A Forgotten Indigenous Community

Near Uganda's famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the endangered mountain gorilla, lives one of Africa's most marginalized Indigenous communities.

They are known as the Batwa people.

For generations, the Batwa lived in the forests of southwestern Uganda as hunter-gatherers, relying on the land for food, medicine, shelter, and cultural identity. But in 1991, when Bwindi and Mgahinga became protected national parks, many Batwa families were evicted from their ancestral lands.

Without land, compensation, or adequate support, many Batwa families struggled to rebuild their lives.

Today, many continue to face landlessness, food insecurity, poor housing, limited educational opportunities, inadequate healthcare, and widespread poverty.

This is the reality that Alex Byomugabe has witnessed for most of his life.

Growing Up Beside the Batwa

My name is Alex Byomugabe, and I was born and raised near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda.

Although I am Mukiga and not Batwa myself, I grew up alongside Batwa communities. From a young age, I saw many families struggling to survive after losing access to the forests their ancestors had called home for generations.

As I grew older, I could not ignore what I was seeing.

The Batwa are not simply a community facing poverty. They are a people with a rich history, culture, and deep connection to the forest. Behind every statistic are real families, grandparents, parents, and children working to preserve their dignity and identity.

For generations, Batwa knowledge was passed from one generation to the next through daily life in the forest. Their traditions, skills, and culture remain an important part of their identity today.

The Batwa continue working to preserve their culture and heritage despite the many challenges they face.

The Family I Could Not Forget

Then one experience changed my life forever.

While visiting a Batwa settlement, I met a family with three children who had gone three days without food.

They were living in a small grass-thatched house and sharing a single bed. The children showed clear signs of hunger and hardship.

I remember standing there and realizing that I could not simply walk away and continue with my life as usual.

That moment became a turning point.

I decided that if I wanted to see change, I needed to become part of creating it.

Building Hope Together

In 2017, I founded Sanuriro Batwa Community Development Association.

What began with a small donation of 20 kilograms of posho has grown into a community effort that now works alongside approximately 150 Batwa families in southwestern Uganda.

Together, we are working to create practical, long-term solutions that help families build greater stability and self-reliance.

Creating Sustainable Solutions

Rather than focusing only on temporary assistance, we work alongside communities to develop lasting solutions.

Through skills training, livelihood development, agriculture, and community education, Batwa families are building greater stability and self-reliance.

Food insecurity remains a major challenge for many families, especially children.

Rather than focusing only on temporary assistance, we work alongside communities to develop lasting solutions.

We provide agricultural training and support food production projects that help families grow nutritious food close to home.

Families are learning practical methods to improve food security and make better use of limited land.

These projects help demonstrate that sustainable food production is possible and can improve both nutrition and household resilience.

We also encourage environmental stewardship and conservation education.

Living near Bwindi, we understand the importance of protecting biodiversity while also creating opportunities for local communities.

Preserving Culture and Opportunity

The forest remains an important part of Batwa history and identity.

Preserving culture, traditions, and community identity is an important part of building a stronger future.

Looking Toward the Future

My dream is a future where Batwa children can attend school, families can grow enough food to feed themselves, parents can earn stable incomes, and communities can live with dignity and hope.

I do not believe the Batwa should be defined by poverty or marginalization.

I believe they should be known for their resilience, culture, strength, and potential.

Thank you for standing with us and helping create a brighter future for Batwa families in southwestern Uganda.

With gratitude,

Alex Byomugabe

Founder, Sanuriro Batwa Community Development Association

Help Alex Build a Sustainable Future for Batwa Families

Helping Indigenous Batwa families build food security, education, sustainable livelihoods, and hope near Uganda's Bwindi Forest.