The Batwa Development Program (BDP) is built on seven primary initiatives that address every vital facet of Batwa life. Our comprehensive approach ensures that the Batwa not only secure a place to call home but also gain access to quality education, modern healthcare, sustainable agriculture, cultural preservation, and economic empowerment. Under the expert guidance of dedicated leaders, these initiatives work together to uplift the Batwa community, foster self-reliance, and preserve their rich cultural heritage.


Our Initiatives:
1. Land Acquisition and Home Establishment
2. Education
3. Healthcare
4. Agriculture
5. Skills and Crafts
6. Spiritual Guidance

  1. Land Acquisition and Home Establishment

Since the Batwa were relocated from the forest in 1991, securing land has been the first step toward rebuilding their lives. BDP has made land acquisition a top priority—not only to provide space for building homes but also to designate areas for agriculture.

Key Details:

  • Settlements & Land Allocation:
    We now manage 11 settlements that house over 1,800 Batwa. Each family is allocated 1–2 acres of land, ensuring they have a secure place to settle.
  • Transition from Mud Houses to Interlocking Brick Houses:
    Initially, the Batwa lived in rudimentary mud houses constructed with poles, reeds, and metal roofs. These structures required bi-annual remudding and cow-dung reapplication—processes that often went unmet. In many cases, families dismantled parts of these houses for firewood, causing rapid deterioration. Recognizing these shortcomings, we transitioned in 2019 to constructing interlocking brick houses with cement floors and improved ventilation. This change has significantly enhanced safety, durability, and comfort.
  • Local Involvement & Capacity Building:
    Our donors have enabled us not only to build these modern homes but also to train many Batwa in the brick-making process so they can actively participate in constructing their settlements.
  • Challenges & Future Needs:
    With the Batwa population growing—sometimes with families migrating from other regions—the need for additional land is critical. Our ongoing goal is to expand land holdings, ensuring that every Batwa family can enjoy secure, long-term shelter.

Leadership:
Busingye Levi, Head of Land Acquisition and Home Establishment

How You Can Help:
Join us by donating or opting to fund the construction of an entire home for a Batwa family. Every contribution brings us closer to ensuring that every Batwa has a safe place to call home.

2. Education

At BDP, we believe that education is a cornerstone for breaking the cycle of poverty. Our commitment is reflected in fully funding Batwa children’s education—from nursery through university—and supporting community-wide learning opportunities.

  • Comprehensive Support:
    We cover school fees, purchase essential educational materials, pay lunch fees, and even fund teacher salaries to ensure that educators can focus on providing quality education.
  • Infrastructure & School Development:
    BDP oversees four schools:
  1. Nina Waits Mukongoro Nursery and Primary School
  2. Byumba Pres Nursery and Primary School (fundraising to upgrade to a boarding school)
  3. Mama Diane Nursery School
  4. Kishanda Community Nursery and Primary School
  • These schools collectively educate over 1,100 children—350 of whom are Batwa. We’re also working to purchase additional land for classroom construction and are planning the development of a vocational school to offer practical skills like basket making, welding, and tailoring.
  • Addressing Challenges:
    Challenges include insufficient classroom space, a shortage of qualified teachers, and the negative impact of alcohol consumption among some Batwa parents, which disrupts children’s education. Boarding schools are also being considered to provide a structured and supportive environment free from such distractions.
  • Success Stories & Aspirations:
    Our work has already borne fruit—graduates like Sylvia Kokunda have gone on to achieve a master’s degree, and several Batwa are now training or working as nurses. Our vision is to continue increasing the number of Batwa who complete secondary and tertiary education and to set a regional standard of excellence.

Leadership:
Koshaba Benson, Lead Education Coordinator

How You Can Help:
The community is in need of a boarding school to bring higher education to the Batwa. Fundraising is currently underway to add boarding facilities to Byumba Pres Nursery and Primary School.

Your support can help us expand school facilities, hire more teachers, and develop vocational training programs that empower Batwa youth. Consider donating to transform education in the Batwa community.

3. Healthcare

Healthcare is essential to improving the quality of life, and BDP is dedicated to ensuring that Batwa have access to high-quality, affordable medical care. Working closely with the Bwindi Community Hospital (BCH) and the Kellermann Foundation, our healthcare initiatives cover all aspects of medical support.

  • Medical Insurance & Services:
    As of 2023, we provide healthcare insurance for 1,187 Batwa, covering all medical expenses. This includes full coverage for treatments, checkups, and even transportation costs for appointments or hospitalizations—even when services are needed in other regions.
  • Community Outreach & Education:
    Mobile clinics, initiated by Dr. Scott Kellermann in 2003, laid the foundation for modern healthcare in the region. BCH outreach teams also educate the Batwa on nutrition and the importance of modern medical care, which has contributed to significant decreases in mortality rates. Anthea Ndyamuhaki, our Health Coordinator, noted, “One of the things that puts a smile on our faces is the decreased death rates. We used to hear stories about how four Batwa would pass away in a week, and now we go on for periods longer than six months without recording any deaths.”
  • Addressing Behavioral Challenges:
    While many Batwa now appreciate the benefits of modern healthcare, some still trust traditional methods. We are actively working to change these behaviors through education and by improving the physical conditions in which they prepare their meals—such as constructing interlocking brick kitchens to reduce smoke inhalation and respiratory illnesses.

Leadership:
Anthea Ndyamuhaki, Accountant/BDP Health Coordinator

How You Can Help:
Support our healthcare initiatives by helping fund transportation costs, insurance premiums, or community outreach programs that save lives and improve the overall well-being of the Batwa.

4. Agriculture

Relocation from the forest meant that the Batwa had to transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one that depended on agriculture—a skill that was largely new to them. BDP’s Agriculture Initiatives provide the practical training and resources needed to ensure food security and foster self-sufficiency.

  • Practical Training & Education:
    We offer hands-on training in agricultural land preparation and beginner-level food nutrition courses. This training is critical for the Batwa to understand modern farming practices and to maximize crop yields.
  • On-Site Support & Resource Distribution:
    Our team regularly visits each household to provide on-site advice. We also distribute quality seeds and monitor the entire agricultural cycle—from planting to harvesting. Some communities have even begun selling surplus produce, creating an additional source of income.
  • Challenges & Learning Curves:
    Despite progress, challenges remain. Some households misuse the seeds—choosing to sell them instead of planting, or not accurately reporting garden sizes. Inadequate cultivation methods sometimes lead to poor yields, compounded by natural obstacles such as fluctuating seasons and wildlife (e.g., baboons) interfering with crops.
  • Vision for the Future:
    Our Agricultural Extension Worker, Twinamatsiko Ivan, envisions a time when Batwa harvests not only sustain their families but also benefit surrounding communities. Our long-term goal is to see significant behavioral and agricultural improvements that foster true self-sufficiency.

Leadership:
Twinamatsiko Ivan, Agricultural Extension Worker

How You Can Help:
Donate to support ongoing training sessions, seed distribution, and on-site agricultural support, ensuring that the Batwa continue to learn and thrive in their new way of life.

5. Skills and Crafts

Empowerment through economic independence is at the heart of our Skills and Crafts Initiatives. This program is designed primarily to uplift Batwa women by equipping them with marketable skills—most notably, tailoring—while also nurturing other crafts.

  • Training and Capacity Building:
    At the Women’s Center, we conduct hands-on tailoring training sessions. This not only enables women to sew school uniforms for Batwa children but also creates an income stream that sustains further training programs. We provide each settlement with three sewing machines, essential materials, and experienced instructors.
  • Entrepreneurial Support:
    After training, the women retain the equipment and materials, empowering them to start their own small businesses. Products such as clothes, baskets, and other handmade crafts are then sold at our Batwa Crafts Shop, which has grown to operate independently from external support.
  • Days for Girls Project:
    An integral part of this initiative is the Days for Girls Project, which supplies reusable sanitary pads. Certified by Days for Girls International, this project not only meets a critical need but also educates girls about personal hygiene, creating a ripple effect of empowerment.
  • Local Impact:
    Turyamuleeba Penelope, our Crafts Shop and Women’s Center Supervisor, envisions a future where every settlement has its own fully functional crafts shop, with skills that directly support families and the community at large.

Leadership:

  • Turyamuleeba Penelope, Supervisor of Batwa Women’s Center
  • Orikiriza Patricia, supervisor of the Crafts Shop

How You Can Help:
Your donations can provide sewing machines, materials, or funding for training programs that continue to empower Batwa women and fuel local enterprise.

6. Spiritual Guidance

Spiritual well-being is a cornerstone of holistic development. Our Spiritual Guidance initiative is dedicated to nurturing the Batwa’s spiritual growth and helping transform their perspectives on society and religion.

  • Mindset and Community Transformation:
    By offering spiritual counseling and community-based programs, this initiative aims to foster hope, self-respect, and a renewed sense of purpose among the Batwa. It provides a supportive framework that helps community members navigate personal and collective challenges.
  • Cultural & Religious Integration:
    The guidance programs work to integrate traditional Batwa spiritual values with modern approaches to personal development, encouraging a balanced and positive outlook on life.

Leadership:
Led by Canon Bagaba Bernard; Spiritual Coordinator

How You Can Help:
Contributions toward Spiritual Guidance programs help fund counseling services, community workshops, and other activities that nurture the inner strength of the Batwa community.