Help displaced Batwa buy farmland to fight poverty

PROJECT REPORT FOR SBCDA- 2022

Sanuriro Batwa Community Development Association (SBCDA) is not- for Profit making Organization that was initiated by Alex Byomugabe who together with other staff were  and are still passionate and empathetic to bring a remarkable change to the Batwa lives. Due to the pandemic, everything surrounding the batwa community became ravaged and derailed.

I’m deeply delighted, amazed and would like to take this humble, ecstatic and golden opportunity to make a precise report on some progress, challenges of the Sanuriro Project. During this project report I would like to update you on the on-going progress that has been achieved.  Apparently, the Project was able to register some achievement(s) in the month of November and December whereby we acknowledged   generous donors from a couple of donations through the GlobalGiving Platform.

Breakdown of expenditure of the donation that was received through Global Platform.

I.            Purchased a hoven worth 200$ to teach the batwa how to make bread, cookies so as to learn how to generate incomes for a sustainable living.

II.            Weaving material for shopping bags at 100$

III.            House rent for three(3) staff members @ 50$

IV.            Food @ 50 $

V.             Beehives (10)   300$

VI.            Drugs/medicine for jigger treatment @ 200$

And the objective and purpose of that session were:-

(a)    To train the indigenous Batwa pygmies, children, women in Agriculture for food security, nutrition and other income generating activities for a sustainable living.

(b)    To develop income generating and training opportunities to allow the Batwa to support their own families and strengthen the resources.

(c)    The Batwa were also taught to start up poultry, piggery and goat’s project to enhance them with food and incomes.

(d)    On the same event, the Batwa/pygmies were taught skills on how to grow coffee and bananas

Education project program/session was also held before the second wave of the lockdown, the program was held so as to educate and sensitize the 45 villagers and 90 Batwa families to enhance the batwa to appreciate the merits of education to live with a purpose, produce food through farming, receive better and quality education and medical attention.

The core objectives and set targets of the session were:-

(i)                 To promote education among the Batwa since currently, the projects aim is to ensure that the Batwa have access to education and are able to read and write and to develop English skills.

(ii)               To Educate the Batwa about environmental conservation and promoting the wildlife of the Bwindi forest to the benefit of the Batwa and the forest ecology and with this in mind, we have endeavored to educate and involve the Batwa people in the conservation of the forest and in turn will envisage them to see the importance of what Uganda Wildlife Authority ( UWA) is accomplishing and therefore less poaching and invasion of the forest.

           All the teachings were championed and chaired by;

-          Batwa Chairman – Mr. Safari Geresom

-          Project Director- Mr. Byomugabe Alex

Challenges of projects and set targets to be implemented are:-

1. Enough land for Batwa settlements
2. Education program/school
3. Farming tools/implements
4. Healthy facility/Batwa clinic Etc…

We have majorly focused on sensitization and per se the challenges the Batwa face outweigh the achievements and the programs that require implementation as mentioned above.

            Due to COVID-19 , everything got derailed and we still send our sincere gratitude and wishes to everyone who is part of this amazing adventure to support the Batwa cause and I feel indebted and must conclude this report by appreciating everyone who is trying possible avenues and efforts to make this happen.

    BY ALEX BYOMUGABE- PROJECT DIRECTOR.