thanked friends of batwa management and partners for the great work they are doing, He added that the batwa who were marginalized are now being admired by the same people. he also pledged co-operation and support to whatever projects they will be doing, He called upon all well-wishers to join hands with friends of Batwa in raising the social status of the batwa people.