About the Project
The project consisted of improving food security by developing a community garden.
Location
Kashija Village, Rubuguri Town Council, Uganda
Quick Project Stats
| Funding Date | June – December 2023 |
| Luena Investment | $750 |
| CBO Partner | Bwindi Batwa Community Development Association |
| Village | Kashija |
| Country | Uganda |
| # of Children Impacted | 150 |
| Community Contribution | manual labor in farming and developing a community farm garden |
Displaced People Group Faces Extreme Food Insecurity
The roots of the Twa run deep within the lush forests of Uganda, where the Batwa people existed for millennia, living harmoniously with the land, thriving in an ecosystem about which they had profound and unique knowledge. Today, the story of the Batwa people is one of displacement, struggle, and an ongoing fight for survival. Their ancestral home was in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest. In the early 1990s, under the banner of conservation, the Ugandan government and international agencies evicted the Batwa from their lands in the Mgahinga and Echuya forests. The declaration of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park as a World Heritage Site further displaced the Batwa, leading to the erosion of their social fabric and to poverty, extreme hunger, starvation, exclusion, and marginalization.
Community Garden Improves Food Security
The donation from Luena Foundation was used to purchase and distribute food to Batwa members. 40% of the funding covered food purchase that was given directly to families for immediate relief, and 60% covered purchase of seeds. Seeds that were purchased include maize, beans, and Irish potato seeds; these were used to develop a community garden, which provides additional food to Batwa families, who maintain the garden.
Meet our Partner Community-Based Organization
The Bwindi Batwa Community Development Association (BBCDA) started with a vision of preserving Batwa culture, Rutwa language, conservation and environment management, and medical herbs. It was started by Batwa elders and Batwa youth with support from Mbarara University of Science and Technology in partnership with Uganda Wildlife Authority.
